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Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse (2003)

The show kicks off with the Spooks team confined as part of a simulation about a potential terror incident, supervised by two Home Office agents. As the situation develops, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place with a chemical weapon released. The anxiety increases as messages indicate a catastrophe taking place outside, and gets worse as the superior shows signs of exposure, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, compelling the character played by Matthew Macfadyen to decide between shooting them or letting them go and risking contaminating the sealed MI5 offices. As this is Spooks, his decision is predictable.

Threads from 1984

The production was inexpensive but one of the most frightening programmes I have viewed because of the stark reality and dismal official figures. Viewed it recently after seeing the first airing; I often attended the bar in Sheffield featured in the show which emphasised the reality and the casual, straightforward government details which was broadcast. Still absolutely terrifying after three and a half decades.

The 2022 Severance episode The We We Are

The concluding episode of Severance’s debut season has to be right up there in terms of gripping installments. I spent the entire episode 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 reveal their realities. The ultimate peak – “she is living!” – felt like an explosion.

The 2024 Industry episode White Mischief

Episode five of the third series of Industry caused my heart to pound. 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 is in major difficulty in his job and domestic life – overwhelmed by debt to loan sharks due to his addictive betting, taking such risks on a wager involving sterling that might cost his firm millions. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, does tons of drugs and drink and alternates between success and failure, gets beaten to a pulp. Every time you think it can’t get any worse, it worsens. Redemption seems possible as the installment closes yet he wastes the chance, leading to terrible outcomes in the concluding part of the season. Definitely needed a lie-down after that!

The 2007 Peep Show episode Holiday

The series Peep Show isn’t typically anxiety-inducing. But the episode Holiday contains such levels of cringe that it can cause you to stand throughout the entire episode, riddled with anxiety. The situation intensifies once Jeremy and Mark find themselves being compelled to falsify about the canine they unintentionally hit and following tries to eliminate it. You then occupy the remainder of the episode questioning whether it truly can be worse than incineration, and it turns out to be!

The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals (2001)

No other viewing has been as gripping than the first time I watched the concluding episode of The West Wing’s second season. The installment begins with the consequences of the demise (in a car crash) of the president’s confidential aide and reaches a crescendo with a situation in Haiti, and the repercussions of the secrecy of the president’s MS diagnosis, with confirmation of his intention to run for another term. Superb programming. Unequaled.

Bodyguard – episode one (2018)

The start of the British program Bodyguard, with the hero aboard a train alongside his juvenile boy, 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, enter the train, and attempt to convince the woman to discard her bomb jacket. Suspense rises to a practically unendurable point, 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 most unusual type of death in this mystical program. The episode has no background music, a somber mood, and we witness the episode via the perspective of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering her mother.

The Sopranos – Made in America (2007)

The concluding moment of the last installment of the series was extremely nerve-wracking. And if you viewed it when it first premiered, you – initially – were uncertain of the reason. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, were all overcome. Doesn’t this resemble the season one conclusion? “Recall the minor details.” But the mood is bizarrely ominous. Approaching Twin Peaks-esque horror. The clan sits in an eatery. Meadow stops the car. Tony sorrowfully notifies Carmela there’s trouble afoot with an additional associate cooperating with the officials. Meadow parks the vehicle. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Look at Tony(?) Meadow continues to park. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow finds a spot. The bell sounds, an individual enters. It isn’t Meadow, she remains parking. Tony looks up. Keep going. It halts. My heart dropped from my mouth roughly 20 minutes after.

The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth from 2016

I kept late hours to see this show in the early morning. It was so intense following the introduction of villain Negan locating the survivors, mercilessly mocking his targets 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