Industry fans devastated over apparent character exit: ‘This can’t be the end’

HBO’s popular show will air its season four finale on March 1

The latest episode of Industry has left fans devastated with what seemed to be a sudden farewell to one of its main characters.

After the fourth season of HBO’s twisty finance drama brought a long-awaited alliance between Eric Tao and Harper Stern — played by Ken Leung and Myha’la, respectively — viewers were stunned when the sixth episode, “Dear Henry,” ended with Eric abruptly exiting their joint fund due to being blackmailed.

Without Eric ever giving Harper the real reason for his exit, the episode ended with the credits rolling over footage of Eric walking down a long road, away from the camera — marking the first time that Mickey Down and Konrad Kay’s show featured a character in its end-credits scene.

Leung confirmed to TV Insider that the scene was his final time appearing in season four, and to his knowledge, the rest of the show, which has not yet been renewed for season five.

However, some viewers could not accept the shocking ending, with one writing on X: “This can't be the end of Eric Tao in Industry.”

The latest episode of HBO's 'Industry' brought the end of this season's story for character Eric Tao, played by Ken Leung — a twist that left fans devastated (HBO)

Eric Tao, played by Ken Leung, walked away from the camera during the end-credits scene of the latest episode of 'Industry' (HBO)

“Pleaseee don't tell me this is Ken Leung's final episode,” another commented on Instagram. A third fan chimed in on X: “I’m gonna be honest if Eric really is gone gone on Industry, I’m gonna be extremely disappointed bc the Eric/Harper dynamic is one of the best parts of the show and I don’t really know how they’re gonna replace that.”

One person claimed on Instagram: “Eric is the reason most people watched. Now that he's been written out of the show, there's no point in watching the final two episodes. We all know how it's going to end.”

Leung’s castmates also shared their shock at his character’s exit from the season.

Myha’la, who has anchored the show since its premiere in November 2020, recalled in multiple interviews how the twist stunned her when she first read the script for the episode.

“I literally was like, that’s crazy,” Myha’la told the Hollywood Reporter. “And it’s so sad. We worked so hard to build this thing and now you’re just going to leave me.”

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For his part, Leung said that filming his goodbye with Harper, who is emotionally wrecked by Eric’s abandonment, was cathartic in more ways than one due to filming it with his longtime scene partner Myha’la.

“As far as I know, it’s our last scene. So there was that in it,” Leung told Insider. “And even though we’re friends and remain friends, and hopefully we’ll be friends forever, to have what we created the past six years come to an endpoint, it’s very poignant. It’s not just sad. There’s celebration in it. It’s everything. It’s beautiful.”

The season’s final two episodes are set to air February 22 and March 1.