The newest addition to HBO’s dominating and ever-growing line-up of shows, Industry, delves into the modern-day grind of the current up and coming working generation and treads some familiar territory.
The series follows five eager young graduates looking to make a great impression as they compete to earn one of the limited permanent positions at the prestigious Pierpoint & Co. investment bank in London. The first episode of a new HBO series is always all about setting the scene and establishing the feel of the environment and Industry does that flawlessly. As the induction meeting literally says that half of the people in the room aren’t going to be working there and the fast-paced interviews at the start introduce us to our five hopefuls, there’s this competitive drive and stress that’s totally palpable. What’s happening with these five hopefuls is a perfect showing of the ugly side of business – where people are reduced to numbers.
While not really being told how to get ahead and not trying to step on their superior’s toes, these newbies are constantly under fire to make an impression and be “visible.” The episode moves at such a breakneck pace. We see each of them make moves; take big chances that could move them up or totally tank their possibilities; and try to stay afloat in this fast-paced work environment, leaving you feeling almost as overwhelmed as they do. It’s such a perfect premise that’s not only incredibly scary since the competitiveness of the job market is going to be at an all-time high when the COVID-19 pandemic finally comes to a close, but it’s also an excellent showing of the social and work hurdles that the modern generation faces going into the workforce.
The relationships between characters is not as cutthroat as you might think and while the competitive environment and constant reminders that there are limited positions might have them pitted for permanency, they’re not exactly stepping on each other’s throats. While there are plenty of times where they are pitted against one another or their superior praise one while scolding the other, there’s not too much bad blood. There’s actually a lot of respectable camaraderie here as there are solid connections between characters early on that cut down some of the devious nature of their workplace. With characters rooming together and even helping them through their work struggles, there’s a lot of good bonding we get between everyone that makes them more human rather than competitive machines only set to destroy one another. Not to mention, the show mixes pleasure and business well as the premiere also delves into how these characters trying to take the edge off from work – which is a lot of partying, drinking, and sexual escapades.
Now, while the show does a great job establishing its environment and these characters in this environment, the same can’t be fully said about its five hopefuls. The characters themselves are perfectly likable and interesting and the performances are strong, but it’s easy to see that these characters are just stock work personalities. Harper (Myha’la Herrold, Modern Love) is your typical under-valued employee trying to make her way to the top. While she’s clearly got the street and book smarts mixed with good intuition, she doesn’t have the right degree from a high-profile university to even be there and is lying about it to get by.
Robert (Harry Lawtey, Marcella) is your typical party boy that unfortunately seems to let his antics affect his work habits and relationships. Gus (David Jonsson, Deep State) has his own way of working and sticks to sort of his own schedule and he doesn’t seem like a team player type. Then there’s Yasmin (Marisa Abela, Cobra) who, well, just seems to deliver the food to everyone and isn’t able to make her voice heard or her desires known. Now, these are just first impressions and hopefully these characters will becoming something more than these stock characteristics with more time – and after a life-altering situation happens within this premiere.
For most of the characters, it’s easy to see where they could lose their chance at success. Gus working on his own time for himself could make him look tough to work with, Harper’s lie could get her into trouble and her fraught relationship with her superior Daria (Freya Mavor, The ABC Murders) could land her in hot water, Yasmin being just the “food girl” could make her permanently invisible if she doesn’t speak up, and Robert’s partying could tank his reputation – but then there’s Hari (Nabhaan Rizwan, 1917). While everyone else’s flaws simply could ruin their career’s, Hari’s could end his life. Seeing him be so determined to land a permanent position at Pierpoint that he’s willing to work 24/7, sleep in the bathroom stall, and use drugs to try and stay awake to work is legitimately scary. With every pill he pops and second he spends staring at a computer screen in an empty office, you can feel more life being drained from him and it’s what makes his actions catching up to him so surprising and sad.
When diving into Industry, I never expected to see a death in the premiere, but with Hari dying on the toilet from either an overdose or a heart failure at such a young age that’s exactly what we get. It’s truly a tragic and unexpected moment that leaves you shook with how sudden it happens and how the office reacts to it – or rather doesn’t at all. Hari’s death is a pure embodiment to how this office barely values these newbies and just sees them as cows waiting to be either saved or slaughtered. No one is consoled, there’s no counseling coming to help them deal with this tragic loss, and no one is even sent home. They’re just meant to go back to work and act like nothing happened and, for the most part, they do. Robert gets closer with a more cold-hearted superior, Harper makes a big deal with a major client, and Gus ends up getting the chance that Hari had. However, the looks on everyone’s faces really shows that Hari’s death really impacted them and could make them question how they’re going about everything in the future. While Hari’s death is a cruel reminder of the separation between work and personal life and how overworking can really lead to an early grave, it’s something that could make these characters more personable as they reflect on this sudden tragedy.
Industry definitely has some work to do in bringing it’s main cast of corporate hopefuls out of their familiar shells, but it creates a fast-paced environment that heavily reflects the modern working grind in a way that’s immensely engrossing and that will hopefully continue to be irresistible to watch unfold.
Industry airs Monday nights on HBO and will stream the next day on HBO MAX.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbM84z4XYgc
