Hacks Season 3 Premieres May 2

Rejoicing.

Looks intriguing. Was wondering how they'd continue from where they ended

Love this show!

I'm excited; I didn't even know it was coming back. It's not the type of show that needs to go on and on, but I was hoping for 3-4 seasons. The ending of season 2 absolutely could have been a series finale, and a good one too.

Goody goody, loooove Hacks.

I love Hacks except for annoying Hannah Einbinder and yes Hannah we know you're a nepo baby.

I wouldn't be shocked if season three turns out to be the last season but I think it will get renewed for at least one more season.

Unfortunately, HBO is not worth the cost of their subscription. After the full season has dropped, I will probably do a trial to watch the entire third series. The rest of their content is way overpriced IMO, especially since the lower tiers have ads.

Hannah is OK. I was annoyed with Ava at first but she really grew on me by the end of S1.

I actually really like Einbinder in the role. I think Hannah is supposed to be annoying much of the time, with her Gen Z (or millennial?) know-it-all , "I've lived and worked in LA," and "how you see the world is outdated" pretentiousness. It rings true for a segment of younger people. Also, while sometimes annoying, I often find Hannah and her reactions pretty funny.

Official trailer.

I adore this show! Everything about it, but above all (INTER)NATIONAL TREASURE JEAN SMART.

Is it yet another comedy with insult humor? Or do the writers have wit.

First two episodes out today!

One of my favorite shows in a long time. Along with Abbot Elementary, which seems a bit flat this season.

"Like a performer with Deborah’s grit and experience, “Hacks” is infectiously confident, deceptively smooth and, most importantly, consistently hilarious."

Hilarious first two episodes, this show is as sharp as ever. Maybe even sharper than ever. Only thing that would make it even more cutting and "of the moment" would be an Ozempic joke or two, though Guy Branum probably forbade those in the writers' room. Speaking of...

Marcus looks more attractive this season. Has he lost some weight?

Ava goes topless. Now I'm a homo, but that is a perfect pair of tits right there. Good for her!

It came quick. Hopefully I can get to this today. Thanks for the reminder.

Now I'm a homo, but that is a perfect pair of tits right there. Good for her!

Jesus- Jean Smart

Dee Dee Halls playing herself.

Do they give out Emmys for that type of work?

I think they should have stretched out Ava and Deborah not being together longer. I know there is only 8 episodes but it seemed too fast

Thanks for that, R21. Very much. Two episodes in.

I'm so happy it's back and so glad they teamed back up so quickly. This is the perfect show.

Jean Smart is as impeccable as ever, but Hannah Einbinder is really coming into her own this season. Their reunion in the Montreal hotel room just crackled.

A sign of a great show—I was sad when the first 2 episodes were over tonight. I wanted more!

A Carrot Top cameo? Lol. "Mr. Top, we sent you several notices."

Kayla has been upped to regular this season but, as of now, she's not being overdone, which is what I was was worried about when the news was first announced. These more cartoonish characters can quickly overstay their welcome in higher doses.

r24 Yeah, Hannah's great. Her facial expressions when she discovered the engagement ring were hysterical, it's exactly how I'd act in that situation.

Amazing. This show hasn’t missed a beat.

Marcus isn't cartoonish and I hope they can utilize him as they have in the past two seasons. Maybe offer some of his non-Deborah life again - like with his mom and Wilson. Not a lot, just some.

Loved that Deborah called the hotel front desk for a "gay bellboy" to be the arbiter of her fashion dispute with Ava, and his opening line had me howling — as did Deborah's "closet."

I was never a big fan of Ruby, so I'm glad she's gone for now. I mean, she's not a terrible character, but I don't think she adds much.

Damien and Marcus are such an obvious couple and it’s refreshing that they’re not.

Love how this show subverts expectations.

The Iceland trip is off/breakup scene was too Devil Wears Prada the person who’s calls you always take that’s who you’re in a relationship with.

Not an Einbinder fan.

That opening scene in episode one was fucking brilliant.

Kayla needs to die. And I was just in IMDb and there’s an actress playing a young Deborah in an episode.

r32 I cringed for a moment thinking they were setting up Marcus with Guy Branum, but they shut that shit down immediately. I really need to stop underestimating this show.

Anyone else notice Ava rubbed her eye after she fingerbanged the girlfriend? Gross.

You're talking to people who habitually eat ass, so...

Their reunion scene(s) in Deborah's hotel room were delicious. I love how they immediately went back to talking shit at each other.

And Ava coming to the rescue in the writer's meeting, just great.

Yeah R39, cause that’s the same thing.

You fucking idiot frau CUNT.

I’m with R8. I’ll unsubscribe when this season’s over.

Gurl, you're a veritable mess.

A great two episodes to begin with. I’m looking forward to seeing more. The hangar full of vintage clothes was a stylist’s wet dream and they played it well.

Goddamn, Carrot Top.

R10 she’s annoying in real life. Listen to the first Hacks podcast episode, they’re on YouTube.

Huge fan of this jacket seen in the premiere. Not so much of the hyper-preened queen wearing it.

"[R10] she’s annoying in real life. Listen to the first Hacks podcast episode, they’re on YouTube."

Yeah, R46, she was annoying on Marc Maron's podcast too. But, still, I enjoy the Hannah character, even if she is annoying.

Barf

Xanthippi from Kimmy Schmidt plays one of the writers

Happy to have this show back, it hasn't missed a bit with these first two episodes. I am in love with how damn gay this show is, down to even having Luke MacFarlane being the guest that bench presses Deborah.

Episode 2 was perfection.

Jean Smart isthe new Julia Louis Dreyfus, in the Emmy sense. She's amazing.

The writers of this show are brilliant.

I hope this isn't the last season, it's such a brilliant show.

I love that there are Deborah Vance drag queens.

Wow, just finished the first two episodes and it's even better than last season.

Is Hannah Einbinder's character gay on this show? Like she is in real life?

Bisexual. Her character hooked up with Jeff Ward's character in the first or second season.

She also hooked up with the very hot Postmates or Uber Eats guy.

I thought her and the Jeff Ward character just went on coke binge, running all the Strip, before ending in his death. I don't remember them hooking up, but they probably did.

Oh yes, you're right. I think I projected my own desire to hook up with Jeff Ward onto her. She definitely mentioned being bisexual at some point in the show's premiere, though.

The gay bellhop was played by Pat Regan, one of the show's writers. Watched his hilarious stand-up years ago, glad he's doing well in Hollywood.

BWAH!! Jimmy's mother.....?!?! That was so random & hilarious, I couldn't stop laughing. "She's always camera-ready, but I'm not sure it's worth it."

I thought his little exchange with Helen Hunt in the premiere was even more hilarious. He kept badgering her about the exact year she had an affair with his father, with the implication being that she might have given birth to him.

I thought he was badgering her for the year because he was trying to figure out if it was after his parents broke up. He doesn’t want a cheating dad.

But that doesn't really hit on a comedic level? Like, at all? Also, his parents split so long ago, why would he be so invested in who caused the split?

Unsurprisingly, I already had the cunt at R39 blocked.

Thanks for announcing it, r66, I just did the same to you. I don't want to interact with humourless cunts, waste of my time.

Great, R67. I don’t do unfuckable, homophobic fraus so this works out well for both of us.

Is it just me or was Clive in the premiere kinda cute? He was the terminal stand-up comic Jimmy and Kayla signed.

Here he is shirtless. You're welcome.

He was a semi-regular on "The Goldbergs."

Pocket-sized, exactly my type. I'm gonna be dreaming about those blue speedos today, that much is certain.

I love that Famous by Parcels was the song they used in the opening scene of the premiere. It was perfect.

Yeah, music choices have always been excellent on this show. Man, I'm counting down to the next two episodes already.

[quote] I thought his little exchange with Helen Hunt in the premiere was even more hilarious. He kept badgering her about the exact year she had an affair with his father, with the implication being that she might have given birth to him.

