Well, things have certainly shaken up on Industry Season 1 Episode 5 when a former employee writes a devastatingly brutal article about Pierpoint & Co.
And while we never got to hear the article entirely, the scathing piece affected everyone — graduates, employees, and executives alike.
Could this article be the reason why some characters make radical decisions? It is hard to know for sure, but this exposé certainly set up the framework for “Learned Behaviour.”
First, there is Harper. God, will she ever catch a break? Her ex is in London, forcing Harper to confront all of her unresolved feelings over their breakup.
Of course, things only become more challenging when Eric asks Harper to convince his former client, Felim, to return to Pierpoint. Harper has to do whatever it takes to win him back, even if it violates the HR code.
What on earth will she do? Someone has got to support this poor girl because she will come crashing down if no one does.
Despite hooking up with her ex, their dynamic turns sour, and Harper kicks him out of her house. And we learn about their emotional baggage — Harper apparently suffers from panic attacks, and Todd does not care enough to support her through them.
So, things were bound to come crashing down, and unfortunately, they did.
Not only did Todd’s time in London end on a sour note, but she failed to convince Felim to return to Pierpoint, accidentally informing Daria of the unethical tactics Harper and Eric have been using.
Our hearts ached for Harper when Eric screamed at her, especially since it was only on Industry Season 1 Episode 4 where Eric was in Harper’s corner.
Well, it turns out that he is only in Harper’s corner when it suits him, which makes us wonder — if Nicole had not stepped in and saved the P & L on behalf of Harper, would Eric still have been as understanding as he was? Doubtful.
Eric: I heard whispers at the offsite Sara wants me gone, did Daria tell you that? What do you think you’ve just done to move the dial on their fucking agenda? Do you think either of them would protect you like I have? Brought you over here?
Harper: I told you I couldn’t be more grateful.
Eric: What do you think your gratitude’s worth to me if you can’t keep your fucking word? I was the only one willing to ignore your non-target background, pull you out of wherever, and give you the success that might, let’s say, excuse your personality. The massive fucking chip on your shoulder. You see how I carefully elided the fact that you’re also a fucking liar? Or is that how you sustain the delusion that you actually belong here?
How does The Guardian exposé play into Harper’s storyline? Well, Eric hinted that Sara is trying to push him out of Pierpoint. This former employee’s article hurts Pierpoint’s reputation, and if Sara finds out why Felim left Pierpoint in the first place, Eric might not have a job with the investment bank anymore.
And despite Eric’s hurtful words, he did bring up an important point — if Sara fires him, then who will be in Harper’s corner? Who will protect her and back her up if the truth about her forged university transcripts and work background comes out?
Harper has proved time and again that she deserves to be at Pierpoint, and she will do whatever it takes to stay there despite her lack of a background in investment banking. But will anyone other than Eric listen if people find out the truth?
Only time will tell, but as of right now, things are not looking good for Harper. We wish we could reach into the screen and give her the supportive hug she needs, but the best we can do is watch closely and hope that things work out for her.
I don’t know where we go from here. You have to decide because I can’t work or be friends with anyone who would behave like that. And if he’s pressuring you, you need to say now. I promise you I can understand that. This way of doing business, the silos, the possessiveness, the lying, it’s going to stop. That article is just the start; this place is going to change, watch. If you lie to me again, you have no idea how cold the floor can be. And I won’t be in your corner come RIF. Simple.
Daria
Yasmin had an easier time on “Learned Behavior” than Harper did, but not without her own set of issues.
Yasmin uses a personal connection to gain a new client with Pierpoint. She even gets to attend the business dinner as a reward. Unlike Harper, Yasmin’s business maneuvers seem to be successful.
But unfortunately, having Kenny as a supervisor comes with a price. Despite his seemingly genuine apology regarding his behavior, it does not stop him from drinking. As a result, he begins making extremely inappropriate comments toward Yasmin and Maxim, her longtime friend.
Yasmin tries to save Pierpoint’s reputation, but she can only so much, especially when Maxim becomes alarmed at Kenny’s outrageous behavior. And things only worsen when they go out to a bar, and Kenny pays one of the waitresses to give Yasmin a lap dance.
It is safe to say that Kenny made a fool out of himself, Yasmin, and Pierpoint. But will Maxim and his business partner look past the disastrous evening and work with Pierpoint anyway?
We feel sorry for Yasmin, though. She is evidently fed up with being her team’s salad girl, and when she finally gets her first big break at work, her supervisor screws it up.
And with The Guardian’s scathing article about Pierpoint, Yasmin is more determined than ever to be more than a salad girl. Especially since the investment bank still has to let go of graduates as part of their program.
At this point, Kenny needs to do more than apologize to Yasmin, and Yasmin should not just sit back and let him trample all over her. It might be risky to complain to HR about her supervisor, but how else will Yasmin gain the freedom to show her team what she is capable of?
Kenny only holds her back. If Yasmin had a different supervisor, then maybe she would be more ahead by now, and she knows that too. But will Yasmin stand up for herself? After all, she potentially gained a new client for Pierpoint, which was only because of a personal connection.
Imagine what she could do if she had the same privileges that her colleagues have.
Piece of advice, if you sit there like window dressing, it’s hard to come back. The quicker you open your mouth, the quicker they know you’re an actual human being on top of everything else.
Daria
Yasmin was also experiencing relationship problems with her boyfriend, Sebastian. Does this mark the end of their romance?
On the one hand, Yasmin has been toying with Robert without any desire to end things with Sebastian. But now that Sebastian heard the erotic video Robert sent to Yasmin, will it change things? And what about when Yasmin comes home to find Sebastian passed out after having cybersex with another woman?
Regardless of what happens, it is about time they have it out with each other. Things were already tense in their relationship without the cheating, and these events will only push Yasmin and Sebastian to confront each other. Will they survive that confrontation? Honestly, we hope not because we are still rooting for Robert and Yasmin.
Their chemistry is off the charts, and the longer they do not hook up, the more torturous it is. Even Harper is aware of the sparks flying between them, and at the very least, she wants them to hook up.
But Robert had more pressuring issues on “Learned Behaviour,” mainly his surprising dynamic with his boss, Clement.
Robert accompanied Clement on a business trip to Holland. Despite partying with one of the clients, Usman, the deal is successful, and Clement treats Robert to a fancy suit fitting.
Their conversation is startling, to say the least. Who knew Clement had a caring, almost fatherly side to him?
Robert: You never talk about where you’re from.
Clement: It gets to the point where they stop asking. But they never stop caring.
Robert and Clement’s dynamic change brings an intriguing new side in Robert that we have not seen before. It’s implied that his relationship with his father is strained. It clearly affects Robert, considering when Gus was venting his frustrations, Robert watched the father and son duo across the aisle.
This begs several questions — mainly, what has happened to Robert’s father? Why is he not present in his son’s life? And what about the rest of Robert’s family and his childhood in general? How did he become the person he is today?
We gather that most of these questions will most likely not be answered by the end of Industry Season 1, so we can only hope HBO will renew the show for a chance to delve into Robert’s past.
“Learned Behavior” significantly adds new layers to Robert’s character that we have not seen, and we hope to learn more about him. He is already very different from the seemingly bland party boy we met on Industry Season 1 Episode 1.
Over to you, Fanatics!
What did you think of “Learned Behaviour”? Do you believe Yasmin and Sebastian will break up? What does Harper’s future have in store for her? Are you interested in learning more about Robert’s past? How do you think Gus is affected by this article?
Please leave us your thoughts in the comments below!
You can watch Industry online right here, at TV Fanatic!
Sarah Novack is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.