Everything on Industry Was Building Toward This

As a film enthusiast with a knack for delving into the intricacies of human relationships, I must say that “Industry” has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride this season. The dynamic between Harper and Yasmin has always been a fascinating study of complex emotions, and their relationship has reached an all-time volatile high in Sunday’s episode.

The dynamic between Harper and Yasmin in their professional world – be it as office rivals, flatmates, or love competitors – has always been turbulent. However, in Sunday’s episode titled “Nikki Beach or: So Many Ways to Lose,” Harper ignites the spark that ultimately consumes their relationship. In an interview before the series aired, Mickey Down, co-creator of Industry alongside Konrad Kay, shared with me that they had been waiting for Harper to face a choice between her career and another person. “Everything comes out in this episode, the most vicious things they could say. It was therapeutic for us and the characters to express the worst possible thoughts we could imagine they might harbor about each other,” Mickey said.

Following the unveiling of a major season-long flashback that depicted Yasmin’s father falling from his yacht, the Lady Yasmin, and drowning, the episode portrays Yas and Harper concealing this incident while still securing a table at the fashionable spot Nikki Beach. The narrative then returns to the present day. Petra encourages Harper to exploit Yasmin in order to bring down Pierpoint. By feigning interest in buying stocks of failing ESG companies, Harper and Yasmin manage to convince her to disclose information about Pierpoint’s substantial investments in subpar operations. Eric discovers this and scolds Yasmin at work, ultimately placing her on an indefinite leave. This decision leads to a heated confrontation between Yasmin and Harper that may have long-lasting effects on their friendship.

In this scene, written by Down and Kay in collaboration with Marisa Abela (Yasmin) and Myha’la (Harper), the characters’ deep-seated insecurities and old wounds were explored. They didn’t hold anything back; Yasmin attacked Harper for her manipulative side, and Harper retaliated against Yasmin’s privileged background and arrogance. According to Myha’la, she relished the chance to utter some harsh words. The conversation evolved into a deliberate effort to make it as painful as possible, with the intention of leaving no room for reconciliation in the future.

For Abela, delving into the complexities of the duo’s problems was exhilarating. “Scenes like these are so engaging because the risks are immense and their desires are evident,” she expressed. “Yasmin is determined to confront Harper and seek an apology, while Harper aims to secure an apology from Yasmin. Due to our strong collaboration, there’s a lot of enjoyable banter that arises as we portray these objectives.

The confrontation escalates, starting with harsh words and eventually leading to actions. Yasmin expresses, “I once believed that the most damaging thoughts about me and about you might still be valid, yet we could still love each other despite it,” but now she’s sure that isn’t the case.” Harper calls Yasmin a derogatory name, prompting Yasmin to strike her. Harper retaliates with a slap, an action not initially planned in the scenario. Myha’la, who plays Yasmin, told Down and Kay that she didn’t expect Harper to let the first blow go unanswered. “I said, ‘Guys, there’s no chance in heaven that she’d just take the hit and not respond,'” Myha’la explained. “You’ve overstepped. You’ve breached the physical boundary. I can’t think of a single other Black woman who, if you attacked them first, would simply stand there.

As I ponder over this upcoming scene, I can’t help but feel it’s about to be the breaking point for Yasmin and Harper. With only two episodes left in the season, their roommate situation lingers, but is their bond beyond repair? Well, that’s a question left for the viewers to decide. After all, merely sharing a space for ten hours a day doesn’t necessarily make you the best of friends, a point Harper might even argue herself. In fact, it could be her go-to explanation for their relationship.

In a different context, Industry could find it intriguing that there seems to be something more than just work-related bond between Harper and Yasmin. (Or maybe it’s that in a world where everything revolves around work, work friendships can be as genuine as regular friendships.) The actresses’ portrayals, even when they argue fiercely, reveal an undercurrent of empathy between the characters that underscores and intensifies their harshness. (You can see the sadness in Harper’s eyes when she realizes she will exploit what she overheard against Yasmin.)

After enduring numerous hardships together, their journey concludes not with a series of slaps but by revealing the last segment of a flashback showing the aftermath of Yasmin’s father’s drowning. The scene displays the iconic tabloid photograph of Yasmin in her bathing suit and sunhat on that yacht. As Harper imitates Don Draper, he tells Yasmin to stop crying, much like how he once told Peggy Olson to forget about her child. The episode concludes with the Pet Shop Boys’ cover of “Always on My Mind,” whose lyrics echo their overall dynamic: “Perhaps I didn’t cherish you / As I should have done / Perhaps I didn’t show my love / As often as I could,” but ultimately, “I guess I never expressed / How much joy you bring to me.” The credits then roll over this melody.

2024-09-16 06:55

Everything on Industry Was Building Toward This

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