Industry season 1 recap: What happened during the first season of the banking drama
Rolling back to 2020 for a quick recap
Season 2 is nearly here, but what exactly happened in season 1? We’ve got you covered.
HBO’s Industry is a drama series following a group of young graduates as they compete for permanent positions at prestigious London investment bank Pierpoint & Co. The first series aired on BBC Two in the UK, in November 2020. Despite being renewed for a second season shortly afterwards in December 2020, the long awaited second season is only just airing. If you’re struggling to cast your mind back to everything that went down in the acclaimed drama, here’s a handy Industry season 1 recap for the key plot points from the show’s first outing, ready for season 2 to drop.
Elsewhere at the BBC, viewers of a particular teen thriller have been wondering if A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is based on a true story. Whilst Inside Man on BBC with David Tennant and Stanley Tucci is making quite a splash. Since the series premiered, fans are keen to know how many episodes of Inside Man to expect, and when to catch the next one.
What happened at the end of Industry season 1?
The day of reckoning had arrived, and it was time to determine exactly who had made the cut and gained a permanent position at Pierpoint & Co. Gus is the only one of the original gang who realises how truly toxic the work culture is, and he wants to talk about Hari’s death properly - since he worked himself to death at the start of the series and this was never truly acknowledged. It’s made clear to him that he puts his principles aside if he wants the position.
A desperate Harper asks Daria to vouch for her, and wastes no time being awful about the other graduates to try and elevate her position. She then messes up the interview completely, struggling to get anything coherent or of note from her mouth. Robert enters the interview with no clients to show off, but is made to feel special by the executives anyway. Daria is hugely unimpressed by this, and after his nose bleeds during the interview she accuses him of being a cokehead - she insists he has no future at the company.
Yasmin threatens Kenny with exposing his awful behaviour towards her if he doesn’t bring her favour with the board - he refuses. She responds by telling the executives she loves the culture at Pierpoint, and that it’s not at all toxic - which is a huge lie but she is desperate. Gus doesn’t look like the job will be his when he goes through with his initial promise of telling everyone exactly what he thinks of the company - and it’s absolutely nothing good. Sara still has really good things to say about him despite this, and Daria stays on Harper’s side despite the blackmail attempt and terrible interview.
Bill asks Harper to take back her allegations against Eric, while Sara and Daria really want her statement to attempt to improve Pierpoint’s culture of toxic masculinity. Harper ultimately sides with Eric and Bill, and gets Daria fired by suggesting she forced her to lie about Eric’s behaviour in the first place. Ultimately, we are yet to find out who got the job and who didn’t.
GoodtoKnow Newsletter
Parenting advice, hot topics, best buys and family finance tips delivered straight to your inbox.
What did Kenny do to Yasmin?
Kenny is abusive to Yasmin, wasting no time in screaming at her at the slightest provocation.
As reported by GQ, the incidents fans most remember involving the pair include Kenny laying into Yasmin for forgetting croutons on his salad, and humiliating her at an important client dinner by getting too drunk and ruining the deal she was desperate to make. He then forced her to get a lap dance from a stripper afterwards, in the ultimate display of wielding power over her and abusing his position as a means of control.
In an the same report, Kenny actor Conor Macneill said “Look, being mean is fun, but when it's Kenny mean, you sometimes feel horrible after shooting scenes. When you read it on the page, you're like, ‘Oh, this is going to be amazing to shoot’. And then you've got Marisa [Abela] staring at you brokenhearted and it kills you. After the scene, you have to be like, ‘I'm so sorry’”.
What happened between Yasmin and Harper?
Yasmin and Harper fall out at the end of season 1 when Harper turns on Daria, resulting in her getting fired.
Once Yasmin finds out Harper threw Daria under the bus, she confronts her on the office floor. Harper calls out Yasmin for being weak and hypocritical - referring to Yasmin’s own incident where she was forced to choose between shopping the toxic behaviour of a fellow employee, or remaining a team player. Yasmin too had taken the easy option, and let bad behaviour go unchallenged. The friendship between the two is effectively ruined following the fight.
