THE STORY – Young bankers and traders make their way in the financial world in the aftermath of the 2008 collapse.
THE CAST – Myha’la, Marisa Abela, Ken Leung, Kit Harrington, Sagar Radia, Kiernan Shipka, Max Minghella, Charlie Heaton, Miriam Petche, Toheeb Jimoh & Kal Penn
THE TEAM – Mickey Down & Konrad Kay (Showrunner, Writers & Directors)
In recent memory, “Industry” has to be considered one of the great success stories of modern television. It’s a miracle that the series, as uncompromised in its storytelling, has willed its way through four seasons and into the cultural consciousness at a time when, if a series isn’t instantly a hit, it’s sent to the gallows. Since its debut in 2020, “Industry” has been nothing but excellent, consistently elevating itself above its peers not only on HBO but across all of television. This season, which just finished airing this past Sunday, proved once again that it’s the reigning champion of prestige television, and it’s almost impossible to ignore what the future holds for what could go down as an all-time great series.
If season three of HBO’s “Industry” proved anything, it is that series creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay’s work is as malleable as the world around them. It’s a series filled with mini-evolutions, as its identity constantly reinvents itself not only to reflect the world these characters inhabit but also to stay alive in an oversaturated television market that is as cutthroat as the Pierpoint trading room floor. This season once again abides by the conceit of reinvention, continuing to roll with the previous season’s episodic structure of more character-centric showcases while honing in on Down and Kay’s examinations of the many systems that rule over Harper, Yasmin, and others.
It’s the enduring permanence of systems such as those at the top of the British aristocracy and the rise of far-right mindsets bubbling into big tech and the political sphere that not only fascinate Down and Kay but are depicted this season through the lens of their influences, namely conspiracy thrillers and Tony Gilroy’s “Michael Clayton.” These systems weren’t meant to elevate anyone like Harper Stern, played by the brilliant Myha’la. After digging herself out of her lowest point last season, she’s ready to make her mark with her own venture centered around shorting some of the most established institutions currently in the finance world, albeit with the slight aid of insider trading. Compared to Harper, the newly married Yasmin, played by Marisa Abela, has all but secured herself the life she assumed she could never have with Robert. Instead, she finds herself cleaning up after her own spouse’s incompetence, as Henry Muck, played by Kit Harington, dallies away his days abusing substances and reminiscing about the failures of his life.
That’s where the rising payment-processing start-up Tender comes into play. Its CFO, the shadowy Whitney Halberstram, played by Max Minghella, bridges both Harper and Yasmin, placing them once again on opposite sides of the spectrum. Harper, enduring a season-long crusade alongside mentor and now co-partner Eric Tao, played by Ken Leung, targets what has become one of the most important new names in finance. Yasmin and Henry, who joined Tender as figurehead CEO in a once-renewed attempt at a jump-start to life, are all for Whitney’s quest to further legitimize Tender’s brand in the marketplace. The road that Down and Kay carve for these characters leads the series into what is possibly its most depraved territory yet—fitting, as the world we live in only seems to become more unraveled. The ever-consistent unpredictability of Down and Kay’s writing makes “Industry” a show that can never be pigeonholed into one lane. Comparisons to “Succession” and “Mad Men” may be fitting at times (especially with the involvement of Kiernan Shipka this season), yet “Industry” is far more than that; it has clearly already paved its own identity.
Nothing and no one ever extends their welcome, not even characters who have been with the series since the very first episode. Possibly the most essential gift of Kay and Down’s writing is knowing when to close the curtain on beloved characters in a manner as unceremonious as a series like “The Wire.” There’s no grand buildup to tip viewers off to potential plot points. Revelations are revealed, characters make mistakes, and in the end, it’s time for them to step off the stage. Every moment is as unforeseeable as the scene that immediately follows it. This uncertainty allows Kay and Down to guide the series wherever they want, no matter how out there it may seem on paper. Where else can a season of television morph one of its characters into a Ghislaine Maxwell–esque figurehead rounding up a stable of prostitutes, including the involvement of Russian intelligence agents, experimenting with glory holes, and also feature far-right nationalist donors who are fans of Adolf Hitler’s artwork?
It wouldn’t work nearly as well without the fearless performances of this ensemble, which only improve with each season. Myha’la’s ability to craft an exteriority of Harper’s strength that masks the consistent disappointment from those closest to her is spellbinding to witness on screen, especially in moments when she stars opposite Abela and Leung. Like Harper, it feels like Myha’la has wholly found herself as a performer, making whatever turns await her character in the upcoming fifth and final season all the more anticipated. Leung, who always seems able to outdo himself effortlessly, further cements his work on this series as one of the all-time great supporting performances on television. Eric’s pathway to self-destruction this season leads to some of his best work, not only in the series but in his career. One wonders how a character as reviled as Eric can maintain his status as one of the most intriguing figures on the show, all due to what Leung can bring out of the words on the page.
Abela, whose character’s storyline is so interlinked with Harington’s, is fantastic as always, further pushing herself as a performer and elevating everyone around her. It’s only due to the trust afforded by Kay and Down’s storytelling that Abela can take the character to some of the darkest places while still finding a landing point that feels dramatically satisfying, placing her in a unique position for where the series may ultimately end. The season’s second episode, “The Commander and the Grey Lady,” is one of the highlights of the season due to Abela and Harington’s powerhouse performances alone. When Harington joined the stable of “Industry” actors last season, it was clear the series was allowing the actor to tap into something he hadn’t been afforded in his post–“Game of Thrones” career. Frankly, Harington’s work as Henry Muck is undoubtedly the performance of his career. His ability to balance Henry as a pitiful lord while straying from the assured nature his status naturally imbues upon him is remarkable to watch. Only Harington’s performance, along with Kay and Down’s writing, could enable a character of this magnitude to create a cheerworthy moment in which a knocked-down man restores his confidence simply by reminding others of his place in British society.
Even someone like Miriam Petche, who joined last season, gets the opportunity to step into the spotlight with the Sweetpea-centric episode “Eyes Without a Face,” which fully bows at the altar of the investigative thrillers ingrained into this season’s DNA. New additions Shipka, Minghella, and Charlie Heaton fit perfectly into the stable of performers whose strengths are boosted by the writing and direction of Kay and Down. While Shipka may have the tweet-worthy moments that put viewers in a chokehold this season, perhaps the more interesting character work is given to Minghella’s Whitney, whose ominous energy injects a malevolent force that no antagonist so far has possessed, even if Tender itself is propped up as the central threat.
One wonders whether the energy found in earlier seasons, as the crew roamed the halls of Pierpoint focusing on trading, will ever return to the series. It seems “Industry,” in its many facelifts, has moved on—even if it’s for the better. Down and Kay are already among the most assured showrunners in television, so wherever they take these characters on their final journey, you can be assured that, like this season, it will be some of the most essential television to watch all year.
THE GOOD – Remains in top form with its exceptionally written and directed fourth season, boasting some of the best work from Myha’la, Marisa Abela, Ken Leung, and Kit Harrington.
THE BAD – None
THE EMMY PROSPECTS – Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series & Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
THE FINAL SCORE – 9/10
