‘I truly required a break after that!’ Your most gripping episodes of TV ever

Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse (2003)

The episode begins with the intelligence unit confined as part of a simulation concerning a fictional terrorist event, monitored by two government representatives. As events unfold, it seems an actual attack has occurred and a chemical weapon has been unleashed. The suspense builds as reports reveal a catastrophe taking place outside, and intensifies as the superior shows signs of exposure, with the two officials trying to exit, forcing Matthew Macfadyen’s character to decide between shooting them or allowing them to leave and risking contaminating the sealed MI5 offices. This being Spooks, it is unsurprising which one he chooses.

Threads from 1984

Threads was low budget yet among the scariest shows I’ve ever seen owing to its grim authenticity and dismal official figures. Viewed it recently following the initial broadcast; I often attended the bar in Sheffield from the programme that highlighted the truth and the glib matter-of-fact official information which was broadcast. Remaining completely frightening after three and a half decades.

The 2022 Severance episode The We We Are

The first season finale of Severance has to be right up there as a tense chapter. I remained for the whole show quite literally on the edge of my seat, pushing alongside Dylan to keep his hands on the levers that kept the Innies on overtime, while shouting to the Innies to get their truths out there. The ultimate peak – “she survives!” – resembled a outburst.

The 2024 Industry episode White Mischief

Installment five in Industry’s third series 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 saw. Rishi Ramdani faces serious trouble professionally and personally – up to his eyeballs in debt from unscrupulous lenders due to his addictive betting, taking such risks with a bet on sterling which may result in huge losses for his employer. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, consumes excessive substances and alcohol and alternates between success and failure, gets beaten to a pulp. Whenever you assume the situation cannot deteriorate further, it does. Redemption seems possible at the end of the episode but he squanders the opportunity, resulting in dreadful effects in the season finale. Definitely needed a lie-down after that!

Peep Show – Holiday from 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 for the full show, filled with nervousness. It all ramps up once Jeremy and Mark find themselves being compelled to falsify about the canine 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 2001 The West Wing episode The Two Cathedrals

Nothing I’ve watched has been more intense compared to my initial viewing the concluding episode of The West Wing’s second season. The episode starts with the aftermath of the passing (in a road incident) of the president’s personal secretary and escalates to a高潮 with a situation in Haiti, and the effects of the withheld information regarding the president’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, along with affirmation of his plan to seek re-election. Excellent TV. Never bettered.

The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode

The start of the British program 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 knows something is off. The bomb diffuser experts are called, get on the train, and attempt to convince the woman to remove her explosive vest. Suspense rises to a nearly intolerable level, until, finally, the vest is neutralized.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body from 2001

Buffy enters her house to find her mum has passed away due to natural factors, which is the most unusual type of death in this supernatural show. The episode has no background music, a sullen tone, and we see the episode through the experience of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering her mother.

The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007

The ultimate sequence of the series finale of the show was pants-wettingly tense. And for those who saw it during its initial broadcast, you – at first – weren’t sure why. Tony’s foes, genuine and fictional, were all overcome. This seems similar to the first season’s finale, right? “Recall the minor details.” However, the vibe is oddly threatening. Almost Twin Peaks levels of terror. The family gathers in a diner. Meadow stops the car. Tony sadly tells Carmela there’s trouble afoot with another member of his team cooperating with the officials. Meadow parks. Strange people enter the restaurant. Gaze at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony plays a track on the music machine. Meadow parks. The bell sounds, an individual enters. It cannot be Meadow, she is still parking. Tony raises his gaze. Don’t stop. It stops. My heart dropped from my mouth around 20 minutes subsequently.

The 2016 The Walking Dead episode The Last Day on Earth

I remained awake to view this installment during the night. It was so intense following the introduction of villain Negan finding the group, savagely teasing his prey then not knowing who he killed (finished with an unresolved situation). The victim’s POV shot and the muted audio – argh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season