WTF - that was Helen Hunt, no way. She is a totally different person from what I remember her looking like in the past.

Mhm, she an old lady now.

It's all that crazy thin upper lip with Hunt. Otherwise she looks perfectly fine for a woman of her age. I guess it's good she's just accepted it and didn't get some crazy lip filler - though something more maybe could have been done. But, if she's fine with it.

When she goes, someone on DL will write "she had a thin upper lip, but she couldn't live forever." I can see it already, the cunts on this site are something else.

[bold]How Helen Hunt, 59, Is Refusing to Conform to Beauty Standards[/bold]

TBH, did she ever conform to "beauty standards"?

[quote]Otherwise she looks perfectly fine for a woman of her age.

Are you fucking serious?

When she did the WWII limited series "World On Fire" a few years ago one reviewer wrote "Helen Hunt terrifies the Nazis with her face."

I love you R78

Episodes 3 and 4 are of the same high standard. I'm so glad they've toned down Megan whatshername to more of a realistic character.

And of course I thought of Datalounge every time DJ said "Whadda CUNT!"

This show is almost certainly going to be the best comedy of the 2020s, right? The third season has been flawless so far.

Also, of course, Jean Smart deserves all her flowers but Lucia Aniello and the utterly winning Hannah Einbinder deserve a special Emmy for Ava - the Gen Z queer girl that all the “my pronouns are Vivian/Vance!” elder gays on DL can’t get enough of!

I love this show. Everyone is perfect

Started cracking up not five seconds into the third episode, what with those photos of Deborah with Oprah, Saddam, Cheney... My only issue is that I burn through the new episodes like a fat whore.

I love how the show subverted my expectations with Kaitlin Olson's character at the roast. I fully thought she was gonna get laughed at, which would lead to a whole separate emotional arc. But nope, she killed it and her catchphrase killed too. Other shows would for sure be meaner to her character. Her green nail polish as she was pitching her jokes to Ava looked awesome, it's not easy to pull off that colour.

One thing that doesn't often get mentioned is how well shot this is, and it doesn't even need to be because the writing alone could carry it on its back. Look at how far away the camera is during scenes inside Deborah's mansion, to make the whole space seem palatial. Or how pleasingly framed something as trivial as an AA meeting is. Shout out to that British AA sponsor with the truly terrible hair – gurl, I think your hairdresser's hip replacement IS affecting her work! It's also implied her hairdresser is old and fat, so not exactly at the forefront of hair styling to begin with.

I like that even though it is a comedy…the producers trust Jean Smart as an actress to allow her to have pathos behind the character. When she had her little breakdown in the bathroom over the bisexual jokes…you really believed she found herself in an emotional situation and not just hardy har har

I cackled when she stole the toilet paper. And who knew Carrot Top was a good actor?

Helen Hunt (and her thin upper lip) as the studio exec playing pickleball like a Neil LaBute character was iconic lesbian-coded camp!

Yes, Carrot Top was surprisingly non-wooden for someone who doesn't act regularly.

I forgot to mention it before, but I loved Ava wanting to establish boundaries with Deborah. Sounds like a dour subject matter, but it's a huge issue among creatives, especially those in the comedy world where inappropriate comments can get passed off as jokes. If you're getting paid by someone and it's not for sex work, you're entitled to expect some level of professionalism from them. And we've already seen how this lack of boundaries has ruined Ava's relationship with her girlfriend.

More great episodes. I thought writing projects Jimmy pitched Eva were hilarious - a reenvisioning of Gumby where Gumby is bisexual - Gum-bi. A new spin on Sleeping Beauty that's consensual.

I like the arc of Deborah trying to get the late night show. The colonoscopy thing was sort of lame.

Thank God Ruby is gone.

I thought yesterday's episodes were even better than last week's. The roast episode is perfection and utterly hilarious. I agree the colonoscopy episode was not as funny but still good. The ending is hysterical when she steals the toilet paper.

I have to say Ava is growing on me this season. She still has to make her little woke points but she's less whiny and bratty.

I agree I'm glad they dialed down the Kayla character this season. Did she lose weight? The Helen Hunt character possibly being Jimmy's mother is brilliant and hysterical. I just have one question: Paul W. Downs both on and off screen is STRAIGHT?

[quote]Paul W. Downs both on and off screen is STRAIGHT?

Yes, and I recall DL's collective brain breaking when this was first revealed and discussed years ago in some Broad City thread. I still don't get it personally, but I guess it just goes to show you never can judge a book by its covers.

He was gay until he met Lucia.

Knew him back in the day.

R93 that’s sad.

I’m a Kinsey six and married to a man, but I’d consider jumping ship for Lucia. For what it’s worth, she reads just as gay as him.

Much like the vastness of space or geological time scales, I don't like to ponder these things too much, they break my brain.

I did not like this show much- but episode by episode it grew on me during Season 1.

I am only on first episode of Season 2.. (not reading the posts above)

I love the fat assistant chick- She kills me.

Anyone know who played the AA lady who asked the daughter for money?

More Marcus and even less Kayla, please!

Does that actress who plays Kayla write her own lines? Cause they're not funny and she can't make them funny. I feel like I see Jean Smart wincing every time she's forced to be in a scene with her.

I think she's supposed to be wince-worthy. Still, I could do without her; though she doesn't ruin it for me or anything.

Kayla brings nothing to the show. Kill her off.

r98 English actress Dolly Wells. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016), Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), Doll & Em (2013).

So does DL think Mario Lopez really is uncut?

His parents were Mexican Catholics when they came over to California. For sure uncut.

Kayla, the spoiled, whiny, entitled brat and boss's daughter... it was a bold move to cast an actress who looks like this for the role. I imagined it going to an Alix Earle type, but this is much more interesting. The actress is a nobody from nowhere, not a nepo baby, so I'm happy for her that she got this big break.

She's always camera ready but I'm not sure it's worth it

Those Trivia Night scenes reminded me why I stopped going to Trivia Night…

Lord, what a bunch of insufferable cunts at those things.

r102

thank you... I couldn't remember where I recognized her. She was in And just like that

Yeah, looking at her IMDb more closely, I realise now she wasn't taken out of mothballs since Pride and Prejudice and Zombies just for this episode, she's had a bit role in all sorts of shows through the years.

I sincerely hope that Helen Hunt is not a recurring character.

Disappointing. But you do you.

I do declare…

You all hate my favorite character-

When will Christina Hendricks appear? Will she be playing Ava's love interest?

Loving this season, but I don't buy the fact that Marcus' mother and grandmother are into trivia nights with a bunch of nerds.

What's hilarious about your comment R115 is the team that kicked everyone's ass at the last trivia night I went to was a bunch of older black women "AKA The Divas". They're Spellman Alpha Kappa Alphas and they dress in pink and green and just murdered everyone.

I was never a Kayla a fan either but I do think this season they have done a good job of toning down her character so it's less grating.

I enjoy this show a lot and the relationship between Deborah and Ava is perfection.

I don't think it's particularly ha ha funny, it's more of an interesting ensemble dramedy sort of thing.....though when Jimmy said his mom is Dee Dee Halls I cackled.

will this season finally reveal Deborah's middle name is Vivian????

[qoute]though when Jimmy said his mom is Dee Dee Halls I cackled.

Too bad they didn’t take it one step further and have him also say that Drake Hogestyn was his father.

Mario Lopez has turned into Olmec Head.

I guess I'm the outlier here but as much as I want to really love this show I find the writing wildly uneven from scene to scene, joke to joke. It clearly feels to me like it comes out of a writers' room with lots of different voices and talents, not all in sync with the same vision and no one strong in charge. I love Jean Smart though and will watch her in anything.

