A new year and a new dawn have arrived in the world of Industry, HBO’s truly debauched investment banking TV series that originally followed five graduates as they navigated corporate jargon, capitalism, office politics, and hierarchy. Over the last three seasons, we followed the rise and fall of Pierpoint, the investment bank where graduates Harper Stern (Myha’la) and Yasmin Kara-Harani (Marisa Abela) worked, from failed IPO launches to an acquisition by the Qulf. Season four of Industry leaves the financial hub to explore some rather intimate areas of the characters’ lives. As we dive into unresolved childhood trauma, sexual relations, power dynamics and of course, money, ethics and moral dilemmas.
Industry is not a show for the faint-hearted. On its surface, it’s seemingly light, a corporate version of Skins and Succession-esque with corporate jargon, filled with young, foolish, rich investment bankers with too much money to spend and not enough wisdom. From its depictions of a debauched lifestyle, partying, drinking, drugs and sex, all behaviours you would typically expect. But once you open Pandora’s box, you are bound to find so much more. It’s a philosophical exploration of politics, race, and gender, all in thought-provoking ways, in a seemingly offensive way. Reflecting the wider political-economic landscape, from the rise of anti-wokery to geopolitical acquisitions and the rise of the new elite.
This season focuses on a payment provider, Tender, which is in the process of becoming a bank and moving away from the business’s previous connections with a company akin to the OnlyFans platform, Siren. Meanwhile, we are introduced to a financial journalist who is investigating the firm. Post-Pierpoint and various career-ending alternations, Harper now specialises in a shortselling fund on behalf of financier Otto Mostyn, whom she later leaves to set up her own venture with her on-off mentor Eric Tao (Ken Leung) to create SternTao, all in the aim to short Tender and make a quick buck.
While we follow Yasmin and Henry Muck (Kit Harington)’s recent marriage and hardship as Henry tries to rebuild his career and life post a collapse of his green energy company, Lumi, and a short-lived political career. Yasmin tries to help Henry get back on track, and seemingly is a “caregiver and spectator” who explores the hollowness of her married life, despite being married to one of the show’s oldest and most powerful families. Yasmin encourages Henry to work again after his disastrous 50th birthday by being the new CEO of Tender, working with a new character, Whitney Halberstram (Max Minghella), the CFO and co-founder of Tender. After he ousted his other co-founder, Jonah Atterbury (Kal Penn). Yasmin’s arc this season is seemingly inspired by Ghislaine Maxwell this time around, exploring her complex relationship with her family trauma and in her pursuit of power.
What truly keeps audiences coming back is how the show does not fail to dig deeper with all of the characters’ tortured psyches, which reflects in their work, life and personal affairs. Industry not only flirts with themes of abuse, passion, death, grief, and sex, but also with reality; it truly changes you as a person, making you wonder what your true motivations are, who you are and why you do what you do.
Industry is not a show to miss, with new episodes dropping every Monday on BBC One, and is available on iPlayer.
