Industry: "The Wire" for the New Generation -- HBO's Most Slept-On Prestige Drama

In the past few weeks, I've blogged a couple of times about HBO's Sunday Night Drama Industry -- which just wrapped up it's 4th season this week. It's been announced that they are renewed for a 5th, and FINAL, season -- hopefully coming sometime next year or early 2028. And while I've discussed Industry in brief-blurbs as part of larger blogs -- I wanted to give it the solo spotlight today following it's season finale.

I'd like to start by saying, if you haven't watched this show -- thank you for still reading this blog first-off, and please continue to do so because we aren't spoiling the show today -- and secondly, it's a difficult show for me to recommend without knowing who you are/your appetite for TV.

This show is A LOT to experience -- it's a sensory overload for 45-55 minutes every week. It moves rapidly, has the highest dialogue-per-minute ratio on TV, features financial jargon and U.K. accents that can make it harder to understand, and never holds back on the drugs, sex, strobe lights, etc. So you have to be the type of person that really locks in when you watch shows -- because this definitely isn't a "background" show.

One of my favorite podcasts -- The Watch on the Ringer network -- said on their Sunday pod that: "I'm not saying that Industry is the best show on TV, but it's without a doubt the MOST show on TV." And I think that is an absolutely perfect description -- it's an abundance you just don't get from other shows.

That being said, if you are someone like me who watches shows and movies with intent, not as noise that's drowned out as you scroll Tik Tok -- this is one of the more enthralling TV shows in recent memory. Since it's 1st season's release in 2020, it hit the ground running and has never slowed down.

The creators/writers behind the show -- Konrad Kay and Mickey Down -- are 2 of the best writers in the game. Tony Gilroy-esque talents who have something to say about the world, and know how to convey it through characters. I've listened to interviews they've done, and another quality they have (that's similar to one of my favorite creators - Vince Gilligan) is that they're willing to write themselves into a corner, and find their way out after. "Never put off your best ideas -- because you never know when the ride will end" mentality.

Industry has often been compared to Succession -- another sensational HBO-Drama that is one of my Top 7 or so favorite shows ever. And I think it's a fair comparison in terms of how the Characters behave and progress, how the dialogue is written with lots of jargon that the average viewer may not understand, and how they use real-world inspiration of high-class individuals to help shape the characters they create (i.e. The Murdoch’s in Succession).

Where I push back on the comparison is that tonally, I find these two shows to be very different. Succession is definitely a drama, but it's an incredibly funny drama. It balances light-hearted moments with dramatic swings -- but it finds space in every single episode for hilarious one-liners, outrageously funny scenarios, and created some of the funniest characters on TV in the last 20 years (Tom Wambsgans, Cousin Greg).

If Succession is a Drama + Comedy, Industry is more so a Drama + Thriller as far as genre. Industry takes itself much more seriously, and while there have definitely been a handful of funny moments, and they mix in funny one-liners -- it's used to quickly cut through the intense plot with a brief moment of levity.

And also, with respect to Industry -- a show I'm writing about because I very much like it. Succession kind of blows it out of the water in my opinion. Succession is damn-near a perfect show, one of HBO's best shows ever, and certainly their best show in the last 10 years. Industry is great, but is a pretty divisive show -- and if you follow anything online/on social media, you'll see both ends of the spectrum for how people feel about it. You didn't see that much with Succession.

Co-host of The Watch Podcast Andy Greenwald made what I think is a much stronger comparison for Industry on this week's pod -- Another legendary HBO-Prestige-Drama -- The Wire.

Andy stated how the shows have similar ambition in their story-telling, having no fear of tackling a subject-matter that is too taboo or will push viewers away -- and not being afraid to attack the corruption of institutions head-on. In addition, not being afraid to take risks in plot, going away from one character or storyline to something completely different. And I absolutely agree.

But in tying back to the divisiveness of this show -- this is something that was very apparent while The Wire was airing in the early 2000s. At the time, it was not a widely-beloved show by all. It was consistently snubbed by the Emmy's (as has Industry), it accrued a cult-following similar to Industry, and there were camps of viewers who had many complaints over it's direction.

