‘I definitely needed a lie-down after that!’ The most nerve-wracking television episodes ever
Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003
The episode begins with the MI5 agents locked down during a training exercise concerning a fictional terrorist event, supervised by two Home Office agents. As the situation develops, it seems an actual attack has occurred with a chemical weapon released. The suspense builds as reports reveal a catastrophe taking place outside, and gets worse as the boss appears to be infected, with the two officials trying to exit, forcing Matthew Macfadyen’s character to opt for either shooting them or allowing them to leave and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. Given it’s Spooks, his decision is predictable.
Threads (1984)
Threads had minimal funding but one of the most frightening programmes I’ve ever seen owing to its grim authenticity and dismal official figures. Watched it about a month ago after seeing the first airing; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub featured in the show which emphasised the reality and the offhand factual official statements which was broadcast. Continuing to be utterly horrifying decades on.
Severance – The We We Are (2022)
The season one finale of Severance deserves a top spot as a tense chapter. I remained for the whole show actually sitting tensely, pushing alongside Dylan to hold the switches that kept the Innies on overtime, while screaming at the Innies to get their truths out there. The ultimate peak – “she is living!” – felt like an explosion.
Industry – White Mischief (2024)
The fifth episode of Industry’s third season caused my heart to pound. I needed to stop and stand and leave the room several times because of the sheer scale of the deliberate ruin I observed. Rishi Ramdani faces serious trouble professionally and personally – up to his eyeballs in debt from unscrupulous lenders owing to his uncontrollable gaming, engaging in dangerous ventures with a bet on sterling which could lose his company millions. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, consumes excessive substances and alcohol and wins, loses, wins, is severely assaulted. Every time you think it can’t get any worse, it worsens. There’s hope of redemption at the end of the episode but he misses the opening, with horrifying consequences in the season finale. Certainly required a rest afterward!
The 2007 Peep Show episode Holiday
The series Peep Show isn’t typically anxiety-inducing. However, the Holiday episode includes such amounts of embarrassment that it can cause you to stand for the full show, filled with nervousness. The tension escalates as Jeremy and Mark discover needing to deceive regarding the dog they unintentionally hit and later efforts to get rid of it. You then occupy the remainder 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 episode starts with the aftermath of the demise (in a car crash) of the president’s personal secretary and builds to a peak involving a Haitian emergency, and the repercussions of the secrecy of the president’s MS diagnosis, along with affirmation of his plan to seek re-election. Superb programming. Never bettered.
Bodyguard – episode one (2018)
The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, with the hero aboard a train with his young son, is for me one of the most intense episodes ever. He observes a woman in Islamic attire entering the restroom and knows something is off. The bomb diffuser experts are called, get on the train, and endeavor to coax the woman to take off her suicide vest. Anxiety builds to an almost unbearable degree, until, finally, the vest is neutralized.
The 2001 Buffy episode The Body
Buffy arrives at her residence to discover her mother has died due to natural factors, which is the most unusual type of death in this paranormal series. The show features no musical score, a sullen tone, and we witness the episode via the perspective of Buffy’s astonishment upon finding her mother.
The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007
The concluding moment of the last installment of the program was incredibly anxious. And for those who saw it during its initial broadcast, you – initially – were uncertain of the reason. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, were all vanquished. Doesn’t this resemble the season one conclusion? “Recall the minor details.” Yet the atmosphere is strangely foreboding. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The family gathers in a diner. Meadow parks. Tony sadly tells Carmela there’s trouble afoot with an additional associate working with the government. Meadow parks the vehicle. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Look at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony plays a track on the music machine. Meadow finds a spot. The bell sounds, an individual enters. It isn’t Meadow, she remains parking. Tony glances upward. Continue. It ceases. My heart dropped from my mouth about 20 minutes later.
The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth from 2016
I stayed up to watch this episode in the early morning. It was extremely gripping following the introduction of villain Negan discovering the characters, cruelly taunting his victims and then keeping the death a mystery (ended on a cliffhanger). 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
