Industry - General Discussion

[aghst]

Well they made stock transactions exciting, complete with a countdown.

Not quite sure why them not being able to sell before the open or get commitments from these big investors to buy would be catastrophic for Rishi and the firm.

Rishi said he could lose 50 bars, meaning $50 million?  But the transaction he made for Bloom was 50 million shares at almost $45 a share.  That's over $2 billion.  So why would he only lose $50 million?  They knew he'd have to dump the shares at a loss?

In any event, almost everyone at the firm had a lot riding, including the prospects of the London CPS being closed in favor of NY CPS.

So as in season 1, these traders are suppose to be very smart and ambitious but it seems the firm depends on intensely personal relationships with big clients able and willing to make big trades.

Some of the old vets sustained whole careers on having a big client.

OK, the CPS people have to handhold and as Eric says, make people do transactions which will benefit them, just that they don't know it yet.

But I don't get this "I'm only going to speak to Jasmin" or Felim being ticked off because Harper didn't show up for the breakfast.

Seems like every one of these big fish clients want intensely personal relationships with just one Pierson trader and not deal with anyone else.

So like Nicole hazing Robert before she will do deals with him.  Will she demand more than Robert just sitting back in the limo and enjoying it?

Will she demand even more personal interactions?  Will Robert acquiesce?

It's like these young employees of the firm aren't sure of the boundaries, like Yasmin's awkward attempt to hold the hand of a big client because she saw her boss do it.

Bloom came through for Harper and the firm but after making Harper seem like a pest, stalking him during his tennis lesson.  The deal is basically solid or else he wouldn't have called back.  But he's making her and Pierson jump through hoops.

It's funny too, until Bloom called in they were all shitting on her for wasting time trying to get him.  Then after they close the deal with Bloom, they're all applauding her.

[AntFTW]

I was fine with the second episode up until the sex scenes. With Rob and (Nicole???) the investor, it made sense because we watched her last season with Harper and learned of her "relationship building" tactics. I felt the other scenes were out-of-place unless I missed something. Then it picked back up for me when Harper bluntly and nonchalantly asked this ass-naked man to leave, which I thought was kinda funny.

Lastly, I didn't understand the scene of Harper crying in the bathroom. Who is it that she's been trying to find or contact? That is going over my head.

[aghst]

I don't remember Nicole from the first season.

Ventner asked her out to a bar and she blew him off.

Instead she was doing coke with some random guy who thought he was going to get sex from her.

Harper was trying to get Bloom to invest but also trying to get this Anna who wasn't shown on screen but is suppose to be some health care industry investor so Bloom and Felim both wanted to be reassured that Anna would buy shares in the stock they were trying to sell to them.

Anna would only talk to Yasmin, who finally convinced her to talk to Harper briefly and Anna refused to help her or Pierpoint.

I think Harper cried because they went from the prospect of a big loss to barely getting a last second investment.  So she's probably feeling relief.

[AntFTW]

2 hours ago, aghst said:

I don't remember Nicole from the first season.

If I remembering correctly, she touched Harper inappropriate and Harper seemed visibly uncomfortable with her advances. I want to say she gave Harper the cold shoulder afterwards, but I don’t entirely remember the events of the first season.

2 hours ago, aghst said:

I think Harper cried because they went from the prospect of a big loss to barely getting a last second investment.  So she's probably feeling relief.

The scene of her in the bathroom crying didn’t seem like relief as she was reading the message on her phone saying something like “I am not who you are looking for.” I have to rewatch. I feel like I’m missing something.

[Brian Cronin]

Harper's actions don't make sense. I mean, if ALL she wanted to do was fuck over Eric, then I guess it makes some sense, but why would THAT be her priority here? She could have had two happy Pierpoint clients, but instead decided to fuck one over and keep them from working at Pierpoint to help the other one. It doesn't really follow. 

And not even help them in a way that they would have been HURT by the other angle that would have kept both clients happy!

[aghst]

2 hours ago, Brian Cronin said:

Harper's actions don't make sense. I mean, if ALL she wanted to do was fuck over Eric, then I guess it makes some sense, but why would THAT be her priority here? She could have had two happy Pierpoint clients, but instead decided to fuck one over and keep them from working at Pierpoint to help the other one. It doesn't really follow. 

And not even help them in a way that they would have been HURT by the other angle that would have kept both clients happy!

Either that or she used Eric in her first year at Pierpoint to make it through and now is seizing on a big opportunity.  Convinced Bloom to invest billions when he's usually not long on any transaction and now convinced him to buy the controlling interest in the company, so they could deploy reforms.

Harper is maybe 25 but Bloom, who made his fortune with savvy trades on his own is going to listen to someone with such limited experience?

Apparently so.

If Bloom really profits like Harper thinks he can, she'll have more power and cachet, maybe not have to work for Eric any more.  

Yasmin meanwhile oversteps and displeases her private wealth management boss, after failing to get her father to take her seriously as a professional.

