"I Was Sobbing Like A Baby By The End" – 17 Of The Most Tense And Heartbreaking TV Episodes Of All Time

    "I can't remember ever feeling that stressed watching a TV show before."

    Benjamin Dzialdowski
    by Benjamin Dzialdowski

    BuzzFeed Staff

    TV shows make us feel all sorts of emotions, that's why we love 'em! Well, some episodes can be so tense that we actually feel out of breath afterwards. We recently chatted about some of these very episodes, and people were keen to add their own!

    NBC

    So, here are 23 more tense AF episodes that are an emotional workout to watch:

    1. Sherlock

    Sherlock Holmes stands on a rooftop overlooking a cityscape, dressed in his iconic coat
    BBC 1

    "The finale of Sherlock season 2, 'The Reichenbach Fall', remains one of the most affecting pieces of television I've ever seen."

    —decadentpencil362

    2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

    The character The Gentlemen from the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, featuring a bald, sinister appearance with a wide, toothy smile
    The WB

    "'Hush' from Buffy… I saw floating people in my dreams for ages. It was the first episode I ever watched and I still think the best one the show ever did."

    —catiefenner

    3. Game of Thrones

    A dense crowd of characters from the show "Game of Thrones" engaged in a battle scene
    HBO

    "The 'Battle of the B*stards' episode was so tense, the crush bit especially. And with that show, you never knew what way it would go."

    —cellophanegirl

    4. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

    A distressed woman with duct tape over her mouth and wet hair, as a fist is raised near her face
    NBC

    "The episode where William Lewis comes back and tortures Liv. I will never be able to re-watch those again."

    —staceyleighk

    5. Game of Thrones

    Character from a show or film lying on the ground with a shocked expression
    HBO

    "Finding out why Hodor could only say Hodor..."

    —kirstywright1

    6. Chernobyl

    Person in protective gear kneels among industrial debris with a structure in the background
    HBO

    "In Chernobyl where they’re clearing graphite of the roof by hand above the still burning reactor and each person has 90 seconds to do it so freaked me out so much. That whole show was amazing but made me feel like I also was suffering from radiation sickness."

    —lauramoon9060

    7. Yellowjackets

    Group of people standing in snow, dressed in winter clothing, looking serious
    Showtime

    "The episode when they're woken up by a lovely smell..."

    —tchits

    8. The Walking Dead

    A man with tattoos and a tank top reads a book alongside a young girl in a casual setting
    AMC

    "The episode where we find out Negan’s backstory with his wife. I’d given up on The Walking Dead long before, but my partner made me tune into this one… I was sobbing like a baby by the end, such beautiful storytelling."

    —animalangst7

    9. ER

    Character lying on the floor next to fallen wheelchair, showing a moment of distress
    NBC

    'When Lucy and Carter are stabbed and the Low Fidelity Allstars ‘Battleflag’ song comes on. Still gets me."

    —kccrad01

    10. The Last of Us

    Man in a jacket looking to the side with a focused expression
    HBO

    "The episode where Ellie is kidnapped by David. I played the game, so I knew the outcome, but I still felt like I could feel Ellie’s anxiety the entire time."

    —arcticmankeys

    11. Dexter

    Two figures in a dimly lit construction scene with one standing over a freshly dug hole
    Showtime

    "When he finds out about the young boys in the concrete – holy crap my blood pressure."

    —zoe020113

    12. Black Mirror

    Character in distress on stage with audience in background
    Channel 4

    "A lot of Black Mirror episodes. I think 'White Bear' takes the cake for me."

    —echo91

    13. Bones

    Two characters in a dark setting with concerned expressions; the man is on the right, the woman on the left
    Fox

    "When Bones and Jack get buried alive in her car. It is so tense because the team has to investigate while Jack is injured and the air inside the car is running out. It is one of the episodes I remember the most."

    —elglinnea

    14. The West Wing

    Scene with four people, one standing and gesturing, one sitting at a table, and two observing from behind. They appear engaged in a discussion
    NBC

    "'Isaac and Ishmael' – The episode is non-canonical, inspired by the September 11 attacks that had taken place less than a month before it aired."

    —markh63

    15. Criminal Minds

    Three characters in action scene, one man carrying another with a woman helping. They appear distressed, amidst debris and caution signs
    CBS

    "'Sick Day'... this one fucked with my brain. I always, ALWAYS skip it when I revisit the series."

    —amymatthewsp

    16. The Bear

    Two actors in a kitchen scene, sharing a close moment with foreheads touching
    FX / Hulu

    "The episode in the first season of The Bear where the to-go orders kept coming in and the entire kitchen had a meltdown. And it was shot in a long take which only added to the anxiety. I can't remember ever feeling that stressed watching a TV show before."

    —marvelousbubble

    17. M*A*SH

    Character from M*A*S*H salutes beside others under camo netting, dressed in military attire with a person holding a lifebuoy
    CBS

    "The finale: 'Goodbye, Farewell and Amen'. Watching Hawkeye go through his breakdown stage by stage until you get to the truth was heartbreaking and horrifying."

    —ladicair

    What's the most tense TV episode you've seen? Let us know in the comments below!