‘Hacks’ Is Ending — And TV Comedy Will Never Be the Same
Anytime there's a special show on TV, it feels like the same hyperbolic overstatements are made to crown said program and etch it on the industry's mountaintop. If there's any show that deserves even more praise heaped upon it than it already receives, it's Hacks.
This HBO Max gem starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder has quietly collected a slew of Emmys and a rabid cult fandom of true TV comedy diehards who haven't seen quality like this very often on the small screen. Unfortunately, it's the beginning of the end for Hacks as the fifth and final season is set to start airing today (April 9).
I know, I know. It's better to smile because it happened than cry because it's over. Still, it's more than a little difficult to accept that something humming at this high a level won't be on TV anymore. Hacks is a rare combination of old-school and new-age storytelling with a ton of heart and poignant human resonance.
Smart plays Deborah Vance, a washed comedienne who needs a younger voice to critique and tweak her jokes so that she can stay in the industry. The problem is that most people are scared by her brash demeanor and arrogance. One person meets her head-to-head and doesn't give in, though.
Einbinder's character, Ava Daniels, doesn't get the memo that she can't fight back against Deborah's stubborn nature. The ensuing chaos captures all of the best traits of a riotous buddy comedy, only the female stars turn the genre upside down.
For four seasons so far, Deborah and Ava have brought out all of the best and worst qualities in one another. The show isn't afraid to pull back the curtain on messy platonic female-to-female relationships while infusing each episode with some commentary on other prescient issues like LGBTQ relationships, agism, and politics.
Hacks is classy and cutting simultaneously. In a world in which TV is usually ultra-safe or way too inappropriate for a large-scale audience, this show balances both and finds a middle ground that appeases both sides of the spectrum.
To go out on a high note, it might be good that Hacks is only going five seasons. This seems to be the sweet spot for most current TV series. Prime Video's The Boys is ending this season with its fifth act. Hulu's The Bear will follow suit later in 2026. And while both of those shows will get more publicity, Hacks will be the series without a wart on its face. And if there was, Deborah Vance would be the first to point it out!