Gus is trying to tutor Bloom's son for his Oxbridge application but he is getting nowhere with the kid, who didn't like his Eton classmates and don't want to put up with them again at University

The Ringer Prestige TV podcast says that this show uses sex to develop character.  So Harper tries to fuck Danny, who bails.  Then tries to get it on with Robert, who can't get it up.  So she lies down by the tub and takes care of herself.  Not sure if Robert stuck around to watch.

Then you have the convo between Yasmin and Robert, talking about the time they almost slept with each other.  Robert says he wishes he were so worthy to put his head between her legs.  

OK so Harper is aggressive, while her colleague Danny maybe didn't want to fraternize at that level -- Harper and Rishi were doing a lot of coke but he didn't partake.

And in Robert's case, he's not so confident yet sexually?

Or maybe they just want to mix in some salacious, outré scenes?

[Brian Cronin]

1 hour ago, aghst said:

Either that or she used Eric in her first year at Pierpoint to make it through and now is seizing on a big opportunity.  Convinced Bloom to invest billions when he's usually not long on any transaction and now convinced him to buy the controlling interest in the company, so they could deploy reforms.

Harper is maybe 25 but Bloom, who made his fortune with savvy trades on his own is going to listen to someone with such limited experience?

Apparently so.

Yeah, Bloom's faith in her is also bizarre, especially when she tells him earlier, "I don't know" and "I don't even know all of the pieces on the board" like he's her mentor or something. It's such a poorly configured relationship by the show. Throw in Harper just happening to overhear all this important information she needed and it's just such an odd approach by the show. 

[xaxat]

15 hours ago, Brian Cronin said:

Harper's actions don't make sense. I mean, if ALL she wanted to do was fuck over Eric, then I guess it makes some sense, but why would THAT be her priority here? She could have had two happy Pierpoint clients, but instead decided to fuck one over and keep them from working at Pierpoint to help the other one. It doesn't really follow. 

And not even help them in a way that they would have been HURT by the other angle that would have kept both clients happy!

I think Harper can't help herself. It's about revenge, but it's also about power. She's at the point where she wants want to define the terms of her deal. 

11 hours ago, Brian Cronin said:

Yeah, Bloom's faith in her is also bizarre, especially when she tells him earlier, "I don't know" and "I don't even know all of the pieces on the board" like he's her mentor or something. It's such a poorly configured relationship by the show. Throw in Harper just happening to overhear all this important information she needed and it's just such an odd approach by the show. 

I think Bloom has already game planned the options presented by Harper, and probably others she hasn't considered. She's just confirms one of his priors. I agree that luck played a big role, (what happens if Anna has her purse?) Luck is not a sustainable strategy. I wonder if it will come to bite her in the ass.

Glad to see that Gus might play a greater role. He seemed to be too smart, and interesting to be relegated to being the landlord of a Pierpoint flophouse.

Eric was a veteran of Long Term Capital. They were a hedge fund whose collapse brought the global financial system to the brink back in the nineties. He's seen some shit.

Is that last scene the first time Harper wore short sleeves that showed off her tats?

As for her name, I wonder if it is a combination of Harpur (the original of Binghamton University) and Stern, the famous school of business at NYU. 

[overtherainbow]

Anyone else think the girl playing Harper looks really, erm, young? I think she's meant to be at least 24, but she legit looks like a 14 year old to me. 

[AntFTW]

On 8/15/2022 at 10:58 PM, Brian Cronin said:

Harper's actions don't make sense. I mean, if ALL she wanted to do was fuck over Eric, then I guess it makes some sense, but why would THAT be her priority here? She could have had two happy Pierpoint clients, but instead decided to fuck one over and keep them from working at Pierpoint to help the other one. It doesn't really follow. 

And not even help them in a way that they would have been HURT by the other angle that would have kept both clients happy!

On 8/16/2022 at 2:27 PM, xaxat said:

I think Harper can't help herself. It's about revenge, but it's also about power. She's at the point where she wants want to define the terms of her deal. 

I've been stewing in this all day because I just couldn't find the words to explain what I think about Harper and Eric's dynamic.

I don't think it's about revenge but I agree that Harper wants to define the terms of her deal. I think Eric is trying to keep Harper in a box, in a sense. Eric wants Harper to be successful, but successful under him and/or on his terms. Eric wants his client to come out winning in this. Felim is Eric's client. Eric wants Eric's client coming out on top. Harper saved the group with Bloom but Eric wanted it to be Felim, his client, that is the savior.

Eric gives her a half-ass congratulations, rather than giving her genuine guidance on how to handle this whale-of-a-client that she now has, and how to use this client for the benefit of their team and the firm. It seems that Eric constantly has to remind her that she's under him, and she answers to him.

Edited August 17, 2022 by AntFTW

[Brian Cronin]

Obviously, the Eric/Harper dynamic is by far the show's most interesting relationship, and they definitely seem to know that, but so far, this season, I don't think they've handled their dynamic well enough. If Harper were to fuck over Eric, that's totally fine by me, but I think it just needs to make sense within the context of where Harper is as a character, and I don't think blowing up a deal that would have helped her company keep two giant clients happy for the sake of keeping one happier (while losing the other) makes sense for someone in Harper's position. She is not that far removed from being worried about not even making it past her first year at the company and now she's blowing up deals for her company? There are other ways of humbling Eric, if that's the intent. Heck, there already is DVD here (and the possibility of London being subsumed by New York) to do that! This just strikes me as putting hats on hats, and doing so while having Harper doing stuff that wouldn't be realistic for someone in her shoes to be doing. 

