‘I definitely needed a lie-down after that!’ Your most gripping episodes of TV ever
Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003
This installment starts with the intelligence unit locked down as part of a simulation relating to a hypothetical terrorist attack, overseen by two Home Office officials. As the situation develops, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place and a chemical weapon has been unleashed. The anxiety increases 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, compelling the character played by Matthew Macfadyen to opt for either shooting them or permitting their exit and risking contaminating the sealed MI5 offices. This being Spooks, his decision is predictable.
Threads (1984)
Threads was low budget yet among the scariest shows I have viewed because of the stark reality and dismal official figures. Watched it about a month ago having watched the original; I often attended the bar in Sheffield shown in the series which underscored the actuality and the glib matter-of-fact official information that aired. Still absolutely terrifying 35 years later.
The 2022 Severance episode The We We Are
The season one finale of Severance ranks highly as a tense chapter. I remained for the whole show 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 reveal their realities. The ultimate peak – “she’s alive!” – felt like an explosion.
Industry – White Mischief from 2024
Installment five in Industry’s third series caused my heart to pound. I needed to stop and stand and leave the room several times owing to the vast degree of the reckless self-harm I saw. Rishi Ramdani faces serious trouble professionally and personally – buried in financial obligations to loan sharks due to his addictive betting, engaging in dangerous ventures with a bet on sterling that might cost his firm millions. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, does tons of drugs and drink and experiences wins and losses, is brutally attacked. Every time you think it can’t get any worse, it does. Redemption seems possible at the end of the episode yet he wastes the chance, with horrifying consequences during the season’s final episode. Certainly required a rest afterward!
Peep Show – Holiday (2007)
Peep Show itself isn’t necessarily a stressful show. But the episode Holiday features such degrees of awkwardness that it’ll have you standing up for the full show, permeated with worry. It all ramps up when Jeremy and Mark realize being compelled to falsify about the canine they unintentionally hit and later efforts to get rid of it. You subsequently use the rest of the installment wondering if it might be more awful than cremation, and it turns out to be!
The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals (2001)
Nothing I’ve watched has been more intense than the first time I watched the season two finale to The West Wing. The installment begins with the consequences of the death (in a traffic accident) of the president’s personal secretary and escalates to a高潮 with a crisis in Haiti, and the repercussions of the secrecy about the president’s MS condition, along with affirmation of his plan to pursue re-election. Superb programming. Unsurpassed.
Bodyguard – episode one from 2018
The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, with the protagonist on a train with his young son, ranks among the most gripping episodes I’ve seen. He spots a Muslim woman going into the loo and realizes something is amiss. The explosive disposal specialists are summoned, board the train, and endeavor to coax the woman to remove her explosive vest. Anxiety builds to a nearly intolerable level, until yes, the vest is diffused.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body from 2001
Buffy enters her house to realize her mom has deceased from natural reasons, which is the most unusual type of death in this supernatural show. The episode has no background music, a gloomy atmosphere, and we witness the episode via the perspective of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering her mother.
The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007
The concluding moment of the last installment of the series was extremely nerve-wracking. And if you watched it when it originally aired, you – at first – weren’t sure why. Tony’s enemies, real and imagined, had all been defeated. This seems similar to the first season’s finale, right? “Think about the small elements.” But the mood is bizarrely ominous. Almost Twin Peaks levels of terror. The family gathers in a diner. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony gloomily informs Carmela there’s trouble afoot with another member of his team collaborating with the authorities. Meadow secures a parking space. Strange people enter the restaurant. Look at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow parks her car. The bell rings, someone enters the restaurant. Can’t be Meadow, she’s still parking. Tony looks up. Continue. It ceases. My spirit fell about 20 minutes later.
The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth (2016)
I remained awake to view this installment during the night. It was so intense following the introduction of villain Negan locating the survivors, mercilessly mocking his targets and then keeping the death a mystery (finished with an unresolved situation). The first-person perspective of the victim and the muted audio – ugh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season
