‘I absolutely had to rest after that!’ The most intense TV episodes ever
The 2003 Spooks episode I Spy Apocalypse
The show kicks off with the Spooks team locked down during a training exercise about a potential terror incident, supervised by two Home Office agents. As things progress, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place with a chemical weapon released. The anxiety increases as messages indicate a crisis unfolding beyond their walls, and intensifies as the boss appears to be infected, with the two officials trying to exit, compelling the character played by Matthew Macfadyen to opt for either shooting them or letting them go and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. Given it’s Spooks, it is unsurprising which one he chooses.
The 1984 production Threads
Threads had minimal funding but one of the most frightening programmes I have viewed due to its harsh realism and grim official statistics. Watched it about a month ago after seeing the first airing; I used to visit the pub in Sheffield shown in the series which underscored the actuality 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 among intense episodes. I spent the entire episode quite literally on the edge of my seat, exerting with Dylan to hold the switches that kept the Innies on overtime, while screaming at the Innies to disclose their facts. The concluding高潮 – “she’s alive!” – resembled a outburst.
Industry – White Mischief (2024)
Episode five of the third series of Industry made my pulse quicken. I needed to stop and stand and leave the room several times because of the sheer scale of the deliberate ruin I was witnessing. Rishi Ramdani is in major difficulty at work and home – buried in financial obligations to loan sharks owing to his uncontrollable gaming, assuming hazardous chances on a wager involving sterling which could lose his company millions. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, consumes excessive substances and alcohol and alternates between success and failure, is severely assaulted. Every time you think the situation cannot deteriorate further, it does. There’s hope of redemption at the end of the episode yet he wastes the chance, resulting in dreadful effects in the season finale. Certainly required a rest afterward!
Peep Show – Holiday from 2007
The series Peep Show isn’t typically anxiety-inducing. Yet the installment Holiday contains such levels of cringe that it’ll have you standing up throughout the entire episode, permeated with worry. The situation intensifies as Jeremy and Mark discover having to lie about the dog they accidentally run over and subsequent attempts to dispose of it. You subsequently use the rest of the installment doubting if it can actually be more terrible than burning, and it turns out to be!
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 installment begins with the consequences of the passing (in a road incident) of the president’s confidential aide and builds to a peak with a situation in Haiti, and the fallout from the non-disclosure regarding the president’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, along with affirmation of his plan to pursue re-election. Superb programming. Unsurpassed.
The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode
The opening of the British series Bodyguard, with the hero aboard a train alongside his juvenile boy, is personally a top tense installment. He notices a Muslim female going into the loo and realizes something is amiss. The explosive disposal specialists are summoned, enter the train, and endeavor to coax the woman to discard her bomb jacket. Tension escalates to an almost unbearable degree, until yes, the vest is diffused.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body (2001)
Buffy enters her house to discover her mother has died from natural reasons, which is the least common kind of passing in this supernatural show. 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 final scene of the final episode of the program was incredibly anxious. And for those who saw it during its initial broadcast, you – at the start – didn’t understand the cause. Tony’s enemies, real and imagined, had all been defeated. Surely this has the feel of the season one ending? “Remember the little things.” Yet the atmosphere is strangely foreboding. Approaching Twin Peaks-esque horror. The clan sits in an eatery. Meadow parks. Tony sadly tells Carmela problems are brewing with another member of his team cooperating with the officials. Meadow parks the vehicle. Strange people enter the restaurant. Look at Tony(?) Meadow parks. Tony puts a record on the jukebox. Meadow parks her car. The bell sounds, an individual enters. It isn’t Meadow, she remains parking. Tony raises his gaze. Keep going. It stops. My heart dropped from my mouth about 20 minutes later.
The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth from 2016
I remained awake to view this installment at 2am. It was incredibly tense after the establishment of antagonist Negan locating the survivors, mercilessly mocking his targets and then keeping the death a mystery (concluded with a suspenseful moment). The first-person perspective of the victim and the subdued noises – ugh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season
