Industry

Season 1, 2020

The first season of Industry follows four university graduates in their early- to mid-twenties during their trial period at a prestigious London financial institution. Before the end of the trial period, known as the RIF, or reduction in force, they must prove themselves to be assets to the firm, both competently and culturally. The four grads, two women and two men, come from diverse backgrounds. Yasmin speaks Arabic and shares a house with her upper-middle class mother in Notting Hill. Gus is a gay Black man coasting on the entitlements provided by his family’s wealth. Robert is good looking, but takes pains to hide his Scottish heritage, although he does get by with his white privilege. And then there’s Harper with the main-character energy. Harper has the most to prove as a Black woman from a public university in the States. 

In the first episode, we learn that Harper is not quite who she says she is. Rather than having imposter syndrome, Harper may just be an imposter. Because she is an underdog, we root for her at first, but then come to realize that Harper can’t stop lying to further her own goals. She lies to friends and allies alike; chaos walking. She may even be a sociopath. SPOILER ALERT: Season 1 could be Harper’s villain origin story.

Industry is filmed with gray and blue filters, creating a cold and alienated aesthetic; while many of the scenes are shot with a hand-held camera for a voyeuristic intimacy. The pacing, music, and editing are propulsive, giving it a frenetic energy to match the scenes of wild drugs and casual hook ups. 

Industry is an excellent alternative to the mostly-white world of Succession. Even though I don’t care about the world of finance, Industry appeals to my desire for stories that check the boxes: women, class divisions, people of color, and queer. Besides, Industry is slick and exciting. I know this series has been around a while, and I’m definitely late to the party, but it just means I don’t have to wait around for seasons 2 and 3!