As for Carl/Marcus. I find him wildly sexy on the show but every time I read an interview or see something of him "in real life" I'm severely disappointed with what I'd call his pretentiousness and lack of self-awareness. I just want Carl to be more like Marcus. I love the tight knit shirts the costumer dresses him in on the show, Can't he see that's his best look?

[quote]Those Trivia Night scenes reminded me why I stopped going to Trivia Night…. Lord, what a bunch of insufferable cunts at those things.

I love that for a site where "Oh, dear" is a reason to live.

Lopez: Age ain't nothin' but a number

Sure. The number of pounds of spackle they put in your Olmec Head face, you fucking liar.

That man in R124 does not look like Mario Lopez...yikes

CCH can't wear clothes. Some people just have a knack for pulling off all manner of clothes - from traditional to bolder or crazy looks.

Where did Helen Hunt lose her lips?

I have a soft spot for Helen Hunt because of Girls Just Want To Have Fun. She is def aging better than SJP.

I can't believe that Paul Downs is straight.

For me a little too much Jimmy and not enough Marcus.

Paul Down Syndrome looks like a retarded preying mantis.

Am I the only one who’s hot for Jimmy? This man is sex on legs.

Stumpy little retard dwarf legs R132.

I think he's adorable and funny

Good point, R132. Marcus was such a bigger part of the first two seasons. I like Jimmy, but don't need him elevated to more screen time. Did everyone see the Wilson cameo in episode 4 - he was on Marcus's trivia team.

I had never heard of the show Talk Stoop before and thought it was a comical invention for this show. And because I didn't have the captions on, I thought Jimmy said "No, Talk Stoup. You sit in a stoup and you talk." My mind conjured up the craziest mental image in that moment...

Has Paul Downs ever said he is straight r129. Just because you are married to a woman does not mean you have to be straight.

He seems like someone who would identity as queer/fluid/bi.

Ruby is played by Eli Roth's ex-wife. She's now a lesbian

Paul was interviewed several years ago on the late, great Ronna and Beverly podcast during the run of Broad City,, and one of them asked him point blank if he were gay. He denied it.

Fifth episode was a bit tedious, felt like the writers straining like hell to have Deborah and Ava stuck in the wilderness together, so they could have an intimate talk. Which they always end up having anyway. Still, the beginning cracked me up, with the nurse giving Deborah a side eye for taking forever to get her jewellery off. And that Ponte Vecchio microwave was beyond foul, not even Melania would hawk something like that.

Sixth episode was better. Christina Hendricks' bazongas entering the frame three seconds before the rest of her will never not make me laugh.

Yeah, R140 - Christina and her built in flotation devices could have saved scores of lives on the Titanic had she been a passenger on that fated voyage.

5 was a bit weak. 6 was hilarious.

I loved episode 5. Deborah's monologs about aging was perfection and their in unison screaming? Hilarious

Haven't seen better television since "Six Feet Under".

Tonight I learned that the great actress who plays Ava is the daughter of SNL's Loraine Newman!

^^She is! She is the daughter of Lorraine Newman! She is! And I've been dead for thirty five fuckin years! Horray!

[quote]the great actress who plays Ava

BWAH HAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!

Good one R144!!

I love this show so much. Can't wait to see Kathy Vance and the Christmas party episode.

[quote]Haven't seen better television since "Six Feet Under".

Agreed.

"Calling me kid is both infantilzing and charming."

I knew Hannah Einbinder had to be a nepo baby. She got the lead role on Hacks with no resume.

But she's great in that part. At least she's equal to the task/opportunity/grift.

I was a bit surprised at the twist.... I thought the alternative was such a great platform for the future.

Succession's Geri as the sister is a great piece of casting.

Played by Linda Purl in the first season, but they had to recast her.

I'm hoping there's another twist. When the network guy said "I just want you to know I've made my decision" Like the fucking was unnecessary.

The network guy is married... maybe blackmail is part of Deborah's plan.

Kaitlyn Olsen is looking rough. These were good episodes, but felt like placeholders. Still not much Marcus.

I thought Kaitlyn looked great. Her work has settled and her skin looks amazing.

I hope this isn't the last season, I love this show so much.

They have to renew it. The goodwill towards Jean Smart is just too high. She's like a younger, sexier Betty White. Everyone loves her

And the show has awards hardware prestige value. They'd be nuts not to pursue it and if they drop it, one of the decent streamers will surely pick it up.

I thought that gender reveal would take forever, with Kaitlyn battling someone else and then something happening with some contraption once they had a winner. But nope, it was over in three seconds. Love it when the show surprises me like that.

Howled when Kaitlyn spat the powder out like a trucker.

I thought they'd have more fun with it and burn down Vegas or some reveal based disaster.

I guess I'm in the minority because I actually enjoyed the effective change of pace in the fifth episode. I liked that the writers took a break from the late night host storyline and explored Deborah's backstory and insecurities in the woods. I think this will be Jean's Emmy submission. She could also submit the sixth episode which was equally good.

Great decision to cut Kayla and feature very little of Jimmy in episodes 5 + 6.

I think Max will renew it for at least one more season. The show doesn't need to go on forever and ever but there is still so much goodwill for Smart and the show that they can't stop now.

Beef did it recently and did it a lot better, so it felt like a rehash I guess.

It was well done, but the lost in the woods thing is a trope. I was a bit surprised they settled for that.

They should have given Ava a the mother of all bee stings and just made her hilarious to look at.

Ava was pretty funny this episode. Some screwball comedy elements to her. She's a good match for Smart.

FYI, Laraine Newman spells her first name “Laraine,” not “Loraine” or “Lorraine.”

They shouldn't even consider cancelling the show until they run out of ideas and/or the quality consistently drops. What else is on that is this high quality? (Nothing) Just let it ride as long as you can.

There is so much left to explore and resolve: her relationship with Kathy, the new grandson and how that will change things with/for her daughter, whether or not she ever gets to host her own late night show. I want to see Deborah get her own show but it was *realistic of the writers to give it to some generic guy.

Are all actresses on this show bi? Hannah Einbinder is bi, Lorenza Izzo is bi and married to a woman, Meg Stalter is bi and has a gf.

I love this show so much, they need to keep doing more seasons. Jean Smart is a national treasure.

R167, ew. Nobody needs to think of Staltersnatch getting chomped.

I really enjoy this show but the only problem with it is that none of DV’s jokes are funny.

I do love that Paul W. Downs is a straight guy who seems positively gay. It makes him kind of sexy.

Downs is the antithesis of hot.

Nope, been hot for him since Broad City

I didn't notice that Kayla was absent from episodes 5 and 6 until I saw it mentioned here. Didn't really miss her, we needed that break.

His eyes are in two different time zones R170.

Personally, I think the season will end with Deborah not getting late night but something more current like a streaming show. I didn’t realize that Deborah’s career is kind of in the shitter - selling products on YouTube or whatever. No wonder she wants that late night gig.

Jean tends to submit the sixth episode of each season (1.69 Million, The Click) as her Emmy submission. She might continue that this year as her scene work with Tony Goldwyn is very strong.

My feeling is she gets offered a different late night show and takes it, and gives the Tonight Show a run for their money.

Isn’t this show just repetitively cycling through its established narrative? I mean, it goes down easy, like a wine box at Jeanine Pirro’s house, but y’know…it doesn’t have anywhere to go. Now that they’ve done the “two lead characters lost in the woods” bottle episode, what’s left? Shoot them into space?

The show has a lot going for it, Jean Smart of course and the cross-generational cast, but for the TONS of producers, co-producers, executive producers, co-executive producers, producers at large, etc. it’s pretty weak tea. “Oh! Let’s do the one where she finds a ring and thinks her one-dimensional girlfriend is going to propose marriage to her!” That’s some tired shit right there. Right next to the “lost in the woods” premise. I mean, how much money was spent on that runway sequence that was about….oh yeah. Nothing.

