Midnight Compartment

The setup

A company trip, an overnight train and one booking error: the employee is assigned Compartment Twelve, which turns out to be his boss's. His boss's wife, whom he has thought about more than he should admit, is sitting right there. The boss grumbles, Mrs. Parker overrules him, and the employee ends up with a bunk and a decision. Episode 1 ends with her telling him he's her favorite and asking him to warm her up. Episode 2 runs through the night and into a station stop: a bad dream, requests for coffee, luggage that needs help, and a wife who reminds him that on this train he calls her ma'am.

Why it earns its number

Everything happens inside a few square feet and a timetable: no escape routes, a sleeping husband an arm's reach away and a countdown called the next station. The tension is stealth rather than speed, which makes this unlike the louder entries on the cheating-wives shelf.

Who should collect it: For anyone who enjoys sneaking around under a deadline, with a sly, commanding wife and a nervous employee.