Industry Season 4 Is Already Tanking Before It Airs

Back in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, a show with a relatively unknown cast and creatives premiered on HBO in the US and BBC in the UK. Five years later, Industry is close to being as mainstream as The White Lotus.

Set in the banking and investment world, it followed a group of twenty-somethings who had just left university with the promise of fortune in the finance industry.

Industry worked for many reasons. People familiar with the subject matter created the series, and although it used a lot of financial jargon, it was as easy to follow as it was to understand what everyone was saying.

At the core were the youngsters who were hungry to make a mark in this industry. All gritty in their way, they were willing to fight tooth and nail to be noticed, and that gave birth to some interesting dynamics and storylines.

Industry is one of those rare shows where I can recall precisely where I was when I watched the first episode, because it was that stimulating.

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It was at a time when there wasn’t much on TV, and then it fell into my lap.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the past three seasons, as it is one of those rare shows where there is no fluctuation in quality. However, as we head into Season 4, I’m concerned that the season may tarnish Industry’s legacy.

Its Creators Did Not Anticipate This Much Success

Industry has grown its audience over the years.

A rarity in television, it has seen consistent growth season after season thanks to the power of word of mouth (or social media in today’s world). Many people are tuning in, and as a result, there’s pressure to deliver. This pressure first hits the network, and they distribute it to the cast and crew.

Based on Konrad Kay and Mickey Down’s recent comments, it doesn’t feel like they have something concrete for the season.

“We don’t know what we’re going to do,” Down told GQ after Industry Season 3 wrapped. However, he was quick to add that they have figured out where the story goes in Season 4.

The problem is I don’t buy it.

Shows tend to crash and burn once the initial idea runs out of gas. Creators pitch one or multiple seasons of the story, but it reaches a point where the story slips out of their control.

With Industry Season 3’s season finale, I don’t think they know how to keep this ship on the move, and that’s where trouble begins. Do they really want to make another season, or is the money too good to pass up?

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The Cast’s Careers Have Exploded

From Myh’ala to Marisa Abela and Harry Lawtey, they are not the unknowns they were five years ago. Almost everyone in the cast is now a movie star, and when that happens, they tend to shift their priorities.

A show that seemed like their lifeline becomes their obstacle. This has happened before in other shows, and predictably, people start leaving.

David Jonsson left quite early, and Lawtey left ahead of Season 4.

This marks a significant shift in less than three seasons, and many shows don’t survive such a drastic change. These characters are core to the story, and their departure is always felt.

I miss some of Gus’ comebacks that were delivered slowly but hit someone like a tornado. And I know I’ll miss Robert’s never-ending misfortunes.

I have another larger concern where I feel like the remaining cast members are doing this out of courtesy, and they might begin phoning it in when the fourth season airs. That’s a massive assumption on my part, but stranger things have happened.

Too Much Change Is Happening

There is something to be said about shows that cast relatively unknown actors and give them time to shine.

I fell in love with Industry because everyone was talented, but they weren’t so big that it would eclipse the show.

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That was true until Kit Harington was cast in the third season, when the news cycle suddenly became about him. Industry Season 4 seems to be headed in the same direction with the addition of several high-profile names.

I’m not opposed to casting famous people in shows, but when it might affect it creatively, that’s where I draw the line.

I can’t pretend to know how Hollywood works, but I gather the bigger the star, the larger their influence. They start making demands that alter the show’s tone.

Back in 2020, most of us were all alone and horny. We lived vicariously through these characters, who partied and hooked up as if there was no tomorrow.

Fast forward two seasons, and the show doesn’t feel as horny as it did then. There was something about sex scenes in Industry that made them artistic in ways most shows fail to accomplish.

They were the window into some characters’ soul as they exposed their motivations. But above all, they were hot and tastefully done. I speculate that the stars demanded that sex scenes be cut. But that was part of the Industry charm!

Even more famous actors would mean these changes might become permanent.

These are just my musings, but Industry has an opportunity to do the funniest thing and prove me wrong.

If I’m right, I’ll be here to say I told you so.

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If you’re an Industry fan and you have some strong thoughts or theories — holler back!
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