Harper choosing herself over anyone or anything else, was something series co-creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay had always wanted according to EW. The mixed thoughts about her choice were exactly what they wanted. Kay said "That visceral reaction is exactly what we were aiming for”. Down added that anyone watching closely would’ve known the choice she’d make, saying “if anyone looks at Harper and the way we conceived the character, it's just not in her wheelhouse”.
Does Harper get fired in Indsutry?
No, at the end of Industry season 1, only Daria Greenock and Sara Dhadwal have been fired.
Despite faking her university degree and making a huge loss for the company by completely messing up a deal, Harper still has a job at the end of season 1. Speaking about the amount of time spent in the world of finance and the effect it had on her, Harper actress Myha'la Herrold changed her mind about financial workers.
Speaking to GQ, she said “What Industry did was make me more sympathetic towards them. If I passed some bros on the street, I'd be like, ‘ugh,’and now I'm more like, ‘Oh, they're hurting.’”
Related BBC Features:
- RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4: Celebrity judges, start date and how to watch
- Who are the Strictly It Takes Two presenters 2022 and why did Zoe Ball leave?
- Frozen Planet II: All you need to know about Sir David Attenborough's new BBC show
- The Osbournes Home to Roost - all you need to know about Sharon and Ozzy and their new show
- Survivor UK reboot is coming to BBC - 20 years after its ITV debut
Video of the Week
Lucy is a mum-of-two, multi-award nominated writer and blogger with six years’ of experience writing about parenting, family life, and TV. Lucy has contributed content to PopSugar and moms.com. In the last three years, she has transformed her passion for streaming countless hours of television into specialising in entertainment writing. There is now nothing she loves more than watching the best shows on television and sharing why you - and your kids - should watch them.
-
Compromising may be killing your relationship - here are 5 ways to reach healthy compromises, according to relationship expert
Compromising isn't always the best way to keep the peace in a relationship
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Best interactive pets for kids: 15 gift ideas for children of all ages
From puppies to axolotls, take a look at our selection of the best interactive pets you can buy that are sure to be a hit with little animal lovers
By Sarah Handley Published
-
Is Brandy pregnant? Bluey fans think the Heelers could be about to welcome a new cousin following the season 3 finale
Eagle-eyed Bluey viewers are wondering if Aunt Brandy is pregnant, following a touching moment in the season three finale.
By Ellie Hutchings Published
-
Is Bluey ending? What we know about the rumours around the kids' cartoon, as the Heelers put their house up for sale
Bluey's producer has shared an update on the show's future
By Ellie Hutchings Published
-
CoComelon has been accused of being 'overstimulating' - the experts explain why it's ok to let your kid watch the popular cartoon
CoComelon is adored by kids around the world, but some experts have shared reasons they don't think children should be watching - we look at both sides of the argument.
By Lucy Wigley Published
-
The Boy and the Heron age rating: Is the Oscar winning anime movie for kids?
The Boy and the Heron age rating: As the Oscar winning anime picks up major accolades, parents are wondering whether it's suitable for young kids.
By Lucy Wigley Published
-
Got a kid who loves anime? Here are the 10 shows they’re probably watching, plus everything to know about the popular genre
Does your child love anime? From old favourites to brand new finds, you'll find some great suggestions for shows they can watch from our top ten list.
By Lucy Wigley Published
-
When is Bridgerton season 3 coming out? Everything we know about the next instalment
When is Bridgerton season 3 coming out? Here's everything we know about the third instalment, as the countdown to its arrival is on!
By Lucy Wigley Published
-
Is Wicked Little Letters a true story and what happened to Rose Gooding and her family?
Is Wicked Little Letters a true story and what happened to Rose Gooding? When Rose was suspected of sending obscene letters, an unbelievable tale unfolded.
By Lucy Wigley Published
-
Which MAFS couples have babies? Contestants from the UK and Australia series' who've welcomed children
Which MAFS couples have babies? We take a look at contestants from the UK and Australia series' who went on to hear the pitter patter of tiny feet.
By Lucy Wigley Published