I like Helen Hunt and I like Kala and Jimmy being productive as a team in that instance. But what happened? Where was the big meeting? Who’s in charge, HH or Champagne Tony Goldwyn? And the pay off with the colonoscopy plot is…DV aligns herself with Ava? I suppose the problem with this show is DV is apparently more of a monster than she’s allowed to be portrayed. The impact of the jokes is far greater than they actually are, etc. Ava is a far worse girlfriend than she’s portrayed, etc. (Also, do lesbians really break up that easily? They seem more like gay men here.) Luke MacFarlane is cast as a straight Marvel actor. O-kay. I mean, the show’s fan base - and, lbh, you’d be in danger of losing your gay card if you didn’t watch Hacks - is actually smarter than this show gives us credit for. (I mean, you’re on a site where a regular thread theme is dissecting the career trajectory and/or downward spiral of mostly obscure, B-list network tv stars - and yet were portrayed as overweight Etsy fan boys. (It should be Only Fans, maybe.)

Speaking of which, who’s going to start the Christina Hendricks thread? “Multiple Emmy nominee” Christina Hendricks.

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy the show. But it’s aptly named. Those show creators are really lucky to have Jean Smart and to have discovered Hannah Einbinder. They have amazing chemistry - but the writers make it too easy for their characters. Also, where’s Jane Adams? The end.

What are your favorite shows, r177?

Can Ava/Einbinder wear better jeans? FFS the high-waisted mom jeans are so unflattering.

How many scenes do you really expect Ava's mom (Jane Adams) to have, though? She lives far away and any story line that included her has already been done. Unless she moves to Vegas, I don't really see how the show can realistically involve that character.

The last 2 episodes felt like they had Important Points To Make. The conservative elderly woman learned about the environment, and the liberal young woman learned about the working class. There is a way to make this work without being preachy. They didn't find that way with these episodes.

I don’t know, R178. I guess I don’t watch much but tv. I watch The Bear - but I’m not an unreserved fan of the show. There’s a lot to admire there though. I really liked Ripley, without reservations, and will probably watch it again at some point. I liked OITNB for the first few seasons. I’ve always watched Hacks, since the beginning, and while I enjoy it, it’s always left me kind of wanting. It never really seems that well constructed. I mean, whose experience are they really exploring? It’s only a “comedy” in tone and mostly excels in its more dramatic, potentially heartfelt moments. So why not do more of that? It’s an odd mix.

The fact is - one that this show’s creators almost miss entirely - is that a star of DV’s magnitude isn’t always performing. There’s a person behind that star who, out of need, becomes that persona. There’s a duality there that we rarely see. Even in DJ’s AA meeting - why not just allow her to flop? Instead, much to DI’s chagrin, she “charms” everybody. Let me tell you something: if ANYONE’s parent, esp. their MOTHER, showed up at an AA meeting, esp. after 5 years, it would be DAGGERS all around. People in 12 steps have A LOT invested in their victimhood and it’s unlikely they would be so easily charmed by the falsely constructed “DV” public persona. They would see right through that. It would’ve been a good place for DV to fail - and instead, the writers let her off the hook, with little empathy for DJ, and allow her to have it both ways. Her public ADORES her and her daughter doesn’t really matter.

This show makes you realise how rare and unique shows like I May Destroy You and Fleabag, among others, really are. And Hacks is not in that league. Y’know, it could be The Larry Sanders Show. But it’s not.

I liked Atlanta and Swarm too. Very different shows from this, obviously.

It's a heightened reality for comedic purposes. The writers aren't interested in investigating how people at an AA meeting would actually react to Deborah's impromptu standup, rather it's "wouldn't it be funny if people reacted like this?" You know, comedy. I think this genre just might not be suited to you. Which is perfectly fine.

As another poster said, I love how "gay" this show is.

I feel how this is going to play out. They will eke out a 4th season. Season three has already started to lose its lustre. The show started strong and was funny and interesting, but I feel the writers are struggling with keeping it interesting, funny and clever.

Jean Smart is an amazingly talented actor. She's been in so many TV shows and played very interesting charaters in each. However, I don't believe she's ever been the lead actor in anything. Hacks is a great attempt and trying to make that happen, but its strength is definitely in being an ensemble show, and the current season seems to have strayed from that.

Ava is growing on me, and I'm actually enjoying her this season more so than the past two. I think after Hacks they will try to "make her happen" and she may have a fleeting tryst with fame, but ulitmately she'll end up like Aaron Paul post-Breaking Bad. Hot for second and then really nowhere to be seen.

Wow, am totally pleased with the season so far, and think Jean nailed it in episode 6 because I totally bought DVs regret for hooking up with Goldwyn, the whole episode was everything she does better than just about everyone, which is bring EVERYTHING to a scene, on full display.

And Hannah is also stellar this year as well, and the show is awash in muff love this season which is.. inconsequential for me as a gay man.

If they can't mine another eight hours out of these characters and that industry I will be shocked. But now they have my expectations pretty high.

I wasn't a fan of the "characters are lost in the woods so now they're forced to have an honest conversation about the nature of life" episode. It reminded me of Pine Barrens and the Breaking Bad episode Fly, neither of which I cared for. I could feel the writers masturbating during that episode.

This show is fine but not brilliant. It owes every ounce of it's watchability to Jean Smart and NOT Einbinder or any of the painfully unfunny side characters (except for DJ, she's great)

R187 I agree it sounds “writerly” when the characters burp up tight mantras about wealth, youth, progressivism, etc. When that inflatable redhead who wanted to pee on Ava spouts off on sex positivity, you can hear the writers “explaining” irony.

The dialogue in these past two episodes sounds like a “zine” or cheeky, pithy writing in political cartoons like Tom Tomorrow. You can agree with much of it but still get bored and wish it were funnier. I agree the acting is good, and Jean Smart is a lot of fun to watch in nearly every scene. She is like that in everything.

That episode in the woods felt like a really long Massengill Moment, or maybe the expended remix of Saturday Night Live’s parody of that ad concept.

Lost in the woods episode was…lost in the woods.

I loved the lost in the woods episode. So many great lines and moments

[quote] I agree it sounds “writerly” when the characters burp up tight mantras about wealth, youth, progressivism, etc. When that inflatable redhead who wanted to pee on Ava spouts off on sex positivity, you can hear the writers “explaining” irony.

[quote]The dialogue in these past two episodes sounds like a “zine” or cheeky, pithy writing in political cartoons like Tom Tomorrow. You can agree with much of it but still get bored and wish it were funnier.

I know far too many people IRL who are EXACTLY like Hannah Einbinder's character. It's a very true to life depiction of a certain type. The dialogue coming out of her mouth is practically word for word of real-life interactions I've had with real people.

R: 188 — “That inflatable redhead” is Christina Henricks, who managed to snag six Emmy nominations playing secretary Joan Holloway on MAD MEN.

Perhaps you’ve heard of it?

Those nominations were largely thanks to Matthew Weiner's writing, her acting wasn't anything particularly special. Hence no wins and very little work since.

And ,sorry, it’s “Hendricks.”

Nevertheless, a culturally literate gay man should know who she is.

I know her gin tastes of cucumber.

I loved the little people audition. 👯👯‍♂️

Are the writers all too young to have ever experienced a colonoscopy? And, more precisely, what happens to you the night before a colonoscopy? Talk about a missed bit. Stealing all the toilet paper was funny, I'll give them that.

The trivia game was a complete waste of time. Poor Marcus has really been sidelined.

I think Marcus is going to go work for QVC and leave working for Deborah

Was Marcus acting on another gig during the season's shoot?

Lost in the woods episode was co-written by Carol Leifer. Loved what Debra said about aging.

The writing would be completely wasted in the hands of a shitty actor, r193. Ridiculous to say that she doesn't deserve any credit. She works consistently, you liar.