Now I know what you're thinking -- "Beans, you just said Succession blows Industry out of the water, and therefore isn't a good comparison. Now you're comparing it to a Top-3 show ever in The Wire?"

Incredible thought, Reader. And a fair question -- because I certainly don't think it's as good of a show as The Wire. But the similarities above, plus the ones I'll outline below -- combined with the fact that I do think this is a show that will be appreciated more with time -- is good enough for me.

A similarity between these two shows to me is that, at their core, they are about one thing: Crime in The Wire, and Finance in Industry. But within their worlds, they build out so many plots, themes, and storylines within that tie back to that central theme.

In The Wire, we obviously are introduced from the jump with the police investigating the Drug world in Baltimore. But from that, in future seasons we examine how that ties into the Political world of the city, and the Public School System, the News Media/Journalism sector, and even alternate approaches Law Enforcement takes to dealing with the drug problems in Baltimore.

In Industry, we are introduced to the world of Investment Banking through young grads at Pierpoint. So much of that 1st season is spent on the Trading Floor, as we learn who the characters are and how they fit into this capitalistic world. But as the show goes, we see how this bank ties into Hedge Funds, the Environmental sector, the Political world, Crime, International tie-ins, Nightlife, Sex, Drugs -- you name it.

Another major similarity I see with both shows is in the treatment of characters. One being how the creators/writers are able to introduce new characters as the show goes on, pushing them to the forefront. One that Andy pointed out on The Watch was Bunny Colvin -- who became one of the main figures in Season 3 of The Wire after being introduced late in Season 2. He compared him to Edward Holcraft's Sebastian Stefanowicz character emerging in the S4 finale of Industry as a potential main cast for S5.

But additionally, both shows have had characters come in for major single-season plotlines, then disappear for the rest of the run. The prime example that comes to mind in The Wire is Frank Sobotka in Season 2, who's usage I'd compare to Jesse Bloom in Season 2 of Industry. Even Robert, one of my favorite Industry characters, who had a 3-season arc and was absent for S4.

Lastly, I think of the characters who have been in-and-out of the plot throughout both shows, disappearing for long stretches, then being brought back and deployed in different ways. From minor characters like Kenny Kilbane in Industry popping up in later seasons after a prominent S1 role, to main characters like Rishi, who's maneuvered from background player, to main character, back to background. This reminds me of how The Wire had so many side players like Wee-Bay, Slim Charles, and Clay Davis have stretches of prominence followed by lighter usage.

The last big similarity I see in these shows is that they both clearly have something to say about the world's we live in. Their message is crystal-clear, and often revolves around fundamental problems within the systems or institutions of our world -- and they don't hold back from sending that message. Whether it's commentary on the educational system setting people up for failure in under-funded communities in The Wire -- or the lack of morality in the banking world and upper-class like in Industry -- both shows convey important messages.

At the end of the day -- do I think that Industry is as good of a show as The Wire? Absolutely not -- not yet, at least. The Wire has had the staying power and longevity to still be considered one of the very best shows ever made -- and for as much as I enjoy watching Industry, I think there are still flaws that hold it back from that upper echelon. But with a great 5th season, who knows the heights it can reach?

When I say that Industry is like The Wire for the New Generation -- it's because I can see all these similarities that I've listed out between the two shows, while Industry has the style and tone of the current world. It captures the world we live in now very well, and explores that world in creative and interesting ways.

It's also a show that will deliver on plenty of jaw-dropping moments -- in good ways, in bad ways, in uncomfortable ways, etc. There are things that happen episode-to-episode that make me text my friend after saying "what the fuck did I just watch?" (Shoutout Louis), but that's what compelling television does. It's a TV-thriller that moves 100 mph, never holds back for a second, and is willing to go places that almost no other shows are willing to.

That's what makes compelling TV, that's what makes a show worth talking about to me.

That's my spiel -- if you've made it this far, thank you as always for reading. If you've watched Season 4 of Industry -- let me know your thoughts and if you'd want to see a "Post-Season Awards" for this season like I've done for other shows like Severance. I have tons of thoughts on this season, per usual -- especially how awesome some of the new performers like Max Minghella and Charlie Heaton were -- as well as the returning stars like Kit Harrington, Marisa Abela, Myaha'la, Ken Leung, etc.