🔗 Share this article

The 2003 Spooks episode I Spy Apocalypse

This installment starts with the MI5 agents confined during a training exercise relating to a hypothetical terrorist attack, overseen by two Home Office officials. As the situation develops, it appears that there really has been an attack and a chemical weapon has been unleashed. The anxiety increases as messages indicate a catastrophe taking place outside, and escalates as the boss appears to be infected, with the two officials trying to exit, compelling the character played by Matthew Macfadyen to choose between firing at them or permitting their exit and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. As this is Spooks, it is unsurprising which one he chooses.

Threads from 1984

Threads had minimal funding yet among the scariest shows I have ever watched because of the stark reality and grim official statistics. Saw it not long ago following the initial broadcast; I often attended the bar in Sheffield shown in the series which emphasised the reality and the glib matter-of-fact official information that aired. Remaining completely frightening decades on.

The 2022 Severance episode The We We Are

The concluding episode of Severance’s debut season has to be right up there in terms of gripping installments. I was throughout the episode actually sitting tensely, pushing alongside Dylan to maintain his grip on the controls that allowed the Innies to remain active, while screaming at the Innies to disclose their facts. The final climactic moment – “she is living!” – was like an eruption.

Industry – White Mischief (2024)

Installment five in Industry’s third series had my heart racing. I had to pause and get up and exit the space repeatedly owing to the vast degree of the wanton self-destruction I was witnessing. Rishi Ramdani is in deep shit at work and home – buried in financial obligations to loan sharks owing to his uncontrollable gaming, taking such risks with a gamble on the pound which may result in huge losses for his employer. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, uses copious drugs and alcohol and wins, loses, wins, is brutally attacked. Every time you think the situation cannot deteriorate further, it deteriorates. There’s hope of redemption at the end of the episode but he misses the opening, with horrifying consequences in the concluding part of the season. Definitely needed a lie-down after that!

Peep Show – Holiday from 2007

The series Peep Show isn’t typically anxiety-inducing. However, the Holiday episode contains such levels of cringe that it will make you rise for the full show, permeated with worry. It all ramps up once Jeremy and Mark find themselves having to lie about the dog they accidentally run over and later efforts to get rid of it. You then spend the rest of the episode doubting if it can actually be more terrible than burning, and it can be!

The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals from 2001

Nothing I’ve watched has been more intense as when I first saw the second season finale of The West Wing. The episode starts with the aftermath of the death (in a traffic accident) of the president’s private assistant and escalates to a高潮 with a situation in Haiti, and the fallout from the non-disclosure regarding the president’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, along with affirmation of his plan to run for another term. Superb programming. Unequaled.

Bodyguard – episode one from 2018

The start of the British program Bodyguard, featuring the main character on a train accompanied by his small son, is for me one of the most intense episodes ever. He observes a woman in Islamic attire heading to the toilet and knows something is off. The explosive disposal specialists are summoned, enter the train, and attempt to convince the woman to remove her explosive vest. Anxiety builds to a practically unendurable point, until yes, the vest is diffused.

The 2001 Buffy episode The Body

Buffy arrives at her residence to discover her mother has died of natural causes, which is the most unusual type of death in this mystical program. The episode has no background music, a gloomy atmosphere, and we witness the episode via the perspective of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering her mother.

The 2007 The Sopranos finale Made in America

The ultimate sequence of the series finale of the show was pants-wettingly tense. And for those who saw it during its initial broadcast, you – at first – weren’t sure why. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, had all been defeated. Surely this has the feel of the season one ending? “Think about the small elements.” Yet the atmosphere is strangely foreboding. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The clan sits in an eatery. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony sadly tells Carmela problems are brewing with another member of his team cooperating with the officials. Meadow secures a parking space. Strange people enter the restaurant. Stare at Tony(?) Meadow parks. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow finds a spot. The door chimes, a person comes in. Can’t be Meadow, she’s still parking. Tony raises his gaze. Continue. It stops. My heart sank around 20 minutes subsequently.

The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth from 2016

I remained awake to view this installment at 2am. It was incredibly tense after the establishment of antagonist Negan finding the group, mercilessly mocking his targets then not knowing who he killed (concluded with a suspenseful moment). The first-person perspective of the victim and the muted audio – oh no! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season