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Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse (2003)

The episode begins with the intelligence unit confined during a training exercise about a potential terror incident, monitored by two government representatives. As events unfold, it seems an actual attack has occurred with a chemical weapon released. The suspense builds as incoming communications show 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 permitting their exit and risking contaminating the sealed MI5 offices. As this is Spooks, his decision is predictable.

The 1984 production Threads

Threads was low budget but one of the most frightening programmes I have ever watched due to its harsh realism and dismal official figures. Viewed it recently having watched the original; I often attended the bar in Sheffield from the programme which emphasised the reality and the casual, straightforward government details that aired. Remaining completely frightening 35 years later.

Severance – The We We Are (2022)

The first season finale of Severance deserves a top spot among intense episodes. I was throughout the episode literally perched nervously, pushing alongside Dylan to maintain his grip on the controls that kept the Innies on overtime, while shouting to the Innies to get their truths out there. The concluding高潮 – “she’s alive!” – felt like an explosion.

Industry – White Mischief from 2024

The fifth episode of Industry’s third season had my heart racing. I needed to stop and stand and leave the room several times owing to the vast degree of the deliberate ruin I observed. Rishi Ramdani is in major difficulty in his job and domestic life – overwhelmed by debt from unscrupulous lenders because of his compulsive gambling, engaging in dangerous ventures on a wager involving sterling which could lose his company millions. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, uses copious drugs and alcohol and wins, loses, wins, is severely assaulted. Each instance you believe things cannot decline more, it does. There’s hope of redemption by the episode’s conclusion but he squanders the opportunity, resulting in dreadful effects in the concluding part of the season. Definitely needed a lie-down after that!

Peep Show – Holiday from 2007

Peep Show is not inherently a tense series. Yet the installment Holiday contains such levels of cringe that it’ll have you standing up the whole episode, filled with nervousness. The situation intensifies when Jeremy and Mark realize needing to deceive regarding the dog they accidentally run over and later efforts to get rid of it. You subsequently use the rest of the installment questioning whether it truly can be worse than incineration, and it is possible!

The 2001 The West Wing episode The Two Cathedrals

Nothing I’ve watched has been more intense as when I first saw the second season finale of The West Wing. The episode starts with the aftermath of the death (in a traffic accident) of the president’s confidential aide and escalates to a高潮 with a crisis in Haiti, and the fallout from the non-disclosure of the president’s MS diagnosis, coupled with verification of his aim to seek re-election. Superb programming. Unsurpassed.

Bodyguard – episode one (2018)

The opening of the British series Bodyguard, with the protagonist on a train with his young son, ranks among the most gripping episodes I’ve seen. He observes a woman in Islamic attire going into the loo and knows something is off. The bomb squad is alerted, enter the train, and attempt to convince the woman to discard her bomb jacket. Anxiety builds to a nearly intolerable level, until yes, the vest is diffused.

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 rarest form of demise in this supernatural show. The episode has no background music, a somber mood, and we witness the episode via the perspective of Buffy’s shock of discovering her mother.

The Sopranos – Made in America (2007)

The concluding moment of the last installment of the show was pants-wettingly tense. And if you viewed it when it first premiered, you – at the start – didn’t understand the cause. Tony’s enemies, real and imagined, had all been defeated. Doesn’t this resemble the season one conclusion? “Recall the minor details.” However, the vibe is oddly threatening. Almost Twin Peaks levels of terror. The family sit in a restaurant. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony sorrowfully notifies Carmela there’s trouble afoot with another member of his team cooperating with the officials. Meadow parks the vehicle. Strange people enter the restaurant. Gaze at Tony(?) Meadow continues to park. Tony puts a record on the jukebox. Meadow parks. The bell sounds, an individual enters. Can’t be Meadow, she’s still parking. Tony glances upward. Continue. It ceases. My heart sank about 20 minutes later.

The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth (2016)

I stayed up to watch this episode during the night. It was so intense following the introduction of villain Negan locating the survivors, mercilessly mocking his targets and then keeping the death a mystery (ended on a cliffhanger). The victim’s POV shot and the subdued noises – oh no! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season