‘I absolutely had to rest after that!’ The most gripping episodes of TV you’ve seen
Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003
This installment starts with the intelligence unit locked down during a training exercise about a potential terror incident, supervised by two Home Office agents. As events unfold, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place with a chemical weapon released. The tension ratchets up as reports reveal a disaster happening externally, and gets worse as the superior shows signs of exposure, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to opt for either shooting them or letting them go 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 ever watched owing to its grim authenticity and dismal official figures. Saw it not long ago following the initial broadcast; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub shown in the series that highlighted the truth and the offhand factual official statements which was broadcast. Remaining completely frightening after three and a half decades.
The 2022 Severance episode The We We Are
The concluding episode of Severance’s debut season has to be right up there in terms of gripping installments. I remained for the whole show quite literally on the edge of my seat, pushing alongside Dylan to hold the switches that allowed the Innies to remain active, while yelling at the Innies to disclose their facts. The final climactic moment – “she’s alive!” – resembled a outburst.
Industry – White Mischief from 2024
The fifth episode of Industry’s third season had my heart racing. I was compelled to halt and rise and leave the room several times due to the immense extent of the wanton self-destruction I observed. Rishi Ramdani is in deep shit at work and home – overwhelmed by debt to loan sharks owing to his uncontrollable gaming, engaging in dangerous ventures with a bet on sterling which could lose his company millions. So of course, he goes on a gambling spree, does tons of drugs and drink and experiences wins and losses, gets beaten to a pulp. Each instance you believe it can’t get any worse, it deteriorates. There’s hope of redemption at the end of the episode but he misses the opening, resulting in dreadful effects in the season finale. Certainly required a rest afterward!
The 2007 Peep Show episode Holiday
Peep Show is not inherently a tense series. Yet the installment Holiday contains such levels of cringe that it will make you rise throughout the entire episode, riddled with anxiety. It all ramps up as Jeremy and Mark discover being compelled to falsify about the canine they unintentionally hit and later efforts to get rid of it. You subsequently use the rest of the installment wondering if it might be more awful than cremation, and it is possible!
The 2001 The West Wing episode The Two Cathedrals
No other viewing has been as gripping as when I first saw 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 private assistant and reaches a crescendo involving a Haitian emergency, and the repercussions of the secrecy of the president’s MS diagnosis, along with affirmation of his plan to run for another term. Excellent TV. Never bettered.
Bodyguard – episode one from 2018
The start of the British program Bodyguard, featuring the main character on a train accompanied by his small son, ranks among the most gripping episodes I’ve seen. He observes a woman in Islamic attire heading to the toilet and realizes something is amiss. The bomb squad is alerted, get on the train, and attempt to convince the woman to take off her suicide vest. Tension escalates to a nearly intolerable level, until yes, the vest is diffused.
The 2001 Buffy episode The Body
Buffy arrives at her residence to realize her mom has deceased from natural reasons, which is the most unusual type of death in this supernatural show. The episode has no background music, a sullen tone, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering her mother.
The Sopranos – Made in America (2007)
The concluding moment of the last installment of the show was pants-wettingly tense. And if you viewed it when it first premiered, you – at first – weren’t sure why. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, were all vanquished. This seems similar to the first season’s finale, right? “Think about the small elements.” Yet the atmosphere is strangely foreboding. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The clan sits in an eatery. Meadow parks. Tony sadly tells Carmela difficulties are arising with another member of his team working with the government. Meadow secures a parking space. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Stare at Tony(?) Meadow continues to park. Tony puts a record on the jukebox. Meadow parks her car. The bell sounds, an individual enters. It cannot be Meadow, she is still parking. Tony raises his gaze. Don’t stop. It stops. My spirit fell about 20 minutes later.
The 2016 The Walking Dead episode The Last Day on Earth
I stayed up to watch this episode at 2am. It was incredibly tense following the introduction of villain Negan finding the group, cruelly taunting his victims and then keeping the death a mystery (ended on a cliffhanger). The victim’s POV shot and the muffled sounds – argh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season