The slow-burn success of the HBO and BBC co-production Industry has reached its dazzling peak. While many acclaimed dramas need time to find their footing, this razor-sharp series about young investment bankers has evolved into something truly exceptional. Following a stellar third season, season four launches as top-tier television, a dark, debauched, and jaw-dropping treat that is destined for end-of-year best-of lists – a remarkable achievement for a show airing in early January.
A Darker, More Twisted World
The show, which initially drew comparisons to This Life for its blend of professional rivalry and personal entanglements, has matured into a far more sophisticated and sinister beast. The pitch-perfect dialogue remains, but the atmosphere is now decidedly more corrupt. This season welcomes an impressive roster of new cast members who integrate seamlessly with the established leads. Kiernan Shipka sheds her Mad Men persona for a role closer to Don Draper himself, while Max Minghella, Kal Penn, and Charlie Heaton bring new dynamics to the cutthroat world of finance.
They join returning stars like the mononymous Myha'la as the relentless Harper, Marisa Abela as Yasmin, and Kit Harington, who delivers what may be a career-best performance. Special mention goes to Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso), whose transatlantic storyline with Miriam Petche's Sweetpea is a particular highlight.
Ripped from the Headlines
As ever, Industry proves adept at weaving contemporary issues into its narrative fabric. The central plot revolves around a payment provider called Tender, which is on the cusp of becoming a bank. In a move reflecting real-world debates, Tender seeks to distance itself from an OnlyFans-style platform named Siren as a new online safety bill is proposed in the UK.
This sets the stage for a devious game of cat and mouse, kickstarted in a strobe-lit club scene featuring Charlie Heaton's journalist and Kiernan Shipka's Tender employee. Meanwhile, Harper, having narrowly escaped numerous career disasters, now runs a short-selling fund for the power-hungry financier Otto Mostyn, a character whose timely disdain for "woke" culture adds another layer of sharp social commentary.
Saying the Unsayable
The series continues to excel in its fearless exploration of race, class, desire, and sexuality. A standout early exchange sees Harper's mentor Eric (the excellent Ken Leung) bluntly address her frustrations about being perceived as an angry Black woman. This willingness to "say the unsayable" is a hallmark of creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, former bankers who infuse the show with financial authenticity and a piercing, darkly humorous critique of modern society.
The season carries a stark realness, from Heaton's journalist racing against real-life investigator Patrick Radden Keefe to the marital struggles between Harington's Henry and Abela's Yasmin. Yasmin's arc takes a particularly dark turn, with hints of inspiration from figures like Ghislaine Maxwell, while an atmosphere of impending death looms, especially around the troubled Rishi (Sagar Radia).
Yet, for all its depth, Industry hasn't lost its stylish, decadent core – exemplified by a scene where Yasmin attends a party dressed as Marie Antoinette. By delving deeper into the tortured psyches of its characters, the show manages to be both more disquieting and more relatable than ever. Its 80s-leaning soundtrack is no accident; it underscores a societal rot that has festered for decades, whose horrors are now being fully exposed.
Industry season four is a masterclass in television drama. It airs on BBC One on 12 January and will be available on iPlayer. In the US, it premieres on HBO on 11 January, and in Australia, it will air on Binge.
