‘Hacks’ Blows Up Deborah Vance’s Dream in Episode 9, and Hits the Reset Button

Note: This story contains spoilers for “Hacks” Season 4, Episode 9.

“Hacks” blew up Deborah Vance’s dream Hollywood job in Thursday’s latest episode, and the Max series now heads toward its latest metamorphosis.

The Max comedy series hit the reset button with Season 4 Episode 9, titled “A Slippery Slope,” after a controversy erupts in Deborah’s (Jean Smart) now No. 1 late night show. After she is encouraged to book the star of a franchise movie owned by her show’s parent company, Deborah gets into trouble after a joke she makes alluding to troubling allegations against the actor.

The network tells her to cut the joke from the broadcast and she acquiesces, much to Ava’s (Hannah Einbinder) disappointment. While licking her wounds about being forced to help launder a man’s reputation, Ava accidentally tells her former employer, the producer of a news called “On the Contrary.” This led to the possibility of a news story about the scandal bringing the company’s attempt at censorship to the surface.

Choosing Ava

The move led to Bob (Tony Goldwyn) demanding that Deborah fire Ava or he’d shut down the show for good — noting that despite its no. 1 status, it pales in comparison to the revenue produced by the company’s parks and franchise films. But in a series first, Deborah chooses Ava over her dream job.

Despite Bob attending the show’s live taping — a coveted post-Oscar timeslot — Deborah uses her monologue to bring to light the scandal, revealing that this would be her last show. Meanwhile she cut Ava’s access to the lot where the show films, to prevent Deborah from stopping her.

In her monologue Deborah calls out the company for trying to silence her, calling being forced to fire Ava a line she wouldn’t cross. Fans of the series know this is a huge moment for Deborah, who has repeatedly chosen her dreams and ambitions over her connection to her creative partner.

“While we always knew we wanted Deborah to get her white whale and have this show, we also knew that this was not a show about late night, it’s always been about them offstage,” series co-creator Paul W. Downs said in a special look at Episode 9 released Thursday.

“She proves not just to Ava, but to herself, what’s most important,” Smart said in the clip.

Jimmy’s breaking point

It was a big night for the other duo in “Hacks,” too. Kayla (Megan Stalter) pondered the possibility of leaving Jimmy’s firm to rejoin her dad as an agent. And after a few losses, Jimmy faced feeling despondent in his job and considering letting it all go.

After Dance Mom (Julian Nicholson) gets too wasted, Jimmy and Kayla end up having to help her do cocaine to get her on the show in time so everyone could keep their jobs. The decision pushed Jimmy to his breaking point. After he left the studio, Kayla feels that maybe she would be right to rejoin her father if her business partner is willing to flame out of the job.

The next day Kayla learns that Jimmy willingly chose to permanent name their business “Schaeffer andLuSaque,” putting her name first. The gesture helps her see she’s exactly where she belongs right by his side. Then she shames Deborah and Ava for not being appreciative of all Jimmy does for them.

The conversation encourages Deborah to go to Jimmy’s house and help him come back to his senses. He helps her keep the life feed of her monologue alive by physically fighting Bob and ends up with a broken nose.

What happens next?

As they’re leaving the lot together, Ava and Deborah are stopped by Bob. He shames Deborah for allowing her dreams to burn for Ava, and reminds her that she’s under a talent contract with the network that involves a very strict non-compete clause. That means she won’t be able to perform for 18 months or she will get sued.

The episode ends with Deborah and Ava staring at each other, stunned at what’s gone down.

A promo for Episode 10, the Season 4 finale airing next week, teases the duo heading into uncharted waters. With a tight contract and no way to do her work, meaning that for the first time in her life, Deborah might take a vacation. And Ava will be in tow.

“It was very emotional to shoot,” Einbinder says in the clip.

“Hacks” has upended its narrative every season since Season 1. The difference this time is that rather than coming on the heels of Deborah making a decision that impacted Ava for the worse, this time it came out of love. We’ll see where the show takes this latest twist from here.

The “Hacks” Season 4 finale airs May 29 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Max. The show has not been renewed for Season 5.

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