She was neither shitty nor great, she did the job that was asked of her. It's the excellent writing that put her in the spotlight and kept her there for the duration of the show. And no, she really hasn't been in anything of note since. Oh wait, she's been in one episode of Hacks! Lots of staying power on the red carpet because of her rack however, though that's also waned in recent years as evidenced by barely any DL threads about her.

Anyway, I wasn't meant to derail the discussion, but this retroactive glorification of CH is preposterous. Myth making in real time.

Hendricks did like 5 seasons of Good Girls after Mad Men. Works constantly.

All this time I didn't know those were her real tits. I thought they were some prosthetic stunt statement on the sixties.

That hiking episode was so stupid. Ugh.

r204, Mad Men ended in 2015. In the nine years since she has been in:

12 movies

17 episodes of something called "Another Period"

15 episodes of something called "Tin Star"

50 episodes of "Good Girls"

8 episodes of something called "The Buccaneers" which has been renewed for a second season.

Appearances on 5 other shows where she worked for between 1-5 episodes each.

I'm not trying to derail the thread either but I find it irritating when someone tries to prove a point by saying something blatantly untrue and I don't think calling someone on their catty bullshit is "glorification". Christina Hendricks works consistently even if you think she's not a serious actor because of her prominent "rack".

Well, this thread has gone tits up.

I thought the hiking episode was the weakest of the season (it's a high bar) but still enjoyable. That said, this native Pennsylvanian could tell in a snap that episode was filmed in California. Topography all wrong, trees all wrong. I know Hacks isn't a documentary, and filming in PA would no doubt have been prohibitive, but it did take me out of the show for a minute to scoff and point.

Agreed with the upthread posters: More Marcus, please. And Deborah's housekeeper, too.

I have to wonder if the writers don't like the actors who play Marcus and Kayla? On the later, I don't blame them (not that I know her.....).

To add a bit of background: for reasons not yet clear, the writers decided to add on the hiking episode *after* they'd already written the entire season, and also filmed half of it. Like everything else, it was delayed due to the strikes, but apparently at some point after the writers' strike and during the SAG one, they decided to add an almost entirely standalone episode. This btw is why Deborah's rather considerable fall down a hill results not in the standard broken hip for most people over 70, but merely a minor sprained ankle. (Since the following episode was already in the can, and shows Deborah wearing heels throughout, they added a single season with her in an ankle boot to explain it.)

R210, my mom lives outside of Philly, and while she got a hoot out of the KOP Mall reference – she lives almost literally across the street from it – she mentioned to *me* that it was clearly filmed nowhere near PA. (This is one of the few shows we both like.) While the show camouflages it well, nearly all of it is filmed in L.A., aside from a handful of location scenes shot in Vegas. Even Deborah's house, and most of the shots in previous seasons of them driving through the desert, were shot near L.A. Given that fact, I'm assuming they shot it either in the Angeles National Forest northeast of the city and/or one of the ranch studio sites in the Valley.

Finally, I'm curious: am I the only one who's been assuming Jimmy is gay? (as is the actor who plays him) If so, he's 100% closeted: he not only co-created the show *and* serves as one of its showrunners, but is also married to one of its *other* showrunners! (the woman who's been his stand-up partner since they met in college)

I wonder if with the writers' strike Marcus was also filming something else and his time was limited, like Marcia on Succession who was also shooting Rami much of the time.

I thought the woods episode was worth it strictly for the speech Jean Smart gives about aging and running out of time.

[quote] I could feel the writers masturbating during that episode.

🙄

It felt a bit like the Christmas and Coach Beard episodes of the second season of Ted Lasso.

I like the lost in the woods episode 🤷🏽‍♂️

r208

Another period was kinda funny

Another Period

Lost in the woods was embarrassingly bad drivel

It was an ok episode.

The lost in the woods episode was written by Carol Leifer, one of those "am I right, ladies?" hacky 1980s stand up comics.

To be fair, Carol Leifer was also a writer for Seinfeld who is largely credited as the inspiration for Elaine Benes.

But she's still a hacky 80s stand up.

I think the natural endpoint of the show is when Ava becomes famous on her own - to the point of eclipsing Deborah.

This season started strong but the episodes starting with the colonoscopy and the forced "fight" in the kitchen between the two of them have just been meh. There have been a few funny moments, but it's like the writers are just throwing up some woke vomit. I couldn't believe the horrific writing in the speech Deborah made to the kids on the motorbikes about climate change. It wasn't funny at all. Everything suddenly feels contrived like the lost in the woods episode. I keep thinking they are hinting that Deb and Ava will end up together in some weird lesbian relationship. I actually think that might be a really interesting ending if that's what they do but i don't think Deborah leans that way at all.

R225 there isn’t that much time left in eternity for that to happen.

[quote]n the kitchen between the two of them have just been meh. There have been a few funny moments, but it's like the writers are just throwing up some woke vomit. I couldn't believe the horrific writing in the speech Deborah made to the kids on the motorbikes about climate change.

She was trying to relate to Gen Z. Who are all about that.

R223: Which ONLY seems to bother (or mostly bothers) MEN.

^^ (eh, I meant to reply to R224)

It's a gay guy show.

Carol Leifer was a hacky 80s stand up.

"Am I right ladies?"

I love that Famous by the Parcels was the them for the first episode.

Carol Leifer may have inspired Elaine in 1992, which was 32 years ago…but the writing of the woods episode was still fresh and nuanced!

Wow. I was ready to write off E08 but then it ended THAT WAY.

I shed a few tears. I love this show.

I started sobbing too

These two episodes were great.

I though Jean Smart and J Cameron-Smith had great chemistry together. And glad there was no cheesy resolution. It was nice seeing The Mayor and Ava's mom again. The Mayor might be my favorite recurring character.

And episode 8. The speech with Marcus about gays making someone an icon and then them growing into greater fame was inspired. And of course the ending. We all know that Deborah will eventually land the late night gig, but having it happen still was powerful.

I was surprised this wasn't the finale. That means we are going to get some drama between Ava and Deborah next week to close the season.

Episode 8 is one in which Deborah LEARNS

I'm still enjoying it, but it feels check-list and rushed. Marcus' hook up was hot.

Little Debbies. Lol.

Yes, and is the best episode of the show so far. I still think Jean will submit Par for the Course as her episode at the Emmys. She got to do so much in it and killed it in all aspects.

I thought the Berkeley episode was fantastic. They managed to make Deborah and the students both have sympathetic points of view without turning either of them into a cartoon.

I do think a lot of the audience didn't get that Marcus' conversation in the bar with the eldergay was heavily tinged with that generation's devastation from AIDS and that Deborah doubtless was an early supporter and fundraiser for AIDS charities.

And speaking of — the improv show:

"When he asks for a suggestion from the audience, I want you to say 'pediatric AIDS'."

I loved these two episodes. The sister one was super touching and Christopher Lloyd was hilarious. He looked a lot better here than in The Mandalorian last year, where he looked like death warmed over. Very spry, so that was nice to see.

Berkeley was shot so beautifully, they should maybe use that in their promo material. Great nuanced discussion of "problematic" comedy and issues around cancellation. Deborah made part of her career (and wealth) on the backs of minorities, and the fact that she was the first comedian to say abortion on TV does not absolve her of that burden. The students at the town hall demonstrated perfectly that you don't need to punch down in order to be funny. And Deborah's "you never apologise for a joke because you just don't" perfectly illustrated the unreasonable obstinance of older comedians.

My favourite part were the improv warm-up exercises. So painful and so true to life. Deborah's facial expression when she awkwardly pivoted to pediatric AIDS was hysterical.

E08's ending was why this show is must watch TV for me, and they covered a lot of terrain in the episode itself, and it was catnip for fans.

On one hand, I like that they drop 2 episodes a week, but on the other…I’m sad that after next week, it might be over—it feels like this season just started!

It’s really good. I got impatient with the pacing of some plot elements, but that may be my own distractedness.

