‘I truly required a break after that!’ The most intense episodes of TV you’ve seen

Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003

The show kicks off with the MI5 agents restricted as part of a simulation relating to a hypothetical terrorist attack, supervised by two Home Office agents. As the situation develops, it appears that there really has been an attack and a chemical weapon has been unleashed. The anxiety increases as incoming communications show a crisis unfolding beyond their walls, and escalates as the boss appears to be infected, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to decide between shooting them or allowing them to leave and potentially infecting the secure MI5 headquarters. As this is Spooks, it is unsurprising which one he chooses.

Threads from 1984

Threads was low budget but arguably the most terrifying series I have viewed due to its harsh realism and bleak government data. Watched it about a month ago following the initial broadcast; I often attended the bar in Sheffield shown in the series which emphasised the reality and the casual, straightforward government details which was broadcast. Remaining completely frightening after three and a half decades.

The 2022 Severance episode The We We Are

The season one finale of Severance has to be right up there in terms of gripping installments. I spent the entire episode actually sitting tensely, exerting with Dylan to hold the switches that allowed the Innies to remain active, while yelling at the Innies to get their truths out there. The final climactic moment – “she is living!” – was like an eruption.

Industry – White Mischief (2024)

Episode five of the third series of Industry caused my heart to pound. I had to pause and get up and leave the room several times due to the immense extent of the deliberate ruin I saw. Rishi Ramdani is in deep shit professionally and personally – up to his eyeballs in debt from unscrupulous lenders because of his compulsive gambling, taking such risks on a wager involving sterling which may result in huge losses for his employer. So of course, he goes on a gambling spree, uses copious drugs and alcohol and experiences wins and losses, is severely assaulted. Whenever you assume it can’t get any worse, it does. There’s hope of redemption by the episode’s conclusion but he squanders the opportunity, with horrifying consequences during the season’s final episode. Definitely needed a lie-down after that!

The 2007 Peep Show episode Holiday

Peep Show itself isn’t necessarily a stressful show. But the episode Holiday contains such levels of cringe that it can cause you to stand throughout the entire episode, riddled with anxiety. The tension escalates when Jeremy and Mark realize needing to deceive regarding the dog they by chance collide with and subsequent attempts to dispose of it. You then spend the rest of the episode doubting if it can actually be more terrible than burning, and it turns out to be!

The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals from 2001

Nothing I’ve watched has been more intense as when I first saw the season two finale to The West Wing. The show opens with the fallout of the demise (in a car crash) of the president’s personal secretary and escalates to a高潮 involving a Haitian emergency, and the repercussions of the secrecy regarding the president’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, with confirmation of his intention to run for another term. Wonderful television. Unequaled.

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 notices a Muslim female heading to the toilet and senses something is wrong. The bomb squad is alerted, board the train, and try to persuade the woman to take off her suicide vest. Tension escalates to a nearly intolerable level, until, finally, the vest is neutralized.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body from 2001

Buffy comes into her home to find her mum has passed away from natural reasons, which is the rarest form of demise in this paranormal series. The show features no musical score, a somber mood, and we see the episode through the experience of Buffy’s shock of discovering her mother.

The 2007 The Sopranos finale Made in America

The final scene of the final episode 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, were all overcome. Doesn’t this resemble the season one conclusion? “Remember the little things.” However, the vibe is oddly threatening. Almost Twin Peaks levels of terror. The clan sits in an eatery. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony sadly tells Carmela problems are brewing with another member of his team collaborating with the authorities. Meadow parks the vehicle. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Gaze at Tony(?) Meadow parks. Tony puts a record on the jukebox. Meadow parks. The bell rings, someone enters the restaurant. Can’t be Meadow, she’s still parking. Tony looks up. Keep going. It halts. My heart sank roughly 20 minutes after.

The 2016 The Walking Dead episode The Last Day on Earth

I stayed up to watch this episode at 2am. It was so intense after the establishment of antagonist Negan finding the group, mercilessly mocking his targets then not knowing who he killed (finished with an unresolved situation). The victim’s POV shot and the muffled sounds – argh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season