[AntFTW]

23 minutes ago, Brian Cronin said:

If Harper were to fuck over Eric, that's totally fine by me, but I think it just needs to make sense within the context of where Harper is as a character, and I don't think blowing up a deal that would have helped her company keep two giant clients happy for the sake of keeping one happier (while losing the other) makes sense for someone in Harper's position. She is not that far removed from being worried about not even making it past her first year at the company and now she's blowing up deals for her company?

Did she really blow up a deal for her company though? To me, it's more like the deal is still there, and the firm keeps the business, but she is changing the players in the game. The sale of stock that Bloom bought from the impact investor was business that went through her, and therefore, the firm.

All of the business on this deal that Bloom will do will still go through the firm and will presumably go through her, rather than through Eric with Felim. She took some off Eric's plate.

She's being selfish (but then again, so is Eric). She's making herself more valuable to the CPS desk.

Edited August 17, 2022 by AntFTW

[Brian Cronin]

Just now, AntFTW said:

Did she really blow up a deal for her company though? To me, it's more like the deal is somewhat the same, and the firm keeps the business, but she is changing the players in the game. The sale of stock that Bloom bought from the impact was business that went through her, and therefore, the firm.

All of the business on this deal that Bloom will do will still go through the firm and will presumably go through her, rather than through Eric with Felim. She took some off Eric's plate.

She's being selfish (but then again, so is Eric). She's making herself more valuable to the CPS desk.

They had Felim buying stock from Bloom, so both Felim and Bloom would remain Pierpoint clients.

Now, by virtue of screwing Felim over at the last minute, Felim is no longer a Pierpoint client. It has an oversized effect on Eric, as Fellim was his biggest client, but it's not good for Pierpoint overall, either. 

[AntFTW]

52 minutes ago, Brian Cronin said:

They had Felim buying stock from Bloom, so both Felim and Bloom would remain Pierpoint clients.

Now, by virtue of screwing Felim over at the last minute, Felim is no longer a Pierpoint client. It has an oversized effect on Eric, as Fellim was his biggest client, but it's not good for Pierpoint overall, either. 

Yes, they lose a client but they didn't lose the deal, which I may misinterpreted so my bad. I thought you were referring to the deal rather than the clients.

[Brian Cronin]

1 hour ago, AntFTW said:

Yes, they lose a client but they didn't lose the deal, which I may misinterpreted so my bad. I thought you were referring to the deal rather than the clients.

Oh yeah, the deal definitely worked, still. 

[xaxat]

15 hours ago, Brian Cronin said:

Now, by virtue of screwing Felim over at the last minute, Felim is no longer a Pierpoint client. It has an oversized effect on Eric, as Fellim was his biggest client, but it's not good for Pierpoint overall, either.

Bloom told Harper the story of how his salesperson at Goldman Sachs made it clear that she was acting on behalf of Goldman, and not necessarily his best interests. And he told Harper that he couldn't work with someone who put the firm before him. So she made a decision.

On the other hand, Eric is all about Pierpoint. But I think he is acting in good faith with the advice/marching order he gives Harper. Making a deal is one thing, he's trying to teach her the politics of making repeated deals with a variety of clients over time. Word about her burning a client is going to get around and there is only so long she can live off Bloom's trades.

[Brian Cronin]

18 minutes ago, xaxat said:

Word about her burning a client is going to get around and there is only so long she can live off Bloom's trades.

That's my problem, really, as who needs to be taught "don't burn billionaire clients if you don't have to"? Harper's actions don't seem realistic to me.  There are so many ways she can fuck over Eric if that's the direction that the show wants to go in (pitting them against each other) that would be more realistic than her screwing over one of Pierpoint's biggest clients to help Bloom when Bloom was fine with the earlier version of the deal that would have kept both parties happy. 

And Fellim actively liked her, too! She could have maintained good relationships with TWO billionaires!

[AntFTW]

9 hours ago, xaxat said:

On the other hand, Eric is all about Pierpoint. But I think he is acting in good faith with the advice/marching order he gives Harper.

I didn't get that he was acting in good faith. I thought he was acting in his own selfish interest.

9 hours ago, Brian Cronin said:

And Fellim actively liked her, too! She could have maintained good relationships with TWO billionaires!

Did he?

Now I really gotta go back and rewatch.

9 hours ago, Brian Cronin said:

That's my problem, really, as who needs to be taught "don't burn billionaire clients if you don't have to"? Harper's actions don't seem realistic to me.

They aren't IMO because she could have made the deal work with both Felim and Bloom participating in their parts.

