‘I definitely needed a lie-down after that!’ Your most nerve-wracking television episodes ever
Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse (2003)
This installment starts with the MI5 agents locked down during a training exercise concerning a fictional terrorist event, overseen by two Home Office officials. As events unfold, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place and a chemical agent deployed. The anxiety increases as messages indicate a crisis unfolding beyond their walls, and escalates as the superior shows signs of exposure, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to opt for either shooting them or allowing them to leave and potentially infecting the secure MI5 headquarters. This being Spooks, the outcome is expected.
Threads (1984)
The production was inexpensive but one of the most frightening programmes I have viewed due to its harsh realism and bleak government data. Saw it not long ago after seeing the first airing; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub shown in the series which underscored the actuality and the casual, straightforward government details that aired. Continuing to be utterly horrifying 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, exerting 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 final climactic moment – “she is living!” – resembled a outburst.
Industry – White Mischief (2024)
The fifth episode of Industry’s third season caused my heart to pound. I had to pause and get up and exit the space repeatedly due to the immense extent of the wanton self-destruction I was witnessing. Rishi Ramdani is in major difficulty in his job and domestic life – up to his eyeballs in debt to loan sharks due to his addictive betting, taking such risks on a wager involving sterling that might cost his firm millions. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, uses copious drugs and alcohol and wins, loses, wins, is severely assaulted. Every time you think it can’t get any worse, it does. There’s hope of redemption as the installment closes but he misses the opening, leading to terrible outcomes in the concluding part of the season. Absolutely had to relax following that!
Peep Show – Holiday from 2007
The series Peep Show isn’t typically anxiety-inducing. However, the Holiday episode contains such levels of cringe that it will make you rise for the full show, filled with nervousness. It all ramps up when Jeremy and Mark realize needing to deceive regarding the dog they by chance collide with and following tries to eliminate it. You then spend the rest of the episode wondering if it might be more awful than cremation, and it is possible!
The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals from 2001
Nothing I have seen has been as tense compared to my initial viewing 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 personal secretary and reaches a crescendo with a crisis in Haiti, and the repercussions of the secrecy regarding the president’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, coupled with verification of his aim to run for another term. Wonderful television. Unsurpassed.
The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode
The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, featuring the main character on a train accompanied by his small son, ranks among the most gripping episodes I’ve seen. He notices a Muslim female heading to the toilet and senses something is wrong. The bomb diffuser experts are called, get on the train, and endeavor to coax the woman to discard her bomb jacket. Tension escalates to an almost unbearable degree, until, finally, the vest is neutralized.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body (2001)
Buffy comes into her home to discover her mother has died from natural reasons, which is the least common kind of passing in this mystical program. The episode has no background music, a somber mood, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering 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 – at first – weren’t sure why. Tony’s enemies, real and imagined, were all vanquished. This seems similar to the first season’s finale, right? “Remember the little things.” Yet the atmosphere is strangely foreboding. Approaching Twin Peaks-esque horror. The clan sits in an eatery. Meadow stops the car. Tony sorrowfully notifies Carmela difficulties are arising with an additional associate working with the government. Meadow secures a parking space. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Gaze at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony plays a track on the music machine. Meadow parks her car. The bell sounds, an individual enters. It isn’t Meadow, she remains parking. Tony looks up. Keep going. It stops. My heart sank about 20 minutes later.
The 2016 The Walking Dead episode The Last Day on Earth
I remained awake to view this installment at 2am. It was so intense following the introduction of villain Negan locating the survivors, cruelly taunting his victims then not knowing who he killed (finished with an unresolved situation). The victim’s POV shot and the subdued noises – ugh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season