'Industry' season 3 is coming to an end tonight and it has been a wild ride. After the season premiere, I declared myself "addicted" to the hit HBO drama about a group of investment bankers in London. As episode 8 approaches, I'm no less hooked, and I'm even considering it for the best show of 2024 so far.
There's just one problem — "Shogun."
At this point, you've no doubt heard of "Shogun." The FX drama took the world by storm at the beginning of the year. It cemented its legacy a few weeks ago when it won a record 18 Emmys on 25 nominations. The acting is incredible. Its recreation of Sengoku period Japan is breathtaking. It deserves all the praise it's received and more.
However, it didn't have to go head to head with "Industry" at those Emmys and if it had, I'm not sure it would have been so dominant.
So with the season 3 finale imminent, let's break down the case for why "Industry" could become the best show of the year so far after tonight, and why unseating "Shogun" might ultimately prove to be too difficult a task.
The case for 'Industry': It's more engaging
Let's be honest for a moment — we all watch TV while on our phones. It's OK, I'm not judging you. I do it too.
But there are what I call "put down your phone shows." Sometimes, they are shows like "Shogun" where there are so many moving parts (not to mention subtitles) that you have to put your phone down to pay attention.
Other times, the show is so engaging you put the phone down by choice. That's the type of show "Industry" is. It's a constant adrenaline and endorphin drip. You want to see what crazy thing is going to happen next. Season 3 has seen friendships shattered, a main character's father dies, there's overeager paparazzi, trips on magic mushrooms ... the list goes on. The investment bank where most of the character's work is even on the brink of collapse heading into the season finale.
I have only begun to scratch the surface of what's happened in this show with the above description. It's so well crafted and constantly keeps you on your toes. Yes, sometimes you can tell what's going to happen next. But most of the time the show just hits you with a major moment out of nowhere. It's why you can't help but put down the phone while watching, and why you wish there was a new episode as soon as the last one is over.
The case for 'Shogun': It's best episodes are incredible
Here's the thing though, and it's why "Shogun" might still hold the crown of best show of 2024 after the "Industry" season 3 finale — "Shogun" at its peak is just better.
When I watch shows, I keep a ranking of the best episodes of TV I've seen. Some shows I like don't have a ton of episodes in this list, and some largely forgettable shows manage to sneak an episode into the list.
"Shogun," though, is prominently featured on that list. The top three spots on the list are all "Shogun" episodes, with "Ladies of the Willow World" taking the top spot. And as good as "Industry" is, its top episode only clocks at seventh on the list, though it does manage to get two episodes in my top 10.
Again, both these shows are great. But "Shogun" managed to do some things that were truly awe-inspiring. In "Ladies of the Willow World" in particular, the camerawork during the scene where Lady Mariko explains the Willow World to Blackthorne is expertly done (see the video above), and Mariko's monologue is brilliantly written. It's breathtaking and heartbreaking all at the same time, and easily the best scene from a TV show I've seen all year.
Watch the 'Industry' season 3 finale tonight to judge for yourself
I'll be honest, I don't expect the finale of "Industry" season 3 to surpass "Ladies of the Willow World" in quality. But it if can crack the top 3 of my top 10 best TV episodes of the year, it might just be enough to make "Industry" my best show of the year so far.
To do that, the show is going to need to do what it does best. Pace things brilliantly, hit you with some things you never saw coming and never be afraid to kill its darlings. It's been an engaging show from start to finish this season with a baseline of quality that's been commendable. There hasn't been a bad episode yet. As long as it doesn't slip up here, it has a real shot of supplanting "Shogun" as the best show of 2024.
Stream the season 3 finale of "Industry" tonight at 10 p.m. ET on Max.
