‘I definitely needed a lie-down after that!’ The most gripping television episodes ever
Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003
This installment starts with the MI5 agents restricted during a training exercise concerning a fictional terrorist event, monitored by two government representatives. As things progress, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place with a chemical weapon released. The suspense builds as incoming communications show a catastrophe taking place outside, and escalates when the leader seems contaminated, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to opt for either shooting them or permitting their exit and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. This being Spooks, it is unsurprising which one he chooses.
Threads (1984)
Threads had minimal funding but one of the most frightening programmes I have viewed owing to its grim authenticity and bleak government data. Viewed it recently after seeing the first airing; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub from the programme that highlighted the truth and the glib matter-of-fact official information that aired. Still absolutely terrifying after three and a half decades.
Severance – The We We Are from 2022
The first season finale of Severance has to be right up there as a tense chapter. I spent the entire episode literally perched nervously, exerting with Dylan to maintain his grip on the controls that allowed the Innies to remain active, while screaming at the Innies to reveal their realities. The concluding高潮 – “she survives!” – resembled a outburst.
The 2024 Industry episode White Mischief
Installment five in Industry’s third series had my heart racing. I was compelled to halt and rise and leave the room several times owing to the vast degree of the deliberate ruin I observed. Rishi Ramdani is in major difficulty professionally and personally – buried in financial obligations to loan sharks because of his compulsive gambling, engaging in dangerous ventures on a wager involving sterling which may result in huge losses for his employer. So of course, he goes on a gambling spree, does tons of drugs and drink and wins, loses, wins, is severely assaulted. Whenever you assume it can’t get any worse, it worsens. Redemption seems possible by the episode’s conclusion but he squanders the opportunity, with horrifying consequences in the concluding part of the season. Absolutely had to relax following that!
Peep Show – Holiday from 2007
Peep Show itself isn’t necessarily a stressful show. However, the Holiday episode contains such levels of cringe that it will make you rise throughout the entire episode, riddled with anxiety. The situation intensifies as Jeremy and Mark discover 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 wondering if it might be more awful than cremation, and it can be!
The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals (2001)
No other viewing has been as gripping than the first time I watched the concluding episode of The West Wing’s second season. The show opens with the fallout of the passing (in a road incident) of the president’s private assistant and reaches a crescendo involving a Haitian emergency, and the fallout from the non-disclosure regarding the president’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, with confirmation of his intention to seek re-election. Wonderful television. Unsurpassed.
Bodyguard – episode one from 2018
The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, with the hero aboard a train with his young son, is personally a top tense installment. He spots a Muslim woman entering the restroom and senses something is wrong. The bomb diffuser experts are called, enter the train, and try to persuade the woman to remove her explosive vest. Suspense rises to a nearly intolerable level, until, indeed, the vest is disarmed.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body (2001)
Buffy enters her house to realize her mom has deceased due to natural factors, which is the most unusual type of death in this supernatural show. The installment lacks any soundtrack, a gloomy atmosphere, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering her mother.
The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007
The final scene of the final episode of the program was incredibly anxious. And if you viewed it when it first premiered, you – at the start – didn’t understand the cause. Tony’s enemies, real and imagined, had all been defeated. This seems similar to the first season’s finale, right? “Recall the minor details.” However, the vibe is oddly threatening. Almost Twin Peaks levels of terror. The family gathers in a diner. Meadow parks. Tony gloomily informs Carmela problems are brewing with an additional associate cooperating with the officials. Meadow parks. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Gaze at Tony(?) Meadow parks. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow finds a spot. The bell rings, someone enters the restaurant. It cannot be Meadow, she is still parking. Tony glances upward. Continue. It halts. My heart sank around 20 minutes subsequently.
The 2016 The Walking Dead episode The Last Day on Earth
I kept late hours to see this show at 2am. It was so intense following the introduction of villain Negan locating the survivors, savagely teasing his prey and then keeping the death a mystery (ended on a cliffhanger). 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
