‘I absolutely had to rest after that!’ The most intense TV episodes ever
Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003
This installment starts with the Spooks team locked down while undergoing a drill relating to a hypothetical terrorist attack, monitored by two government representatives. As the situation develops, 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, 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 risking contaminating the sealed MI5 offices. As this is Spooks, the outcome is expected.
The 1984 production Threads
The production was inexpensive but one of the most frightening programmes I have viewed owing to its grim authenticity and grim official statistics. Saw it not long ago having watched the original; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub from the programme that highlighted the truth and the glib matter-of-fact official information that were transmitted. Continuing to be utterly horrifying decades on.
Severance – The We We Are (2022)
The concluding episode of Severance’s debut season ranks highly in terms of gripping installments. I remained for the whole show literally perched nervously, pushing alongside Dylan to hold the switches that allowed the Innies to remain active, while screaming at the Innies to disclose their facts. The concluding高潮 – “she is living!” – was like an eruption.
The 2024 Industry episode White Mischief
Installment five in Industry’s third series caused my heart to pound. I had to pause and get up and exit the space repeatedly owing to the vast degree of the reckless self-harm I observed. Rishi Ramdani is in deep shit in his job and domestic life – up to his eyeballs in debt to illegal creditors due to his addictive betting, assuming hazardous chances with a bet on sterling which may result in huge losses for his employer. So of course, he goes on a gambling spree, does tons of drugs and drink and wins, loses, wins, gets beaten to a pulp. Whenever you assume things cannot decline more, it does. Redemption seems possible as the installment closes but he squanders the opportunity, leading to terrible outcomes during the season’s final episode. Certainly required a rest afterward!
Peep Show – Holiday from 2007
Peep Show itself isn’t necessarily a stressful show. Yet the installment Holiday contains such levels of cringe that it’ll have you standing up throughout the entire episode, riddled with anxiety. The situation intensifies once Jeremy and Mark find themselves having to lie about the dog they by chance collide with and later efforts to get rid of it. You then spend the rest of the episode doubting if it can actually be more terrible than burning, and it is possible!
The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals from 2001
Nothing I’ve watched has been more intense than the first time I watched the second season finale of The West Wing. The episode starts with the aftermath of the passing (in a road incident) of the president’s private assistant and reaches a crescendo with a situation in Haiti, and the repercussions of the secrecy regarding the president’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, with confirmation of his intention to seek re-election. Excellent TV. Never bettered.
Bodyguard – episode one (2018)
The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, featuring the main character on a train accompanied by his small son, is for me one of the most intense episodes ever. He notices a Muslim female entering the restroom and senses something is wrong. The explosive disposal specialists are summoned, enter the train, and try to persuade the woman to discard her bomb jacket. Anxiety builds to a practically unendurable point, until yes, the vest is diffused.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body (2001)
Buffy comes into her home to discover her mother has died of natural causes, which is the least common kind of passing in this mystical program. The installment lacks any soundtrack, a gloomy atmosphere, and we witness the episode via the perspective of Buffy’s shock of discovering her mother.
The Sopranos – Made in America (2007)
The ultimate sequence of the series finale 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 foes, genuine and fictional, had all been defeated. Surely this has the feel of the season one ending? “Think about the small elements.” However, the vibe is oddly threatening. Almost Twin Peaks levels of terror. The family sit in a restaurant. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony sadly tells Carmela there’s trouble afoot with another member of his team working with the government. Meadow parks. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Look at Tony(?) Meadow continues to park. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow parks her car. The door chimes, a person comes in. It isn’t Meadow, she remains parking. Tony looks up. Don’t stop. It halts. My heart sank about 20 minutes later.
The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth (2016)
I kept late hours to see this show during the night. It was incredibly tense after the establishment of antagonist Negan locating the survivors, cruelly taunting his victims then not knowing who he killed (concluded with a suspenseful moment). The point-of-view shot from the victim and the muted audio – oh no! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season