The Town Hall segment felt odd that the college student delivered her feedback with jokes. I agree that the improv troop was pretty spot on in their chirpy awkwardness (“and that’s totally ok!”).

Christopher Lloyd is still a pretty amazing presence on camera. His bio is impressive, and I have always found him really appealing.

R244, I think the Punjabi girl was practicing her Tight Ten. It was obviously rehearsed. She just doesn't have the star quality that Deborah has. That's the backstory I created in my mind anyway

Here's Einhandler at 13. What work has she had?

Oooof I lost it and the end of episode 8.

Really strong episode. Jean Smart is such a great actor.

Loving Paul Downs this season.

Also really loved the eldergay in episode 8.

Episode 7 was nice but I liked episode 8 even more. I liked the Marcus storyline as well as the smart, nuanced take on cancel culture. Indeed the ending was great and I can’t wait to see how they wrap things up next week.

J. Smith Cameron wasn’t bad but she just didn’t get a lot of material that I thought she would. Jane Adams was even funnier. Christopher Lloyd though stole the whole episode. He was great.

Nobody is gonna mention Deirdre Hall? ☺️

The resolution of the journalist arc at Berkeley was nice. At first it sort of seemed like she'd be a stereotypical "woke" journalist who would be disgusted by Debra's past material and her present self to a large degree and would seek to make her look as bad as possible. But she was nuanced and gave her a "yes" vote. I liked Ava explaining to Debra that the balanced article that included plenty of criticism was as a close to a rave as people get from that journalist.

I ended up hating the sister even more. What a manipulative little bitch

I didn't hate the sister, but I didn't really like her either. I don't feel like it really needed on-screen resolution but they have referenced Kathy during the entire series, so it makes sense.

Why did they recast Linda Purl (the original Kathy)?

Why did the recast a no name actress with an Emmy nominated star hot off another HBO hit, that can go toe to toe with Jean Smart?

You really have to ask r255.

This is why, R256.

And THIS is why, you fucking moron R256.

I hope this show goes for ten seasons. I wish they would make at least 20 episodes a season.

It could be my sleeping show minus the episode with Marcus' alarm

They must have plans to make Kathy a more often recurring character in season 4, otherwise there was no reason for JSC to come on for just one episode.

Apologies R256. I reread your post.

R251 There really never was much to say about Deirdre Hall or her “acting”. However, I am very curious after seeing this episode if she is able to close her eyes at night when she sleeps? Or perhaps she’s converted to Asian?

I love the mayor of Las Vegas.

"I've gotta do a number three, if you know what I'm sayin'."

I've never watched soaps so I'm only vaguely aware of who Deidre Hall is. I know she was on some soap for a long time.

Why I'll never acknowledge R265's existence.

Fine by me r266. Most grown men don't watch soaps and don't really know who you are.

Ava is so annoying.

There are many Avas IRL unfortunately. I've dealt with them.

R267 doesn't . . . GET it.

Don't care r270.

I thought ep. 8 was the last one, so glad there are two more.

R269, yes. She is a perfect Exhibit of an obnoxious "Zillennial" woman.

Not a fan.

R269 I dealt with one this past week and a half. I was on a jury and when we first went into the jury room to deliberate we were working out how to effectively deliberate. As we were figuring that out one of the Gen-Xrs who was probably 25 or so said, let's use a Talking Stick. Now I'm as liberal as they come but that was one of the stupidest fucking suggestions I've ever heard. And no, we did not use a fucking Talking Stick.

I thought there was only one more episode

There are 9 episodes total.

Why R270 Doesn't Care, by Deidre Hall

I love the plot line of Ana’s wokeness basically unraveling her mental health

Jimmy's lifts in episode eight, oh my.

His official height is 5'8" so that means he's really 5'5"

I thought Jimmy was gay, too. Both on the show and off.

"Hacks hasn’t officially been renewed for a fourth season just yet, but the creators, who have a five-season plan in mind, are already concocting new scenarios to please Smart and Einbinder. “We’re thinking about Deborah and Ava all day, every day,” says Statsky, who spoke alongside Downs and Aniello during a break from writing. “We can’t ever stop,” adds Downs. “So we’re working on it regardless of what happens next.”

I thought there was a kind of facial resemblance somehow between Downs and Hall. It worked.

A fourth season of Deborah’s hosting antics sounds incredible.

This is one of the few shows that's worth watching, let's hope it continues for several more seasons.

I also got a little teary at the end when Deborah got the late night gig. MARY!

I laughed outloud when Kayla said Jack Danby probably can’t cum unless he has a gun in his mouth.

r286 I also laughed when she said "nasty" for the second time in an overly exaggerated British accent for no reason whatsoever. Or when she skedaddled, leaving all her stuff behind. She's so stupidly playful, I love it.

A little Kayla and Jimmy goes a long way. I had a sinking feeling next season will be spinning off into Jimmy producing the Arbuckle movie. I'm not sure there's room enough in a half hour for that. We didn't get even close enough to enough time with Marcus (who must not actually got to QVC) and Josefina could use some airtime too. I wonder if maybe between Smart's surgery delay and the writer's strike, the actor who played Marcus was not as available as planned for, so they concocted the Jimmy and Kayla stories to fill the gap? They're second tier supporting characters for me.

I didn't think we'd ever actually get to meet Jimmy's mom. For some reason, I just assumed she'd always stay one of those "named but not shown" characters in sitcoms, like Stanley in Will & Grace.

Creaky

I'm going to say something very unpopular. Jean Smart plays a badly dressed, loud, obviously aging woman in her 70s. She is not someone I'd want to watch at 10:30 five nights a week or ever.

Ava and Deb both have disappointments as their respective mother and daughter. That's the bond and that's why Ava can overlook the meanness. Deb gets her and they click.

typos

in their respective mothers and daughters.

I thought she seemed really delightful in her guest substitute hosting. Lighter, having fun, quick on her feet.

I can accept her as a late night talk show host.

But pretending even university students would have any idea who she was or that a young gay guy would have a tattoo of her seems ludicrous. But I guess the cancellation plotline requires her to be relevant. Seems a stretch.

The writers think they’re so clever. I listened to a WGA podcast with them recently and they’re really full of themselves - “oh! you should hear ALL the jokes that don’t make the edit!!” It’d be great it some actual jokes actually DID make the edit.

They also take full credit for Broad City with barely a mention of Ilana Glazer and no mention of Abbi Jacobson. The gall.

You don't get by in this business by offering somebody else a turn, kid.

Paul Down is obviously in some kind of arrangement with his wife, because he is not straight.

I knew the two of them years ago and they were extremely full of themselves back before they were anyone.

Very bright, ambitious and arrogant.

Is this the gayest show on TV?

[quote] Is this the gayest show on TV?

Yes, yes it is

In the world of the show Deborah released a widely popular comedy special that became a pop culture moment r294. She is more famous now than she ever has been.

Yeah season 1 Deborah, college students probably would barely know her. But that's what we have watched the last couple of seasons.

I would watch Deborah Vance over idiot Jimmy Fallon any day.

I suspect it ultimately won’t be enough for her, r301. I think she’ll quickly realize now that she’s grasped the late night brass ring that’ll she want something more than network-appropriate monologues and interviewing movie stars. I almost wonder if the end game is for Deborah to run for president as a sort of anti-Trump and using her “ok boomer” iconoclasm for the ultimate good?

I love this show and dont want it to end, but wasn’t very impressed by the last two episodes, mainly the christmas one. The part on the script was too long and unnecessary. And while i admire that the sisters reunion wasn’t an emotional thing, it was somehow unsatisying. But minor quibbles, am loving this.

And there wasn’t a gay present in that palm springs pride scene as gayer than Jimmy.

It's a shame that Joan Rivers isn't here to give her take on the show, since it's clearly based on her life. Has Melissa Rivers commented on the show? I just know that Joan would have loved it.

