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Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003

The episode begins with the intelligence unit restricted while undergoing a drill relating to a hypothetical terrorist attack, supervised by two Home Office agents. As the situation develops, it seems an actual attack has occurred with a chemical weapon released. The anxiety increases as messages indicate a crisis unfolding beyond their walls, and escalates when the leader seems contaminated, and the government agents endeavor to depart, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to opt for either shooting them or allowing them to leave and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. Given it’s Spooks, the outcome is expected.

The 1984 production Threads

Threads had minimal funding but one of the most frightening programmes I have ever watched because of the stark reality and bleak government data. Viewed it recently having watched the original; I often attended the bar in Sheffield featured in the show that highlighted the truth and the glib matter-of-fact official information which was broadcast. Continuing to be utterly horrifying after three and a half decades.

Severance – The We We Are (2022)

The season one finale of Severance has to be right up there in terms of gripping installments. I remained for the whole show literally perched nervously, straining every sinew with Dylan to keep his hands on the levers that allowed the Innies to remain active, while screaming at the Innies to disclose their facts. The ultimate peak – “she’s alive!” – was like an eruption.

Industry – White Mischief (2024)

Episode five of the third series of Industry caused my heart to pound. I needed to stop and stand and leave the room several times due to the immense extent of the deliberate ruin I saw. Rishi Ramdani is in major difficulty at work and home – up to his eyeballs in debt to illegal creditors due to his addictive betting, taking such risks on a wager involving sterling that might cost his firm millions. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, uses copious drugs and alcohol and wins, loses, wins, gets beaten to a pulp. Each instance you believe the situation cannot deteriorate further, it deteriorates. Redemption seems possible at the end of the episode but he misses the opening, resulting in dreadful effects in the season finale. Absolutely had to relax following that!

Peep Show – Holiday from 2007

Peep Show is not inherently a tense series. However, the Holiday episode features such degrees of awkwardness that it can cause you to stand the whole episode, permeated with worry. The situation intensifies when Jeremy and Mark realize having to lie about the dog they unintentionally hit and following tries to eliminate it. You then spend the rest of the episode doubting if it can actually be more terrible than burning, and it can be!

The 2001 The West Wing episode The Two Cathedrals

Nothing I have seen has been as tense compared to my initial viewing the season two finale to The West Wing. The installment begins with the consequences of the passing (in a road incident) of the president’s personal secretary and builds to a peak with a situation in Haiti, and the fallout from the non-disclosure regarding the president’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, coupled with verification of his aim to seek re-election. Wonderful television. Unsurpassed.

Bodyguard – episode one (2018)

The opening of the British series Bodyguard, with the protagonist on a train with his young son, is personally a top tense installment. He observes a woman in Islamic attire going into the loo and realizes something is amiss. The bomb diffuser experts are called, board the train, and endeavor to coax 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 comes into her home to find her mum has passed away due to natural factors, which is the least common kind of passing in this paranormal series. The show features no musical score, a gloomy atmosphere, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s shock of discovering her mother.

The 2007 The Sopranos finale Made in America

The ultimate sequence of the series finale of the program was incredibly anxious. And if you viewed it when it first premiered, you – at the start – didn’t understand the cause. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, were all vanquished. 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 clan sits in an eatery. Meadow stops the car. Tony gloomily informs Carmela difficulties are arising with another member of his team collaborating with the authorities. Meadow parks the vehicle. Unfamiliar individuals come into the diner. Stare at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony plays a track on the music machine. Meadow parks her car. The bell sounds, an individual enters. Can’t be Meadow, she’s still parking. Tony raises his gaze. Keep going. It ceases. My spirit fell roughly 20 minutes after.

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

I remained awake to view this installment in the early morning. It was extremely gripping after the establishment of antagonist Negan finding the group, savagely teasing his prey then not knowing who he killed (ended on a cliffhanger). The first-person perspective of the victim and the muted audio – oh no! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season