I have a difficult time analyzing Harper and Eric's relationship. It doesn't help that I remember almost nothing about the first season. Perhaps I should go back and just rewatch everything LOL. I love this show but my memory of this show is not working with me at all.

Edited August 18, 2022 by AntFTW

[Pop Tart]

3 hours ago, xaxat said:

On the other hand, Eric is all about Pierpoint. But I think he is acting in good faith with the advice/marching order he gives Harper. Making a deal is one thing, he's trying to teach her the politics of making repeated deals with a variety of clients over time. Word about her burning a client is going to get around and there is only so long she can live off Bloom's trades.

I don't think Eric is all about Pierpoint. I think Eric is about Eric. As someone said above, he's happy to have a smart Harper working for him, but he very much wants to keep her contained and be seen as the one calling the shots. He's encouraged her, sure, but it's always only so far as it doesn't make her look better than him.

I think they did some interesting parallels in this episode between Harper/Eric and Yasmine/Celeste. In both cases you have a more experienced mentor supposedly encouraging a younger employee. But in both cases, when the younger stepped out and tried to do something more, the mentor got angry and threatened. Celeste said it out loud - she is not about what's good for Pierpoint, she's about what's good for Celeste. Eric is the same. The difference in the two instances was that Harper pulled off her gambit and is profiting professionally, while Yasmine is not.

I think Harper did what she did because Bloom was telling her directly that he expects her to be for him and because she was hurt by Eric's lying and attempt to poach Bloom. It was rash and will likely come back to bite her in the end, but it makes sense in terms of who Harper is. We have seen her act boldly, impulsively, but not always wisely.

When Yasmine shows up at their apartment looking for Harper for advice, and tells Rob that it's because Harper is just naturally so good at this. He asks "is she?" Foreshadowing that this will not end up well for Harper.

[AntFTW]

1 hour ago, Pop Tart said:

I think they did some interesting parallels in this episode between Harper/Eric and Yasmine/Celeste. In both cases you have a more experienced mentor supposedly encouraging a younger employee. But in both cases, when the younger stepped out and tried to do something more, the mentor got angry and threatened. Celeste said it out loud - she is not about what's good for Pierpoint, she's about what's good for Celeste. Eric is the same. The difference in the two instances was that Harper pulled off her gambit and is profiting professionally, while Yasmine is not.

I'm on the fence about Harper's move, whether it's good or bad... I'm undecided.

However, with Yasmin and Celeste, I'm fully on Celeste's side. It's like breaking "bro code" or "girl code." You wouldn't want your client to have a another contact in the firm that isn't you. You don't introduce someone else's client to another contact in the firm. Your client's "new contact" will squeeze you out at the first opportunity they get. People look at out for the firm as long as it also means looking out for themselves. A client will try to go around, or circumvent, you if they could. Yasmin just made that easier if the guy really wanted to cut Celeste out. Yasmin didn't like it when Harper chimed in on her call with Maxim to make a sale. Yasmin wouldn't have liked if someone talked to Maxim, her only client (I think), without her.

Edited August 17, 2022 by AntFTW

[Brian Cronin]

2 hours ago, AntFTW said:

Did he?

Yeah, he wanted her specifically at the breakfast meeting (that she blew off to go to Bloom's Q&A) because he liked her. 

2 hours ago, AntFTW said:

Perhaps I should go back and just rewatch everything LOL.

This is definitely a show where they expect you to remember a whole lot of minor shit from the first season after a year off! :) 

[qtpye]

On 8/16/2022 at 1:19 AM, aghst said:

Then you have the convo between Yasmin and Robert, talking about the time they almost slept with each other.  Robert says he wishes he were so worthy to put his head between her legs.  

I am no prude but I find the sexual/romantic stuff on this show tedious. It's almost like they think this will make the show more cutting edge when in truth, it feels trite.

I know Yaz is like a goddess to Robert but I really do not see much chemistry between them. Does she really need Robert to tell her to "give her dad what he wants?"  That's the golden rule for any client (it seems) at Pierpoint.

I do think that I understand a little bit more of Yaz's motivation. She does not want to be a useless dilettante like her father.

On 8/16/2022 at 6:50 PM, AntFTW said:

've been stewing in this all day because I just couldn't find the words to explain what I think about Harper and Eric's dynamic.

The financial stuff and Eric/Harper dynamic, on the other hand, are fascinating.

Seeing a middle age billionaire (A Duplass brother) put so much faith in a woman who would not look out of place in middle school is both weird and unbelievable.  However, Bloom seems like someone who just likes to fuck with the system for shits and giggles.

I would not be surprised if he somehow picked Harper from the beginning and that is how he "accidentally" ended up in her hotel.

[AntFTW]

1 minute ago, qtpye said:

I am no prude but I find the sexual/romantic stuff on this show tedious. It's almost like they think this will make the show more cutting edge when in truth, it feels trite.

I think we’re on the same page about that. I also feel like they’re overdoing sex on the show. I thought they really overdid it on season one… and it’s mostly because I just think it’s thrown in for the heck of it. It doesn’t add much to the relationship building between the characters. It doesn’t really move the storyline along. It’s just there.

