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Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003

The show kicks off with the intelligence unit locked down while undergoing a drill concerning a fictional terrorist event, monitored by two government representatives. As the situation develops, it appears that there really has been an attack with a chemical weapon released. The anxiety increases as reports reveal a catastrophe taking place outside, 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 decide between shooting them or permitting their exit and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. Given it’s Spooks, the outcome is expected.

Threads from 1984

Threads was low budget but one of the most frightening programmes I have ever watched due to its harsh realism and grim official statistics. Watched it about a month ago having watched the original; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub from the programme that highlighted the truth and the offhand factual official statements which was broadcast. Still absolutely terrifying decades on.

The 2022 Severance episode The We We Are

The season one finale of Severance deserves a top spot as a tense chapter. I spent the entire episode actually sitting tensely, pushing alongside Dylan to keep his hands on the levers that kept the Innies on overtime, while shouting to the Innies to disclose their facts. The final climactic moment – “she’s alive!” – felt like an explosion.

The 2024 Industry episode White Mischief

The fifth episode of Industry’s third season made my pulse quicken. I needed to stop and stand and exit the space repeatedly due to the immense extent of the wanton self-destruction I saw. Rishi Ramdani is in deep shit at work and home – overwhelmed by debt to loan sharks because of his compulsive gambling, taking such risks with a gamble on the pound which could lose his company millions. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, consumes excessive substances and alcohol and wins, loses, wins, is brutally attacked. Whenever you assume the situation cannot deteriorate further, it does. Redemption seems possible by the episode’s conclusion but he misses the opening, resulting in dreadful effects in the concluding part of the season. Definitely needed a lie-down after that!

Peep Show – Holiday (2007)

Peep Show is not inherently a tense series. Yet the installment Holiday includes such amounts of embarrassment that it’ll have you standing up the whole episode, riddled with anxiety. The situation intensifies when Jeremy and Mark realize having to lie about the dog they by chance collide with and following tries to eliminate it. You subsequently use the rest of the installment doubting if it can actually be more terrible than burning, and it can be!

The 2001 The West Wing episode The Two Cathedrals

No other viewing has been as gripping than the first time I watched the season two finale to The West Wing. The episode starts with the aftermath of the passing (in a road incident) of the president’s private assistant and reaches a crescendo with a crisis in Haiti, and the fallout from the non-disclosure regarding the president’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, coupled with verification of his aim to pursue re-election. Superb programming. Unequaled.

Bodyguard – episode one (2018)

The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, featuring the main character on a train accompanied by his small son, is personally a top tense installment. He observes a woman in Islamic attire entering the restroom and senses something is wrong. The explosive disposal specialists are summoned, enter the train, and try to persuade the woman to remove her explosive vest. Suspense rises to a nearly intolerable level, until yes, the vest is diffused.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body from 2001

Buffy arrives at her residence to realize her mom has deceased due to natural factors, which is the most unusual type of death in this paranormal series. The episode has no background music, a gloomy atmosphere, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s shock of discovering her mother.

The 2007 The Sopranos finale Made in America

The final scene of the final episode of the series was extremely nerve-wracking. And if you watched it when it originally aired, you – initially – were uncertain of the reason. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, were all vanquished. This seems similar to the first season’s finale, right? “Recall the minor details.” Yet the atmosphere is strangely foreboding. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The family sit in a restaurant. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony sorrowfully notifies Carmela difficulties are arising with yet another of his crew collaborating with the authorities. Meadow parks the vehicle. Strange people enter the restaurant. Look at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony puts a record on the jukebox. Meadow parks her car. The door chimes, a person comes in. It isn’t Meadow, she remains parking. Tony looks up. Keep going. It ceases. My heart sank 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 extremely gripping after the buildup of bad guy Negan finding the group, cruelly taunting his victims and then leaving the victim unknown (finished with an unresolved situation). The point-of-view shot from the victim and the muffled sounds – ugh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season