They’re lonely, controlling ‘dinosaurs’ seemingly incapable of decently treating the people who look to them for love. Do the characters in the finance drama have any hope of understanding masculinity?

Warning: this article contains spoilers for season three of Industry.

‘Are you going to stop being such a pussy?” asks Eric Tao (Ken Leung) in the third season of HBO finance drama Industry. Eric is a ruthless boss at the London offices of fictional bank Pierpoint & Co. In the season opener, he’s delivering tough love to Robert Spearing (Harry Lawtey), a young banker whose client (and lover) just died unexpectedly. “Say it with me,” Eric commands. “I’m a man and I’m relentless.” Robert tentatively repeats the phrase, gradually getting louder until both men are screaming together.