[qtpye]

1 minute ago, AntFTW said:

I think we’re on the same page about that. I also feel like they’re overdoing sex on the show. I thought they really overdid it on season one… and it’s mostly because I just think it’s thrown in for the heck of it. It doesn’t add much to the relationship building between the characters. It doesn’t really move the storyline along. It’s just there.

Yes, it would be one thing if the sex added depth to the characters.

In Mad Men sex told you about the headspace of a particular person. It served a purpose.

Here, It feels like they have a cast of hot young actors so they feel obligated to show them in sexual situations or in a state of undress just for the hell of it.

[Sheenieb]

On 8/17/2022 at 10:46 PM, qtpye said:

I am no prude but I find the sexual/romantic stuff on this show tedious. It's almost like they think this will make the show more cutting edge when in truth, it feels trite.

I agree. I get that they're in their 20s and they're doing what young adults do, but it's too much. Rob and Yasmin either need to fuck and get over with, or stop with the aggressive flirting. I'm sure they will get it on later in the season, and she'll magically be the cure for his erectile dysfunction. 

I'm not in the finance world, so I don't get the lingo, and I don't fully understand what Harper's department does, really, but the tension, strategizing, and watching her navigate this boys club is the heart of the show. I enjoy her relationship with Eric the most. It reminds me of Don and Peggy. Especially since he knows that her college transcripts are fake. Season 1/ep4 was my favorite episode. It's when the show really got its legs. Of course, it was centered around their working relationship.

On 8/17/2022 at 10:46 PM, qtpye said:

I do think that I understand a little bit more of Yaz's motivation. She does not want to be a useless dilettante like her father.

Right. She doesn't need to work, but she clearly likes the job and she wants to be taken seriously. Everyone around her thinks that she's cosplaying a financial advisor. She'll get bored, quit, and live off her family's wealth. However, she's an asset to any department. She's smart, multilingual, grew up in this world, and has access to potential clients. 

I see why she doesn't want anything to do with her father. He showed up to her business meeting looking like he just came in from his morning run. He couldn't be bothered to put on a suit. 

I hope we see more of Rob finding his footing at Pierpoint and Gus finding something to do. I guess because Gus quit the firm and loosened up, he actually looks like he's in his 20s this season. But he's way too smart to be hanging around the house and having random hookups. 

[aghst]

Yasmin can't really be enjoying it that much.

First season she was hazed by Kenny.

This season, she's alienating her bosses in both the old and new departments.

Then she sees Harper doing better.

She may be multilingual but she's not savvy enough to reel in clients for her benefit.  The blunder with the Italian guy and Celeste not liking what she did shows she still doesn't get it.

She hasn't gotten a lot of positive reinforcement in her job yet.

I forget what happened in the first season.  Wasn't she engaged or married?  I also remember the sniping in the woman's room between her and Harper or some other woman.

[qtpye]

52 minutes ago, Sheenieb said:

I agree. I get that they're in their 20s and they're doing what young adults do, but it's too much. Rob and Yasmin either need to fuck and get over with, or stop with the aggressive flirting. I'm sure they will get it on later in the season, and she'll magically be the cure for his erectile dysfunction. 

Paraphrasing

Rob, "I would sell my soul to the devil if I could put my face between your legs".

Jaz, "You want to eat my pussy" giggle giggle

Me, "Could someone please shoot me instead of those poor pheasants?"

2 minutes ago, aghst said:

Yasmin can't really be enjoying it that much.

First season she was hazed by Kenny.

This season, she's alienating her bosses in both the old and new departments.

Then she sees Harper doing better.

She may be multilingual but she's not savvy enough to reel in clients for her benefit.  The blunder with the Italian guy and Celeste not liking what she did shows she still doesn't get it.

She hasn't gotten a lot of positive reinforcement in her job yet.

I forget what happened in the first season.  Wasn't she engaged or married?  I also remember the sniping in the woman's room between her and Harper or some other woman.

I think she just does not have the hunger instinct for the ruthlessness that the job requires.

She wants to do it because it is prestigious but she always has been a square peg in a round hole.

Of course, she could get better.

Her father is a whale that the blonde lady desperately wants to land and if Yaz can do that, she will be set for a while.

[xaxat]

15 minutes ago, qtpye said:

I think she just does not have the hunger instinct for the ruthlessness that the job requires.

She wants to do it because it is prestigious but she always has been a square peg in a round hole.

Of course, she could get better.

I wonder if they are setting up opposing story arcs with Harper and Jasmin. Harper has all of the confidence and really can't be at a higher level of success at this point in her career, while Jasmin lacks confidence and has struggled to "write her own story".

Is Harper on her way down while Jasmin is on her way up?

[AntFTW]

10 hours ago, Sheenieb said:

Especially since he knows that her college transcripts are fake.

I thought I was misremembering this. So Harper did fake her degree in season 1. She didn’t graduate at all, right? Or did she graduate and fake the name of the university?

Edited August 20, 2022 by AntFTW

[Marley]

I totally forgot about the first season too so I’m kind of lost on some things lol but I’m still enjoying it.

