industry Season 3 Episode 3, “IT,” finds our protagonists on a quick excursion to Switzerland. HBO’s latest episode opens with the COP climate conference marking a pivotal moment for the future of Lumi and Pierpoint. Lumi CEO Henry Mak (Kit Harington) and Pierpoint’s boss Eric Tao (Ken Leung) are set to attend a panel on the future of green energy as the market’s view of the startup’s economic prospects appears to be worsening. While Harper (Mihala) and Petra (Sarah Goldberg) woo potential clients and Sir Henry Mak romantically courts Yasmin (Marisa Abela), Robert (Harry Lawty) must figure out what Pierpoint’s in-house by-note rep Frank Wade (Joel Kim Booster) plans to write about Lumi.
**Spoiler Alert industry Season 3 Episode 3, “IT,” now streaming on Max**
we, industry The season three premiere finds Pierpoint having high hopes that green energy company Lumi will be the next big thing in the industry, but some worry it may be a bit of a scam. industry Season 3 Episode 3 begins 60 days after Rumi’s IPO. Various rival banks have released notes advising investors to sell Rumi as it is expected to only fall in value, but Pierpoint analyst Frank has not yet done so. As soon as Eric, Yas, and Rob arrive in Switzerland, Eric frantically presses Frank on when he will release the “buy note.” Frank outstrips Eric at first, but eventually Robert is left alone in the sauna and takes his shot.
As soon as Rob introduces himself to Frank, the sales guy cheekily says he already knows who he is: “We’re on WhatsApp, and there we share pictures of all the hottest, most earnest Pierpoint employees.”
“Oh,“It’s a real honour,” Robert says.
The scene quickly switches blocks to show both men in the same frame: Robert in boxer-brief-style underwear, Frank completely naked with his legs spread wide. There’s a bit of back and forth about what Frank plans to reveal, then some flirting. The scene ends with us not knowing what happens next, but later in the episode Frank issues a “hold” on Rumi — not the “buy” Eric would have liked, but not the hard “sell” most research analysts would have issued.
So what was the aim of this explicit scene of male nudity? How did American comedian (and former Decider contributor) Joel Kim Booster end up starring in this edgy UK-based show? And why was this brief scene so important to Robert?
industry Co-creator and co-showrunner Mickey Down told Decider that Booster was a huge fan of the show who reached out to them, as was new season three star Kit Harington.
“I had a meeting with him and he was just so funny,” Down says, “so obviously we wanted to have him in it.”
“The character existed before Joel got involved, so we weren’t really writing it for him, but he brings a lightness, he brings a humanity and he feels totally in this world.”
Harry Lawty, Downe and Booster’s main co-star, praised the American comedian, actor and screenwriter’s performance.
“Joel was a pleasure to work with. He’s a really great guy,” Lortie said. “Yeah, he’s lovely. Really talented. And we really enjoyed the dynamic that goes on between them in the episode.”
“It’s Joel. He’s just so funny,” Down says. “Especially that scene. He’s so over the top. Big things I think he can do that too. I don’t know. He’s very funny, but he’s also very professional.”
Downe also said that the sauna scene was a “hugely pivotal moment for Robert.” Though it may not be obvious at first glance, Lortie explained that the interaction was the beginning of Robert’s “coming back to life.”
“For me, this role was really satisfying to play,” Lortie said. “In the first season, he was toxic and misguided and immature, but his confidence, his self-assurance was really appealing.”
Robert has often demonstrated his sexual masculinity. industryTo varying degrees, Robert “wants to see his heart behind it, so I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that,” says Lortie, but the sauna scene with Frank “is part of the story where Robert realises that this might be his USP, that this might be something he can offer.”
“He can make people feel good about themselves. He can create chemistry between people and inspire them. And those skills are so important in this world,” Lortie said. “So it was really great to have Joel’s character reveal that to him and remind him of that.”
“I think that’s what the sauna scene is about. Regardless of his fluid sexuality, Robert feels most in control, most confident and, ultimately, most professionally competent when he has a certain level of sexual confidence.”
