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Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse (2003)

The episode begins with the intelligence unit confined while undergoing a drill about a potential terror incident, overseen by two Home Office officials. As the situation develops, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place and a chemical weapon has been unleashed. The tension ratchets up as incoming communications show a catastrophe taking place outside, and gets worse as the boss appears to be infected, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, forcing Matthew Macfadyen’s character to choose between firing at them or letting them go and potentially infecting the secure MI5 headquarters. As this is Spooks, his decision is predictable.

Threads (1984)

The production was inexpensive yet among the scariest shows I have ever watched owing to its grim authenticity and dismal official figures. Watched it about a month ago having watched the original; I used to visit the pub in Sheffield shown in the series which underscored the actuality and the offhand factual official statements that aired. Still absolutely terrifying decades on.

The 2022 Severance episode The We We Are

The first season finale of Severance deserves a top spot as a tense chapter. I remained for the whole show quite literally on the edge of my seat, straining every sinew with Dylan to hold the switches that kept the Innies on overtime, while yelling at the Innies to get their truths out there. The ultimate peak – “she survives!” – resembled a outburst.

Industry – White Mischief (2024)

Episode five of the third series of Industry made my pulse quicken. I had to pause and get up and leave the room several times due to the immense extent of the reckless self-harm I was witnessing. Rishi Ramdani is in major difficulty in his job and domestic life – overwhelmed by debt from unscrupulous lenders because of his compulsive gambling, taking such risks with a gamble on the pound that might cost his firm millions. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, consumes excessive substances and alcohol and experiences wins and losses, is brutally attacked. Whenever you assume the situation cannot deteriorate further, it deteriorates. Redemption seems possible as the installment closes but he squanders the opportunity, with horrifying consequences during the season’s final episode. Absolutely had to relax following that!

The 2007 Peep Show episode Holiday

Peep Show is not inherently a tense series. But the episode Holiday contains such levels of cringe that it’ll have you standing up throughout the entire episode, filled with nervousness. The situation intensifies as Jeremy and Mark discover being compelled to falsify about the canine they unintentionally hit and following tries to eliminate it. You then spend the rest of the episode questioning whether it truly can be worse than incineration, and it turns out to be!

The 2001 The West Wing episode The Two Cathedrals

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 death (in a traffic accident) of the president’s confidential aide and builds to a peak with a crisis in Haiti, and the fallout from the non-disclosure about the president’s MS condition, along with affirmation of his plan to seek re-election. Excellent TV. Never bettered.

Bodyguard – episode one (2018)

The opening of the British series Bodyguard, with the protagonist on a train with his young son, is for me one of the most intense episodes ever. He spots a Muslim woman going into the loo and knows something is off. The bomb diffuser experts are called, get on the train, and endeavor to coax the woman to discard her bomb jacket. Suspense rises to an almost unbearable degree, until yes, the vest is diffused.

The 2001 Buffy episode The Body

Buffy comes into her home to discover her mother has died from natural reasons, which is the least common kind of passing in this paranormal series. The installment lacks any soundtrack, a somber mood, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s shock of discovering her mother.

The Sopranos – Made in America (2007)

The final scene of the final episode of the show was pants-wettingly tense. And if you watched it when it originally aired, you – at the start – didn’t understand the cause. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, were all vanquished. Surely this has the feel of the season one ending? “Recall the minor details.” But the mood is bizarrely ominous. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The family sit in a restaurant. Meadow stops the car. Tony sadly tells Carmela difficulties are arising with yet another of his crew collaborating with the authorities. Meadow parks. Unfamiliar individuals come into the diner. Stare at Tony(?) Meadow parks. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow finds a spot. The bell sounds, an individual enters. Can’t be Meadow, she’s still parking. Tony looks up. Continue. It ceases. My heart dropped from my mouth about 20 minutes later.

The 2016 The Walking Dead episode The Last Day on Earth

I stayed up to watch this episode during the night. It was incredibly tense after the establishment of antagonist Negan finding the group, mercilessly mocking his targets and then leaving the victim unknown (concluded with a suspenseful moment). 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