One thing I wanna know is who is Harper messaging. I tried googling it but didn’t really find an answer.

I agree the sex stuff is tedious. It brings nothing to the show most times. Almost try hard a bit. 

Edited August 20, 2022 by Marley

[AntFTW]

9 hours ago, qtpye said:

I think she just does not have the hunger instinct for the ruthlessness that the job requires.

She wants to do it because it is prestigious but she always has been a square peg in a round hole.

Of course, she could get better.

I agree with all of this. For that type of job, you need a drive and a hunger that Yasmin just doesn’t seem to have. That’s a hunger that’s needed because jobs like that are extremely competitive, and everyone else around you will have that drive. Your coworkers are your competition, and you have to keep up with them.

I completely agree on the reason why Yasmin wants to do it.

[AntFTW]

On 8/16/2022 at 1:19 AM, aghst said:

Either that or she used Eric in her first year at Pierpoint to make it through and now is seizing on a big opportunity.  Convinced Bloom to invest billions when he's usually not long on any transaction and now convinced him to buy the controlling interest in the company, so they could deploy reforms.

Harper is maybe 25 but Bloom, who made his fortune with savvy trades on his own is going to listen to someone with such limited experience?

I rewatched episode 3 and I think the reason he listened to her, like actually considered and took her advice, is because she bucked her Pierpoint team. Bloom gave Harper his Goldman story about Amy choosing the firm over him. Everyone at Pierpoint wanted Bloom to sell to Felim and was pressuring Bloom to do that… except Harper.

Harper chose Bloom over the firm.

[Sheenieb]

21 hours ago, AntFTW said:

I thought I was misremembering this. So Harper did fake her degree in season 1. She didn’t graduate at all, right? Or did she graduate and fake the name of the university?

No, she didn't graduate. I'm hazy on the details, but I want to say that she had a panic attack during finals, and she dropped out. 

In the pilot, a friend doctored her transcripts. I want to say it's the same friend who visited her later on in the season. She was shitting bricks because HR? or Eric kept asking her for her transcripts, and she dodged until her friend came through for her. I think Eric found out about her transcripts because he called her university, but he was the one who recruited her. 

[Brian Cronin]

On 8/20/2022 at 1:20 AM, Marley said:

One thing I wanna know is who is Harper messaging. I tried googling it but didn’t really find an answer.

Her brother.

[AntFTW]

22 minutes ago, Brian Cronin said:

Her brother.

That makes sense! That has been going over my head.

—-

So is this their way of writing Eric out of the show?

Edited August 23, 2022 by AntFTW

[aghst]

11 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

That makes sense! That has been going over my head.

—-

So is this their way of writing Eric out of the show?

Would be a strange move, given that the Eric/Harper dynamic was one of the best things in season 1.

But it shows how brutal the industry is, Eric's made a lot of money for the firm over his career but his last 4 quarters haven't been so successful so he's being permanently sidelined?

It's still probably a very well-paid job but he's no longer on the floor.

He must be in his late 40s to mid 50s at most?  Got two young daughters so he certainly isn't expecting retirement, even though his wife wants him to spend more time with the family.

Harper is going against the firm's push for FastAid, actually encouraging Bloom to bet against it, though another firm.  She wants to show Bloom that she's more loyal to him than anyone else?

But Yasmin and Robert keep having these awkward moments, Robert trying to pitch FastAid at a strange time and Yasmin still being hazed, this time by Celeste.

She had a weird summer, being obsessed with the pandemic and with pajamas.

[Brian Cronin]

42 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

So is this their way of writing Eric out of the show?

No, they're just doing the pretty standard "knock the character to their lowest point, only for them to make a surprise move and get back to the top by season's end" bit (likely paired with Harper realizing that putting all of her eggs in the Jesse Bloom basket is probably not the best move, as well). The weird thing about that, though, is that they JUST DID THAT last year, and it's Season 2. This is, like, a Season 4 plot already in Season 2. It's strange. 

[nb360]

On 1/3/2021 at 11:44 PM, Mikay said:

It’s like the bigness of 1980s backlit with the economic downturn and general upheaval of the 30s. Just basic survival is now the goal. 

Like a Black woman's Wall Street? (Eric in the Michael Douglas role: "Greed is good.")

(I just started season 2, Eric is gone???)

Edited August 23, 2022 by nb360

[Brian Cronin]

4 hours ago, nb360 said:

(I just started season 2, Eric is gone???)

He's gone...just like he was gone in Season 1 (in that he ended up not being gone in the end). 

[xaxat]

Harper fucked over DVD immediately after fucking him. That is one cold, passive aggressive woman.

14 hours ago, Brian Cronin said:

No, they're just doing the pretty standard "knock the character to their lowest point, only for them to make a surprise move and get back to the top by season's end" bit

Possible, but it feels like it would be difficult to pull off. Eric was able to return to the firm (and the trading floor) the first time because of his growth streak, his relationship with Felim and the resulting vote of confidence from Adler. All of that is gone now. He's been put out to pasture and I don't see a way back. (Although the writers are smart enough to prove me wrong.)

