‘I definitely needed a lie-down after that!’ The most gripping television episodes you’ve seen
Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse (2003)
The show kicks off with the intelligence unit restricted as part of a simulation relating to a hypothetical terrorist attack, 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 suspense builds as incoming communications show a crisis unfolding beyond their walls, and escalates as the boss appears to be infected, with the two officials trying to exit, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to decide between shooting them or letting them go and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. As this is Spooks, his decision is predictable.
Threads from 1984
Threads was low budget but arguably the most terrifying series I have ever watched owing to its grim authenticity and bleak government data. Watched it about a month ago having watched the original; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub shown in the series which emphasised the reality and the glib matter-of-fact official information which was broadcast. Still absolutely terrifying decades on.
The 2022 Severance episode The We We Are
The first season finale of Severance deserves a top spot in terms of gripping installments. I was throughout the episode actually sitting tensely, exerting with Dylan to hold the switches that allowed the Innies to remain active, while shouting to the Innies to reveal their realities. The final climactic moment – “she survives!” – resembled a outburst.
Industry – White Mischief from 2024
The fifth episode of Industry’s third season caused my heart to pound. I needed to stop and stand and exit the space repeatedly because of the sheer scale of the reckless self-harm I saw. Rishi Ramdani is in deep shit in his job and domestic life – up to his eyeballs in debt to illegal creditors because of his compulsive gambling, taking such risks on a wager involving sterling which could lose his company millions. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, uses copious drugs and alcohol and wins, loses, wins, is brutally attacked. Every time you think it can’t get any worse, it deteriorates. There’s hope of redemption as the installment closes yet he wastes the chance, resulting in dreadful effects in the season finale. Absolutely had to relax following that!
The 2007 Peep Show episode Holiday
Peep Show itself isn’t necessarily a stressful show. Yet the installment Holiday contains such levels of cringe that it can cause you to stand for the full show, riddled with anxiety. It all ramps up 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 (2001)
Nothing I have seen has been as tense compared to my initial viewing the second season finale of The West Wing. The show opens with the fallout of the demise (in a car crash) of the president’s personal secretary and reaches a crescendo involving a Haitian emergency, and the repercussions of the secrecy about the president’s MS condition, with confirmation of his intention to run for another term. Wonderful television. Unsurpassed.
The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode
The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, featuring the main character 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 realizes something is amiss. The bomb squad is alerted, board the train, and attempt to convince the woman to remove her explosive vest. Anxiety builds to a nearly intolerable level, until, finally, the vest is neutralized.
The 2001 Buffy episode The Body
Buffy comes into her home to realize her mom has deceased due to natural factors, which is the most unusual type of death in this mystical program. The episode has no background music, a gloomy atmosphere, and we witness the episode via the perspective of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering 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 watched it when it originally aired, you – initially – were uncertain of the reason. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, had all been defeated. Doesn’t this resemble the season one conclusion? “Think about the small elements.” But the mood is bizarrely ominous. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The family gathers in a diner. Meadow stops the car. Tony gloomily informs Carmela difficulties are arising with another member of his team cooperating with the officials. Meadow parks the vehicle. Strange people enter the restaurant. Stare at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow finds a spot. The door chimes, a person comes in. It cannot be Meadow, she is still parking. Tony glances upward. Keep going. It stops. My heart dropped from my mouth around 20 minutes subsequently.
The 2016 The Walking Dead episode The Last Day on Earth
I stayed up to watch this episode in the early morning. It was extremely gripping after the establishment of antagonist Negan locating the survivors, cruelly taunting his victims then not knowing who he killed (finished with an unresolved situation). The victim’s POV shot and the muted audio – argh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season
