‘I definitely needed a lie-down after that!’ Your most intense television episodes ever
The 2003 Spooks episode I Spy Apocalypse
This installment starts with the Spooks team restricted during a training exercise about a potential terror incident, overseen by two Home Office officials. As events unfold, it appears that there really has been an attack with a chemical weapon released. The suspense builds as reports reveal a disaster happening externally, 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 allowing them to leave and potentially infecting the secure MI5 headquarters. As this is Spooks, his decision is predictable.
The 1984 production Threads
Threads was low budget but arguably the most terrifying series I have viewed because of the stark reality and bleak government data. Viewed it recently following the initial broadcast; I used to visit the pub in Sheffield shown in the series which emphasised the reality and the offhand factual official statements which was broadcast. Still absolutely terrifying decades on.
Severance – The We We Are from 2022
The first season finale of Severance deserves a top spot as a tense chapter. I spent the entire episode quite literally on the edge of my seat, straining every sinew with Dylan to maintain his grip on the controls that allowed the Innies to remain active, while shouting to the Innies to disclose their facts. The ultimate peak – “she is living!” – was like an eruption.
Industry – White Mischief from 2024
Episode five of the third series of Industry caused my heart to pound. I had to pause and get up and leave the room several times due to the immense extent of the deliberate ruin I saw. Rishi Ramdani is in deep shit at work and home – up to his eyeballs in debt to illegal creditors owing to his uncontrollable gaming, engaging in dangerous ventures on a wager involving sterling that might cost his firm millions. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, uses copious drugs and alcohol and wins, loses, wins, gets beaten to a pulp. Every time you think it can’t get any worse, it does. Redemption seems possible as the installment closes but he misses the opening, leading to terrible outcomes in the season finale. Absolutely had to relax following that!
The 2007 Peep Show episode Holiday
The series Peep Show isn’t typically anxiety-inducing. But the episode Holiday contains such levels of cringe that it’ll have you standing up throughout the entire episode, filled with nervousness. It all ramps up once Jeremy and Mark find themselves having to lie about the dog 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 2001 The West Wing episode The Two Cathedrals
Nothing I have seen has been as tense compared to my initial viewing the second season finale of The West Wing. The episode starts with the aftermath of the demise (in a car crash) of the president’s confidential aide and escalates to a高潮 with a situation in Haiti, and the repercussions of the secrecy of the president’s MS diagnosis, along with affirmation of his plan to pursue re-election. Excellent TV. Unequaled.
Bodyguard – episode one from 2018
The opening of the British series Bodyguard, with the protagonist on a train with his young 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 take off her suicide vest. Tension escalates to a nearly intolerable level, until yes, the vest is diffused.
The 2001 Buffy episode The Body
Buffy comes into her home to discover her mother has died from natural reasons, which is the most unusual type of death in this paranormal series. The installment lacks any soundtrack, a somber mood, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s astonishment upon finding her mother.
The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007
The ultimate sequence of the series finale of the show was pants-wettingly tense. And if you viewed it when it first premiered, you – at the start – didn’t understand the cause. Tony’s enemies, real and imagined, were all overcome. Doesn’t this resemble the season one conclusion? “Recall the minor details.” 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 there’s trouble afoot with yet another of his crew cooperating with the officials. Meadow parks. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Look at Tony(?) Meadow continues to park. Tony plays a track on the music machine. Meadow parks. The door chimes, a person comes in. It isn’t Meadow, she remains parking. Tony looks up. Don’t stop. It stops. My heart sank roughly 20 minutes after.
The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth (2016)
I kept late hours to see this show in the early morning. It was extremely gripping after the establishment of antagonist Negan discovering the characters, savagely teasing his prey and then leaving the victim unknown (finished with an unresolved situation). The victim’s POV shot and the muted audio – argh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season
