🔗 Share this article

Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse (2003)

The show kicks off with the MI5 agents restricted while undergoing a drill concerning a fictional terrorist event, supervised by two Home Office agents. As events unfold, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place and a chemical agent deployed. The tension ratchets up as messages indicate a catastrophe taking place outside, and gets worse as the boss appears to be infected, and the government agents endeavor to depart, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to decide between shooting them or letting them go and potentially infecting the secure MI5 headquarters. Given it’s Spooks, it is unsurprising which one he chooses.

Threads from 1984

Threads was low budget but arguably the most terrifying series I have viewed due to its harsh realism and dismal official figures. Viewed it recently 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 which was broadcast. Still absolutely terrifying 35 years later.

Severance – The We We Are from 2022

The concluding episode of Severance’s debut season deserves a top spot in terms of gripping installments. I spent the entire episode quite literally on the edge of my seat, straining every sinew with Dylan to hold the switches that sustained the Innies’ extended time, while screaming at the Innies to get their truths out there. The ultimate peak – “she survives!” – felt like an explosion.

The 2024 Industry episode White Mischief

Episode five of the third series of Industry caused my heart to pound. I had to pause and get up and exit the space repeatedly because of the sheer scale of the reckless self-harm I was witnessing. Rishi Ramdani faces serious trouble at work and home – overwhelmed by debt to illegal creditors owing to his uncontrollable gaming, taking such risks with a gamble on the pound which could lose his company millions. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, consumes excessive substances and alcohol and wins, loses, wins, is brutally attacked. Every time you think it can’t get any worse, it deteriorates. There’s hope of redemption at the end of the episode but he misses the opening, with horrifying consequences during the season’s final episode. Definitely needed a lie-down after that!

Peep Show – Holiday from 2007

Peep Show itself isn’t necessarily a stressful show. Yet the installment Holiday includes such amounts of embarrassment that it will make you rise throughout the entire episode, permeated with worry. It all ramps up as Jeremy and Mark discover being compelled to falsify about the canine they by chance collide with and following tries to eliminate it. You then occupy the remainder of the episode doubting if it can actually be more terrible than burning, and it is possible!

The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals (2001)

Nothing I have seen has been as tense compared to my initial viewing the season two finale to The West Wing. The episode starts with the aftermath of the passing (in a road incident) of the president’s confidential aide and escalates to a高潮 with a crisis in Haiti, and the effects of the withheld information regarding the president’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, along with affirmation of his plan to run for another term. Excellent TV. Unequaled.

The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode

The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, with the protagonist on a train with his young son, ranks among the most gripping episodes I’ve seen. He observes a woman in Islamic attire entering the restroom and senses something is wrong. The explosive disposal specialists are summoned, enter the train, and try to persuade the woman to remove her explosive vest. Tension escalates to a practically unendurable point, until, indeed, the vest is disarmed.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body (2001)

Buffy comes into her home to find her mum has passed away from natural reasons, which is the rarest form of demise in this paranormal series. The show features no musical score, a sullen tone, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s shock of discovering her mother.

The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007

The final scene of the final episode of the series was extremely nerve-wracking. And if you watched it when it originally aired, you – initially – were uncertain of the reason. Tony’s foes, genuine and fictional, were all overcome. Surely this has the feel of the season one ending? “Think about the small elements.” However, the vibe is oddly threatening. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The clan sits in an eatery. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony sadly tells Carmela there’s trouble afoot with an additional associate cooperating with the officials. Meadow parks the vehicle. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Look at Tony(?) Meadow parks. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow parks her car. The door chimes, a person comes in. Can’t be Meadow, she’s still parking. Tony raises his gaze. Don’t stop. It stops. My heart sank about 20 minutes later.

The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth (2016)

I remained awake to view this installment in the early morning. It was incredibly tense following the introduction of villain Negan discovering the characters, mercilessly mocking his targets and then keeping the death a mystery (concluded with a suspenseful moment). The first-person perspective of the victim and the muted audio – argh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season