‘I definitely needed a lie-down after that!’ Your most nerve-wracking television episodes of all time
Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003
This installment starts with the intelligence unit confined while undergoing a drill relating to a hypothetical terrorist attack, supervised by two Home Office agents. As events unfold, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place and a chemical agent deployed. The anxiety increases as incoming communications show a catastrophe taking place outside, and gets worse as the superior shows signs of exposure, with the two officials trying to exit, forcing Matthew Macfadyen’s character to opt for either shooting them or letting them go and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. As this is Spooks, the outcome is expected.
Threads from 1984
The production was inexpensive yet among the scariest shows I have viewed owing to its grim authenticity and dismal official figures. Saw it not long ago having watched the original; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub featured in the show that highlighted the truth and the offhand factual official statements which was broadcast. Continuing to be utterly horrifying 35 years later.
Severance – The We We Are (2022)
The first season finale of Severance deserves a top spot among intense episodes. I was throughout the episode actually sitting tensely, straining every sinew with Dylan to hold the switches that allowed the Innies to remain active, while screaming at the Innies to disclose their facts. The final climactic moment – “she’s alive!” – felt like an explosion.
Industry – White Mischief (2024)
Episode five of the third series of Industry made my pulse quicken. I needed to stop and stand and exit the space repeatedly owing to the vast degree of the wanton self-destruction I observed. Rishi Ramdani faces serious trouble at work and home – up to his eyeballs in debt from unscrupulous lenders due to his addictive betting, taking such risks with a bet on sterling that might cost his firm millions. So of course, he goes on a gambling spree, does tons of drugs and drink and experiences wins and losses, gets beaten to a pulp. Each instance you believe it can’t get any worse, it worsens. There’s hope of redemption at the end of the episode but he squanders the opportunity, resulting in dreadful effects in the season finale. Absolutely had to relax following that!
The 2007 Peep Show episode Holiday
Peep Show itself isn’t necessarily a stressful show. However, the Holiday episode features such degrees of awkwardness that it’ll have you standing up the whole episode, riddled with anxiety. It all ramps up as Jeremy and Mark discover needing to deceive regarding the dog they by chance collide with 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 is possible!
The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals (2001)
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 private assistant and escalates to a高潮 involving a Haitian emergency, and the repercussions of the secrecy of the president’s MS diagnosis, with confirmation of his intention to pursue re-election. Wonderful television. Never bettered.
Bodyguard – episode one from 2018
The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, featuring the main character on a train accompanied by his small son, is for me one of the most intense episodes ever. He observes a woman in Islamic attire entering the restroom and senses something is wrong. The bomb diffuser experts are called, board the train, and try to persuade the woman to take off her suicide vest. Anxiety builds to a nearly intolerable level, until, finally, the vest is neutralized.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body (2001)
Buffy enters her house to find her mum has passed away of natural causes, which is the most unusual type of death in this paranormal series. The episode has no background music, a sullen tone, and we witness the episode via the perspective of Buffy’s astonishment upon finding her mother.
The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007
The concluding moment of the last installment of the show was pants-wettingly tense. And for those who saw it during its initial broadcast, you – initially – were uncertain of the reason. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, were all vanquished. Doesn’t this resemble the season one conclusion? “Remember the little things.” However, the vibe is oddly threatening. Approaching Twin Peaks-esque horror. The family gathers in a diner. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony sadly tells Carmela there’s trouble afoot with yet another of his crew collaborating with the authorities. Meadow secures a parking space. Unfamiliar individuals come into the diner. Stare 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 looks up. Don’t stop. It stops. My spirit fell 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 incredibly tense after the buildup of bad guy Negan locating the survivors, mercilessly mocking his targets and then leaving the victim unknown (ended on a cliffhanger). The first-person perspective of the victim and the muted audio – oh no! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season
