Industry wrapped its fourth season with a poignant finale, and the loneliness surrounding Yasmin and Harper never felt so real: everyone they were once close to is either dead or gone.
HBO has renewed the series for a fifth and final season, and we are eager to know which characters might return. Beyond Yasmin and Harper, we'll likely see Kwabena, Hayley, and Sweetpea again. Henry and his uncles are an enigma. Whitney is a long shot.
Over the years, many other memorable characters have departed the show. We shared a list of the three characters we would especially love to see in Industry season 5.
Daria Greenock
Daria Greenock, played by Freya Mavor, was an absolute scene-stealer in Industry season 1, defined by her unpredictable moves and passive-aggressive attitude towards Harper. At times, she would act like your biggest ally; at others, she would gladly stab you in the back. A true corporate chameleon, Daria presented herself as a progressive feminist while masking far more elitist ambitions.
Daria’s downfall at the end of season 1 was a highly satisfying twist, but it also meant losing one of the show’s most promising characters. She returned briefly in seasons 2 and 3: first to derail Eric and Harper’s plan in a vengeful move, then to back Harper on her risky Pierpoint short. Throughout these appearances, Daria continued to oscillate between villain and accomplice, an ambiguous charm that could bring a compelling layer of deceptiveness to Industry season 5.
Eric Tao
Up until Industry season 4, Eric Tao's darker side had been heavily implied but never directly confronted. The signs were all there: insulting Felim's wife in season 1 and failing to remember what he said, neglecting his family, briefly posing as Robert to sleep with a younger woman in season 3, and even peeking at Sweetpea's leaked nudes despite her being one of his employees.
Eric, played by Ken Leung, exited the big picture to avoid harming Harper — and to make sure she would never see the compromising video of him with the girl. But now that Harper has seen it, we need a final confrontation between these two in season 5. Eric may be a horrible person, but so is everyone else in this show. He definitely won't return as Harper's mentor, but his charisma and trader instinct may come in handy in the final season.
Robert Spearing
Of all the character exits in Industry, Robert Spearing felt the most fitting — even though it was the one that hurt the most. He got sort of a redemption arc in the season 3 finale and found a way out of the corruptive forces that were draining the life out of him. He and Yasmin confessed their love for one another, while simultaneously acknowledging they could never be together. He deserved a happy ending, and he got one.
In that sense, it's hard to picture Rob returning as a main character in Industry season 5, but a guest appearance in the final episodes is what everyone is hoping for. His comeback, however brief, would add the perfect touch of nostalgia to conclude these characters' journey, highlighting how much has changed since Harper, Yas, and Rob started out as naive grad students.
Stay tuned for more news about Industry season 5 on HBO and HBO Max!