I think it would have been more interesting if Frank were still alive. It's almost too easy that he's dead, DJ is pregnant, so now it's time for a reunion. How would Deborah have handled being grandparents with both of them? Still inviting them to Christmas for DJ?

I was thinking I wish they'd done Berkley different. Have Deborah get it and still refuse to apologize and then turn the tables on the kids and fight back on the basis this is all getting out of hand. it was the same Okay boomer angle everybody writes.

Offensive Deborah is funnier.

I agree r306. Yes, there is some truth to the reasons that people would be mad at Deborah, but she has a case too, against sad and delicate and fucked up college kids who can't take the slightest joke if it doesn't 100% fit into their little worldview. It should have been a more ambiguous resolution, which is kind of the whole dynamic between Deborah and Ava. Ava is kind of an annoying twat, and so are all the little precious college kids traumatized by the slightest amount of humor that hasn't been pre-approved and pre-digested and just tells them they are perfect in every way.

I don’t think it’s a stretch that the college kids here knew Deborah Vance. When Joan Rivers was a star and particularly in the last years of Betty White’s career when there were write-in campaigns to get her on to SNL, college kids knew all about her then. And clearly Rivers and White are two of the templates for this character.

The trailer for ep 9 makes it look like network executives try to tame Deborah’s humor and comic instincts and that she’s so desperate for the gig she’s willing to compromise while Ava tries to keep her true to herself and her own killer instincts. I think this is a promising direction for the first part of next season.

I like Clemons-Hopkins as Marcus, but playing his current character there isn’t much there for him once Vance becomes a TV star, and this actor hasn’t had much to do this season anyway. Not surprised if the actor found something more urgent to do elsewhere.

As Paul Downs and Meg Stalter became more prominent characters this season there was less time for other supporting characters like Marcus, Kiki, Marty. That Vegas supporting cast.

It's too bad the Marcus character seems to have played out. I wish they had more Damien.

Damien should logically be around more, he is Deborah's personal assistant, he would be with her everywhere. But the heart of the show is Deborah/Ava so they like to keep things like the golf event and the Berkeley trip the two of them.

I thought he was head of her marketing and DAMIEN was the personal assistant

r313 Did SOMEONE say otherwise? DAMIEN is her PERSONAL ASSISTANT.

Marcus is TECHNICALLY now COO.

I thought Marcus was CEO. I remember when he was dating Wilson and Wilson made some comment about being a successful CEO, and Marcus corrected him that he was COO. And then in that last episode of season 1, where Deborah fights with Ava and realizes how much she needs Marcus, she promotes him to CEO and gives him a raise. But, maybe it was just a raise. I think it would be sort of dumb to have Marcus leave for another job but also keep him around - the episodes don't have enough room to do anything with the character. Though in Season 4, maybe he has left at the beginning and comes back like Ava.

I wish they would write the daughter out of the show. The actress playing her is so unlikable and uninteresting. Same for the actor playing Marcus. He has bad energy.

The audience likes Jimmy and Kayla as a team, which is why they are getting much more screen time this season. Ava's part has been whittled down considerably.

I didn't even notice Damien until this season. Seriously. Is he... not new? Because I never rated him. I thought he was new this season.

No, Damien has been there the whole time. He never has a lot to do, but he consistently pops up.

It feels like Damien mostly exists to give a gay former child actor a series regular credit and access to SAG health insurance. Whenever he’s onscreen I’m always like “oh that’s actually really nice of them!”

I think they use Damien the right amount. He's had some funny lines.

I was the biggest fan but this last episodes have been awful.

[quote] Ava's part has been whittled down considerably.

I thought so, too. Which is too bad because in my estimation she's really found her comedic stride and she plays so well with Smart... she's also getting flashes of humility and empathy that I find really endearing. Strange to cut back her and Marcus to elevate some minor players we don't really know that well. Jimmy's fine in Deborah's orbit but don't really dig him with his own show within the show.

Ava’s role “whittled down”? I don’t see that. Early in the season she had scenes with the character of her TV star girlfriend, and she’s been the major scene partner to the character of Deborah Vance all season, especially in that lost-in-the-woods episode which was almost all just the two of them.

Not to mention that the whole premise of the show is their generational culture clash and how that collaboration helps both of them.

Are you guys suggesting that Deborah Vance has become such a strong character as played by Jean Smart that she could exist on her own with other characters besides Ava? That may be true but I don’t see the seeds of that being planted yet this season.

It's wild that Jean Smart was older when Hacks started than Angela Lansbury was when Murder, She Wrote started. I think Jean was also older than Bea, Betty and Rue were when Golden Girls began.

Jean was 70ish when Hacks started. When the Golden Girls started Bea and Betty were 63, Estelle was 61 and Rue was 51. Amazing how much older people looked decades ago.

[quote] Why did they recast Linda Purl (the original Kathy)?

Unless you’re an eldergay who still watches old reruns of Matlock, no one knows who the fuck Linda Purl is.

Anyway, I would’ve preferred Kim Cattrall as the younger sister since she looks a lot like Jean Smart. It would’ve been a great return to form for her.

In terms of plot, should DV forgive her sister and fully reconcile or nah?

Unless they have big plans for Cathy in season 4, which they might, the actor really didn't have to be any sort of recognizable name. She was referenced a lot but only appeared briefly when Debra tried to run her over in season 1 or 2 and then in the latest episode at the Christmas party.

R327 Let’s don’t use the word “nah,” sweetheart.

Get a life, boomer.

We've got them, R330. Your resentment at your crumbs is just a bonus.

Every episode since the colonoscopy has sucked thanks to this woke shit. I thought AVA was there to write for Deborah but instead, all we see is this crap with the college and them wandering in the woods talking about climate change. Damn, whoever said wokeness was ruining creativity was right. None of this stuff has been remotely funny or interesting and that's sad because I love the characters and was excited they brought it back. I don't know that I would watch a season 4 of this dreck.

It's bad when Jimmy and Kayla are funnier than the two leads.

^^The perspective of a Trump voter.

Nope, r333. I'm a liberal although not as liberal as you, I guess. You couldn't pay me to vote for Trump.

This shit is tired. Most of us are sick of it.

Liberals don’t usually complain about “woke shit.” Also, the show directly confronted the idea of wokeness in the latest episode.

Ava is almost a parody of a woke millennial so you complaining that she is talking about climate change literally misses the point of the entire character. That’s what her character WOULD be talking about.

You don’t seem like the most discerning viewer.

It's about two clashing generations, and Ava is made out to be hopelessly naive and clueless most of the time. Deborah always calls her out on it.

It was fine for one episode, r335, but the entire show since episode 6 has been more "woke" than me on a Saturday morning. Ava is a writer and is supposed to be WORKING with Deb like she did in the first two seasons, but for some reason this season she's playing the "woke" sidekick to whatever antics the writers have thrown against the wall hoping something sticks. I know Ava is a parody of a woke millennial, but even the millennials I know aren't all about this shit. I do like how they try to balance it with Deborah's reasoning about some things like the Elves. But enough is enough. That whole speech at the end of the lost in the woods episode she gave to the kids rescuing her was cringeworthy. And the town hall was the most cringeworthy moment yet. It is insulting to the audience and feels really forced like the writers are trying to hit us on the head over and over and over.

I'm glad I don't know anyone like Ava in real life. Tiresome and boring with their bullshit.

Ava is not a Millennial.

And Hacks is not a documentary.

Right r339. It's supposed to be a comedy.

R338, what is she? Gen Z?

R337 It’s definitely heavy handed. But much like the rest of the country seems like the writers weren’t really sure which direction to take with it because on one hand, you are kind of realizing like hey all this woke bullshit is really annoying but kind of like well I can see how hurtful some of it is. It had some nuance to it, but they definitely were hammering away at it.

She's Gen Z. She did a whole monologue explaining how she's Gen Z and not a Millennial to Deborah in Season 1.

