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Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse (2003)

The show kicks off with the intelligence unit restricted while undergoing a drill relating to a hypothetical terrorist attack, monitored by two government representatives. As the situation develops, it seems an actual attack has occurred with a chemical weapon released. The anxiety increases as incoming communications show a crisis unfolding beyond their walls, and gets worse as the superior shows signs of exposure, with the two officials trying to exit, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to choose between firing at them or letting them go and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. As this is Spooks, it is unsurprising which one he chooses.

Threads (1984)

The production was inexpensive yet among the scariest shows I’ve ever seen due to its harsh realism and grim official statistics. Viewed it recently following the initial broadcast; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub featured in the show which emphasised the reality and the glib matter-of-fact official information that aired. Continuing to be utterly horrifying 35 years later.

Severance – The We We Are from 2022

The first season finale of Severance has to be right up there among intense episodes. I spent the entire episode literally perched nervously, straining every sinew with Dylan to maintain his grip on the controls that allowed the Innies to remain active, while yelling at the Innies to reveal their realities. The concluding高潮 – “she is living!” – resembled a outburst.

Industry – White Mischief (2024)

Installment five in Industry’s third series made my pulse quicken. I had to pause and get up and exit the space repeatedly due to the immense extent of the reckless self-harm I was witnessing. Rishi Ramdani is in major difficulty in his job and domestic life – buried in financial obligations to loan sharks because of his compulsive gambling, taking such risks on a wager involving sterling that might cost his firm millions. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, does tons of drugs and drink 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 yet he wastes the chance, leading to terrible outcomes in the season finale. Certainly required a rest afterward!

Peep Show – Holiday from 2007

Peep Show itself isn’t necessarily a stressful show. But the episode Holiday features such degrees of awkwardness that it will make you rise for the full show, riddled with anxiety. It all ramps up as Jeremy and Mark discover having to lie about the dog they unintentionally hit and following tries to eliminate it. You subsequently use the rest of the installment wondering if it might be more awful than cremation, and it can be!

The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals from 2001

Nothing I’ve watched has been more intense compared to my initial viewing the concluding episode of The West Wing’s second season. The show opens with the fallout of the demise (in a car crash) of the president’s personal secretary and reaches a crescendo with a situation in Haiti, and the effects of the withheld information of the president’s MS diagnosis, with confirmation of his intention to run for another term. Superb programming. Never bettered.

The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode

The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, with the hero aboard a train accompanied by his small son, is personally a top tense installment. He notices a Muslim female entering the restroom and senses something is wrong. The bomb squad is alerted, enter the train, and endeavor to coax the woman to take off her suicide vest. Anxiety builds to a practically unendurable point, until, indeed, the vest is disarmed.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body (2001)

Buffy comes into her home to discover her mother has died due to natural factors, which is the rarest form of demise in this mystical program. The installment lacks any soundtrack, a sullen tone, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s astonishment upon finding her mother.

The 2007 The Sopranos finale Made in America

The final scene of the final episode of the program was incredibly anxious. 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? “Recall the minor details.” However, the vibe is oddly threatening. Approaching Twin Peaks-esque horror. The family gathers in a diner. Meadow parks. Tony sorrowfully notifies Carmela there’s trouble afoot with another member of his team cooperating with the officials. Meadow secures a parking space. Unfamiliar individuals come into the diner. Look at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow parks. The door chimes, a person comes in. It cannot be Meadow, she is still parking. Tony glances upward. Continue. It ceases. My heart sank roughly 20 minutes after.

The 2016 The Walking Dead episode The Last Day on Earth

I remained awake to view this installment at 2am. It was so intense after the buildup of bad guy Negan locating the survivors, cruelly taunting his victims and then leaving the victim unknown (ended on a cliffhanger). The first-person perspective of the victim and the muffled sounds – oh no! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season