14 hours ago, Brian Cronin said:

Harper realizing that putting all of her eggs in the Jesse Bloom basket is probably not the best move, as well

Harper thinks she is bigger than the firm right now. If there is a change in her relationship with Bloom, I think he will be the one to kick her to the curb. I wonder if Gus' relationship with Bloom's son will be the reason. Another possibility is that Bloom believes that she is going to fuck him over, like she has everyone else.

Yasmin's father is one shady dude, even when he is telling her the "truth".

[AntFTW]

42 minutes ago, xaxat said:

Harper thinks she is bigger than the firm right now.

I don’t think she believes she’s bigger than the firm, but rather she’s being selfish and feels unappreciated. She feels under appreciated by the firm, which I think they were pointing us in that direction with the bonus payouts. She outperformed everyone on her team and hooked a whale for the firm is that 3x bigger than their last whale, yet they’re capping her pay at an amount that she clearly doesn’t like.

[Sheenieb]

8 hours ago, Brian Cronin said:

He's gone...just like he was gone in Season 1 (in that he ended up not being gone in the end). 

Eric got sent to the company glue factory. I'm looking forward to seeing how he'll get back on the floor. 

The intimacy coordinator for this show will never be out of a job. 

Do we believe Harper's story about her family? Her mother was cold when she called her last season, so I buy the estrangement, but Harper tells people what they want to hear. 

I'm still mulling over Eric's trip to NYC and his memories about his relationship with his racist mentor. 

[ChickenFingers25]

Is it just me, or are a lot of the interactions/dialogue strange and stilted this season compared to last year? It feels like it's trying especially hard to be Succession-lite.

I was actually rooting for Harper throughout S1 even though I know she's a divisive figure. But now I find her  — I don't know if I'd say unlikeable —  just odd this season . Especially the way her actress says her lines. It's very affected. (e.g. "You know what they say about flying close to the sun ... gives off a lovely lightttt.")

Edited August 24, 2022 by ChickenFingers25

[qtpye]

Does Eric find joy in anything but being a dick?

He has great success, a lovely home, and an adorable family.

I, at 37, just said no to a promotion so I could spend more time with my family. A job is just that, no matter how prestigious.

In a cutthroat world like finance, they will kick you to the curb the minute you stop performing. 

Those girls barely know or like their dad. Spending time with them will be what he remembers at the end of the day, not how much money he makes for his asshole of a company.

I think Harper knows that everyone will only look out for themselves, including Pierpoint and she expects to always have to be one step ahead to survive. 

Off-topic but I love seeing the actress with her natural hair...she looks so pretty.

I do think she was being a little smug to Yaz, since Yaz contacting her client is what got Harper to nail Bloom.

I don't know what type of respectability Yaz is looking for by working for Pierpoint.  She would earn a lot more respect by taking some of her vast fortunes and starting a charity.

Her family money being used for shady purposes can't be that much of a shock.  She knows what her father is like.

[Marley]

So then Yaz’s family is still really rich? Was it supposed to be like she doesn’t care about what has happened with her gross dad as long as her family is rich that’s all that matters to her?

Not sure why I needed to see Daniel cum on Harper lol seemed unnecessary. This show is obsessed with sex scenes.

Harper and the new guy Daniel I think I am not enjoying their interactions really as a so called couple or whatever. It seems fake and forced but maybe it’s supposed to be?

Yaz’s new boss wants to bang her from the start. Is that normal boss behaviour in the industry? Like seems they all are doing it.

I have no idea what’s going on with the trades but Harper seems to just be doing whatever she wants.

Not really interested in the politics stuff. 

[qtpye]

16 minutes ago, Marley said:

So then Yaz’s family is still really rich? Was it supposed to be like she doesn’t care about what has happened with her gross dad as long as her family is rich that’s all that matters to her?

Not sure why I needed to see Daniel cum on Harper lol seemed unnecessary. This show is obsessed with sex scenes.

Harper and the new guy Daniel I think I am not enjoying their interactions really as a so called couple or whatever. It seems fake and forced but maybe it’s supposed to be?

Yaz’s new boss wants to bang her from the start. Is that normal boss behaviour in the industry? Like seems they all are doing it.

I have no idea what’s going on with the trades but Harper seems to just be doing whatever she wants.

Not really interested in the politics stuff. 

Yeah, I don't really care about Harper's roommate and his issues. Also, why would you open and smell a container filled with shit?

[Sheenieb]

14 minutes ago, qtpye said:

Yeah, I don't really care about Harper's roommate and his issues. Also, why would you open and smell a container filled with shit?

That was bizarre. I had the same thought. I guess he couldn't believe that someone would do that, so he wanted to make sure it wasn't really stuffed grape leaves? 

I don't know what Gus' angle is here, maybe it'll lead to him running for office, but that storyline is so far removed from the bank that I can't see how he'll be folded back into the action. If he got a job working for whatever the British equivalent of the SEC is, then I would be interested, but for now, it's meh. But we still have 4? episodes left, so we'll see how it'll all connect.

