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Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003

This installment starts with the MI5 agents confined while undergoing a drill relating to a hypothetical terrorist attack, overseen by two Home Office officials. As the situation develops, it seems an actual attack has occurred with a chemical weapon released. The tension ratchets up as reports reveal a catastrophe taking place outside, and intensifies when the leader seems contaminated, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to opt for either shooting them or allowing them to leave and risking contaminating the sealed MI5 offices. This being Spooks, his decision is predictable.

Threads (1984)

Threads was low budget but one of the most frightening programmes I have viewed due to its harsh realism and bleak government data. Viewed it recently following the initial broadcast; I often attended the bar in Sheffield shown in the series that highlighted the truth and the offhand factual official statements which was broadcast. Continuing to be utterly horrifying 35 years later.

Severance – The We We Are (2022)

The concluding episode of Severance’s debut season has to be right up there as a tense chapter. I remained for the whole show actually sitting tensely, straining every sinew with Dylan to maintain his grip on the controls that kept the Innies on overtime, while screaming at the Innies to get their truths out there. The final climactic moment – “she survives!” – felt like an explosion.

The 2024 Industry episode White Mischief

Episode five of the third series of Industry made my pulse quicken. I needed to stop and stand and exit the space repeatedly due to the immense extent of the wanton self-destruction I saw. Rishi Ramdani is in deep shit in his job and domestic life – up to his eyeballs in debt from unscrupulous lenders due to his addictive betting, taking such risks with a bet on sterling which could lose his company millions. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, consumes excessive substances and alcohol and experiences wins and losses, is brutally attacked. 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. Absolutely had to relax following that!

Peep Show – Holiday from 2007

The series Peep Show isn’t typically anxiety-inducing. Yet the installment Holiday includes such amounts of embarrassment that it can cause you to stand the whole episode, filled with nervousness. The situation intensifies as Jeremy and Mark discover having to lie about the dog they unintentionally hit and later efforts to get rid of it. You then occupy the remainder of the episode questioning whether it truly can be worse than incineration, and it can be!

The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals (2001)

No other viewing has been as gripping compared to my initial viewing the second season finale of The West Wing. The episode starts with the aftermath of the passing (in a road incident) of the president’s personal secretary and escalates to a高潮 with a situation in Haiti, and the repercussions of the secrecy about the president’s MS condition, along with affirmation of his plan to run for another term. Superb programming. Unequaled.

Bodyguard – episode one from 2018

The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, with the protagonist on a train alongside his juvenile boy, 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 explosive disposal specialists are summoned, get on the train, and try to persuade the woman to take off her suicide vest. Suspense rises to an almost unbearable degree, until yes, the vest is diffused.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body (2001)

Buffy arrives at her residence to discover her mother has died due to natural factors, which is the least common kind of passing in this supernatural show. The installment lacks any soundtrack, a gloomy atmosphere, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering her mother.

The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007

The concluding moment of the last installment of the program was incredibly anxious. And if you viewed it when it first premiered, you – at first – weren’t sure why. Tony’s enemies, real and imagined, were all overcome. Surely this has the feel of the season one ending? “Remember the little things.” But the mood is bizarrely ominous. Approaching Twin Peaks-esque horror. The family sit in a restaurant. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony sorrowfully notifies Carmela difficulties are arising with an additional associate collaborating with the authorities. Meadow parks the vehicle. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Gaze at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow parks. The door chimes, a person comes in. It isn’t Meadow, she remains parking. Tony raises his gaze. Don’t stop. It stops. My spirit fell about 20 minutes later.

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

I kept late hours to see this show in the early morning. It was so intense after the buildup of bad guy Negan locating the survivors, cruelly taunting his victims then not knowing who he killed (concluded with a suspenseful moment). The point-of-view shot from the victim and the muffled sounds – oh no! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season