I believe Jean Smart just knocks anything she’s in out of the park, and this HBO Max original comedy is no exception. Coming strong off the heels as the matriarch of Mare of Easttown, Hacks is decidedly quite opposite in terms of subject matter, but don’t be fooled into thinking there are no serious moments in this series.
Hacks centers on veteran stand-up comic, Deborah Vance, whose residency at the Palmetto Hotel in Las Vegas is on the ropes in favor of younger and fresher talent. In order to spruce up her career, her manager decides to send over an exciting young writer, Ava, who recently got into hot water with her unabashed candor. That means she’s out of a job, but working for Deborah is not something she really wants to do. But, in the end, a job is a job, so she heads to Vegas to give it an honest go. Deborah is a little bit blind-sided by Ava’s arrival, and the two butt heads immediately. On her way out, Ava makes an impression on Deborah who stops her from leaving and offers her the job.
Most of the season is spent watching these two women tolerate each other really, and Ava really has to earn her stripes around Deborah, but the two really reach and understanding and bond at a treatment center out of city limits late into the season. Of course, this truce doesn’t happen without a good dose of conflict which includes Deborah first treating Ava more like a personal assistant and leaving her stranded out in the dessert at one point. Ava’s not all that innocent either though, as she seems to always be trying to get back to Los Angeles for a job. The two share some brutally honest jabs with each other, but their tit for tat exchanges makes them more alike then they think.
Ava, getting tasked with going through all of Deborah’s old material really gets to see how her career trajectory succeeded, and failed, at times. Deborah also reluctantly gets to know Ava on a more personal level and really goes to bat for her. In the end though, the overarching evil that looms in the background throughout the whole season comes to fruition when Deborah is told that her show is ending for good (at the Palmetto at least), so she decides to go out with a bang and works on new and very personal material with Ava for her final performance. The show was by no means a hit, but Deborah is really proud of the work and wants Ava to move on with her in the next stages of her career. Of course, despite how much these two have bonded, they still ultimately only look out for themselves, which leaves the final scene of the season in a real precarious spot.
Lucky for us, this show has already been renewed for a second season, so we will get to see how all of that plays out, along with what happens next for Deborah. Truthfully, both of these women are unlikeable in their own way. Deborah is crass and rude, while Ava is the definition of entitled. What ends up making them likeable is their eventual bond and them sort of looking out for each other. I’m sure there will be some fallout for the decision Ava made in the last episode, so we’ll just have to see how long it takes for these two to reconcile. Surrounded by an excellent supporting cast (loved every scene Jimmy and Kayla did together), this show was bound to succeed in my eyes, and critically, it did! Treat yourself to something entertaining this summer and watch Hacks!