40 minutes ago, Marley said:

So then Yaz’s family is still really rich? Was it supposed to be like she doesn’t care about what has happened with her gross dad as long as her family is rich that’s all that matters to her?

That's how I interpreted it. She wasn't horrified at all that her father was #MeToo'd. She asked if they're still wealthy, so she was blasé about the sexual misconduct. She's well aware of her father's lechery, so as long as the Harani money tap is still on, it's whatever. 

Yaz needs a win, though. I'm getting tired of seeing her snort coke, fuck, and look confused. Even Robert is trying to clean up his act. 

1 hour ago, qtpye said:

Does Eric find joy in anything but being a dick?

He has great success, a lovely home, and an adorable family.

I, at 37, just said no to a promotion so I could spend more time with my family. A job is just that, no matter how prestigious.

Good for you for prioritizing your family!

Regarding Eric, I go back and forth on thinking if he's a dick. He definitely can be, but it's a testament to Ken Leung's acting that I find him sympathetic. I wrote that I was mulling over the significance of Eric's trip down memory lane to NYC. We know he tried to make a power play and it backfired, but the recap I read in Variety reframed it for me. He put up with Newman's racism, and made it to the top of his field as a minority in a very white, old boys club business. No way he put up with all of that bullshit only to be outsmarted by a third year analyst who he recruited and an exec who used to work for him. He made the company millions throughout the years, and as soon as he loses a client and has an underperforming year, he's neutered. To quote Lt. Daniels' description of Lester Freeman on The Wire, "he's a cuddly house cat." Ask not what Pierpoint can do for you, ask what you can do for Pierpoint. 

No one likes having their choices taken away. He didn't step away on his own, he lost the conditional power he had. He just didn't know it was conditional. He put up with the racism only to find out that it wasn't a sacrifice he had to make in order to be accepted into the company. He was never "one of them."

[AntFTW]

On 8/24/2022 at 5:55 PM, Sheenieb said:

Even Robert is trying to clean up his act. 

Well, his erectile dysfunction may be a major contributing factor there.

[Chick2Chic]

On 8/19/2022 at 2:36 PM, Sheenieb said:

Rob and Yasmin either need to fuck and get over with, or stop with the aggressive flirting.

I think the talk Rob & Yasmin had in 2x03 when she came over "to see Harper" & tried to use him so she could feel some power in her life and he ultimately rebuffed her by calling her an intoxicant then bringing up their class differences ended whatever that took up time in most of S1 (thank God). I've always felt that while Rob wanted Yasmin for most of S1, cause that situationship was addiction for him as well, it was dying out by the time the first season came to a close and his bond with Harper became much stronger.

This season, I haven't seen any flirting between Rob & Yasmin aside from Yasmin trying to come on to him that one night. Rob hasn't been seeking Yasmin out this season for flirting or sex or even really just to talk shop. Then again, I've always thought Yasmin didn't actually want or even really like Rob, but that she just wanted power over him cause she felt so powerless in other facets of her life and Rob's addiction issues made him easy prey (for lack of a better word) for her to ensnare in her power games. When Yasmin came over in 2x04 while Gus, Rob, and Harper were hanging out, Rob couldn't wait to escape to his room even though Harper asked him to stay while Yasmin was there to unload her feelings. I just don't see that situationship between Rob and Yasmin that was pervasive in S1 truly existing anywhere in S2. They seemed to have both moved on other than that one attempt from Yasmin that Rob said nah to. 

[Chick2Chic]

On 8/24/2022 at 4:29 PM, Marley said:

Harper and the new guy Daniel I think I am not enjoying their interactions really as a so called couple or whatever. It seems fake and forced but maybe it’s supposed to be?

I like both DVD and Harper, flaws + all, but I'm not enjoying their sexual interactions. Their talk on their respective origins was good but as soon as they hooked up, I lost interest. I don't really see sexual chemistry between them plus it also seemed inexplicably shoehorned in to make them have sex suddenly cause while DVD has shown interest in Harper, I didn't see genuine interest from her (not to mention it's a bad idea since he's her supervisor). Pass on the "romance" but more of their origins & working in finance while Black talks, please. I'd like to think Harper shutting DVD down on the elevator when he asked her if she slept with someone else has put the kibbosh on further hook ups with them. 

I did work in finance in my 20s at a big company and while most of the sellers were arrogant assholes, it wasn't constant sex and drugs though there was lots and lots of alcohol (+ some alcoholics). I admit things did get a bit frisky at times between us younger folks due to the liquor and apparently one of the interns was the sugar baby of a seller but nothing really too wild like stories from the 1980s on Wall Street. 😉  I know the show is an exaggeration but sometimes it does feel like they use graphic sex a bit too much in the place of regular dialogue in a general conversation between characters so I just end up fast-forwarding over the long sex scenes. 

I thought 2x05 was good with all the family drama but particularly the stuff with Harper & JD and Roberts Jr & Sr. 

Edited August 30, 2022 by Chick2Chic
added something.