‘I absolutely had to rest after that!’ Your most nerve-wracking episodes of TV you’ve seen

The 2003 Spooks episode I Spy Apocalypse

This installment starts with the Spooks team restricted while undergoing a drill about a potential terror incident, monitored by two government representatives. As the situation develops, it seems an actual attack has occurred and a chemical agent deployed. The tension ratchets up as reports reveal a disaster happening externally, and intensifies as the boss appears to be infected, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, forcing Matthew Macfadyen’s character to choose between firing at them or allowing them to leave and risking contaminating the sealed MI5 offices. This being Spooks, the outcome is expected.

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 after seeing the first airing; I used to visit the pub in Sheffield featured in the show that highlighted the truth and the casual, straightforward government details that were transmitted. Still absolutely terrifying 35 years later.

Severance – The We We Are from 2022

The season one finale of Severance ranks highly among intense episodes. I remained for the whole show actually sitting tensely, exerting with Dylan to keep his hands on the levers that sustained the Innies’ extended time, while screaming at the Innies to get their truths out there. The concluding高潮 – “she’s alive!” – was like an eruption.

The 2024 Industry episode White Mischief

Episode five of the third series of Industry caused my heart to pound. I needed to stop and stand and exit the space repeatedly because of the sheer scale of the wanton self-destruction I saw. Rishi Ramdani is in major difficulty at work and home – buried in financial obligations to loan sharks owing to his uncontrollable gaming, assuming hazardous chances with a bet on sterling that might cost his firm millions. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, uses copious drugs and alcohol and alternates between success and failure, gets beaten to a pulp. Whenever you assume things cannot decline more, it does. There is a chance for salvation at the end of the episode but he misses the opening, with horrifying consequences during the season’s final episode. Absolutely had to relax following that!

Peep Show – Holiday from 2007

The series Peep Show isn’t typically anxiety-inducing. However, the Holiday episode includes such amounts of embarrassment that it’ll have you standing up the whole episode, riddled with anxiety. The situation intensifies once Jeremy and Mark find themselves having to lie about the dog they accidentally run over and following tries to eliminate it. You then spend the rest of the episode doubting if it can actually be more terrible than burning, and it can be!

The 2001 The West Wing episode The Two Cathedrals

Nothing I’ve watched has been more intense as when I first saw the concluding episode of The West Wing’s second season. The episode starts with the aftermath of the passing (in a road incident) of the president’s personal secretary and builds to a peak with a situation in Haiti, and the repercussions of the secrecy of the president’s MS diagnosis, along with affirmation of his plan to run for another term. Superb programming. Never bettered.

The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode

The start of the British program Bodyguard, with the hero aboard a train accompanied by his small son, is for me one of the most intense episodes ever. He notices a Muslim female going into the loo and realizes something is amiss. The bomb diffuser experts are called, enter the train, and try to persuade the woman to remove her explosive vest. Anxiety builds to a nearly intolerable level, until, finally, the vest is neutralized.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body (2001)

Buffy arrives at her residence to realize her mom has deceased from natural reasons, which is the most unusual type of death in this mystical program. The episode has no background music, a sullen tone, and we witness the episode via the perspective of Buffy’s shock of discovering her mother.

The 2007 The Sopranos finale Made in America

The ultimate sequence of the series finale of the program was incredibly anxious. And for those who saw it during its initial broadcast, you – at the start – didn’t understand the cause. Tony’s foes, genuine and fictional, were all overcome. This seems similar to the first season’s finale, right? “Remember the little things.” But the mood is bizarrely ominous. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The family sit in a restaurant. Meadow stops the car. Tony sorrowfully notifies Carmela there’s trouble afoot with an additional associate working with the government. Meadow secures a parking space. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Gaze at Tony(?) Meadow continues to park. Tony plays a track on the music machine. Meadow parks her car. The bell rings, someone enters the restaurant. Can’t be Meadow, she’s still parking. Tony raises his gaze. Continue. It halts. My heart dropped from my mouth about 20 minutes later.

The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth from 2016

I remained awake to view this installment in the early morning. It was so intense after the establishment of antagonist Negan finding the group, mercilessly mocking his targets and then keeping the death a mystery (finished with an unresolved situation). The point-of-view shot from the victim and the subdued noises – ugh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season