I believe Ava is supposed to be 26, so yes that would put her in Gen Z not Millennial. Remember, most Millennials are in their 30s.

Jean Smart is the new Bea Arthur.

There's actually an episode when Ava says she's not a millennial, but is Gen Z.

"And also, most importantly, I'm Gen Z, okay? There are millennials who are, like, 40."

r346 Thank god you cleared that up - super important

It wasn't because it was important, R347.

Thank God you responded snarkily - SUPER important.

I love love love Helen Hunt’s character.

The pickleball scenes were perfection

I think this season is a big letdown from the previous two. Some random episodes that made no sense, like the Christmas with the sister, and being stuck in the woods. Both episodes seemed pointless. I fear the show has peaked and on the downslide.

Oh shut up r350 the show is still great. The Christmas episode was worth it just for the Mayor of Vegas to make another appearance. Fucking love her.

Yours is he try clearly the minority opinion, R350. Everyone I’ve talked to (admittedly, mostly gay men) love this season and are sad that it ends tomorrow.

I think it’s fairly obviously that Max will renew for a fourth season.

They’re missing out if they don’t explore the talk show. I think it would be great if they completely switched gears and made it about the day to day of the talkshow. I think it has run its course when it comes to standup. A full course change can be risky, but given the subject matter and the type of show, they could do it right. Not many shows have ever done it or done it correctly. But it’s honestly what the show probably needs to stay on the air longer. I bet Jean wants it to keep running because at her age how many more wins do you have.

Agree r353

I predict they will do just that with Ava as the head writer.

Marcus will go work for QVC, DJ has the baby and Deborah and her sister reconcile.

Josphina and Damien are still in the picture and are cute as always .

Jimmy and Kayla become wildly successful

R354 that sounds great, but what are the conflicts?

Maybe Deborah and Ava go head to head with the direction of the show. Lots of potential for conflict

Marcus runs into issues at QVC (he does have a severe personality) and wants to come back and work for Deborah

Kayla and Jimmy are deep in the production of the Fatty A movie and shit goes sideways

I miss Kiki’s character

The struggle is always far more interesting than the success, which is why this season is not as interesting. Next season will be all about the talk show. And it should be the last season. Jean is getting too old to do the show longer than that, and she's had some recent health scares. Go out on top.

[quote]The pickleball scenes were perfection

R349 needs to reevaluate their idea of perfection.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I can't imagine not liking the Christmas episode r352, I thought it was fantastic.

I think everyone agrees the hiking episode was the weakest of the season, every season has some episodes that are better than others.

R350*

I see a heroin OD in Ava’s future.

I like it very much, including its imperfections in pacing and plausibility. I did think that the Keg Stand was an odd inclusion, and hope that was a stand-in for Smart.

Some aspects of the Christmas show were pretty charming. Ava lamenting to production of meat then asking for the platter of goose was a nice touch.

Jane Adams is a really interesting actress and I wish her role on this project offered her more to do.

I have a creeping feeling that Smart’s character will face some horrid illness and I thought that a few scenes where she wandered off during the Christmas episode sort of foreshadowed that potential.

Jane Adams is atrociously annoying - yes, I get what she's supposed to do/be - still annoying.

Hacks can't go on forever, so they'll need to conclude the whole Late Night endeavor somehow before the finale. I don't think the show can end with her as the host of LN and getting stellar ratings and everything being great. She'll either have to bomb and get replaced (depressing) or she'll have to leave the show for some reason (medical, perhaps).

r364, if Hacks is a semi-Roman a clef of Debby Reynolds, then having Deborah owning and headlining a small casino is not beyond the pale. It would make a great season to go out on.

I think next season would be fun if it’s kind of like the Larry Sanders Show, showing behind the scenes at a talk show, with real stars playing themselves as guests and Ava and Deborah at odds about the direction of the show.

Keep going, homos! That’s the point of this website… to harvest your creative juices for free… keep going! MORE!!

r367 You tried

r366 Love that idea

R368 oh honey, are you okay?

r370 You tried

R371 You tried

R367/R368/R370/R371/R372: Girls! You’re all stupid.

R373 you tried

Side note - Jean Smart's teeth/mouth - seem very different - implants/dentures?

Hannah should submit the season finale, “Bulletproof” as her tape at the Emmys.

My prediction is LN is only modestly successful with Deborah. She then ends up with a health issue and has to bail on a show last minute. Rather than cancel the taping, Ava ends up stepping in as host because she knows the material so well. That episode is a huge hit and the network pushes Deborah out in favor of Ava as host.

Bravo!

Great ending!

R377 that would be something

377, All About Ava!

I did NOT see that ending playing out as it did. It makes sense if you know the characters and what they're capable of; but still I didn't think they'd pursue that arc with Ava and Deborah. It was intriguing in one way, and a disappointment in another. I guess they have to keep them together.

R377 never gonna happen. Ava’s a lightweight and only had a career because Deborah’s saved her ass time and time again. She’s nothing without Deborah.

Ava was doing fine in her career without Deborah r382. When we start this season she is high up in their universe's equivalent of the John Oliver show.

Deadline and Hollywood Reporter saying Hacks in renewed for Season 4! Links not working…

No she wasn’t R383. Rewatch the first few episodes.

She was unhappy in her life r385, but her career itself was going fine.

She was just about to be head writer of the show that she quit to do the late show with Deborah, no? I was under the impression that her career was going well too.

No surprise. Season 3 has been its most critically acclaimed season to date but I think it should definitely end next year. Enough with these cliffhanger endings.

Yes it has been officially renewed r384. Which I don't think this show was ever in danger of not getting renewed.

Hanna Einbinoculars is fucking insufferable.

Ava's career was in the toilet when the show first started. She had been cancelled due to a tweet or whatever. Working with Deborah was the only thing that Jimmy could get for her, and it wasn't even technically real since DV didn't want a writer in the first place.

I think people were saying that because her career was saved by Jimmy sending her to Deborah, she was then eventually able to go on and have success independent of Deborah. Deborah told Ava when she let her go at the end of Season 2 that Ava would have opportunities now and she had to take them while they were there. During season 3, Ava's career, even if she hadn't gone back to write for Deborah, was in a good place.

Ava was a 25-something comedy writer with little to no resume at the start of the series. I find it a little hard to believe that she got cancelled over one tweet mocking a closeted Republican congressman. If anything, I think Deborah put her on the map.

I was surprised that the John Oliver-esque show still offered Ava the job even if Deborah’s late night gig fell through. I thought there’s no way this Ava bitch can get that lucky. One thing for sure is that Deborah and Ava can’t quit each other.

Such an unexpectedly dark finale, I loved it! The season just breezed by, which I hate. On the other hand, I can't imagine having to wait a week for one episode of this show at a time.

Finally. Now we all can cancel our Max subscriptions.

I just hope Hacks beats the very overrated and unfunny The Bear.

[quote] Ava was a 25-something comedy writer with little to no resume at the start of the series. I find it a little hard to believe that she got cancelled over one tweet mocking a closeted Republican congressman

It was the tweet. But, in addition, her so-called friends specifically said that in addition to tweet, it was her bad personality. Nobody actually liked her!

This was made clear in the first season (episode 1 and episode 5) when she met up with two different sets of friends

Ava was flaky, smug, and entitled. A winning combination.

Wow at the finale. I didn't think Ava had it in her. The whole tone of the show is going to shift now.

I didn't believe a minute of Ava's little tantrum and attempt at a power move. She's gonna pay down the road.

I hate waiting a whole year for more but.. brava

I hope "hockey shirt guy" (whom we never saw) stays on as #2 writer and clashes with Ava.

It does look like Marcus is leaving the show.

I loved the assistant's meltdown. It was very well scripted and very well played.

The power play at the end was unexpected to me, and a hoot. The producers said they've got five seasons mapped. My guess is what you'll see is Deborah's denouement and Ava's ascent over the next two seasons, one star fading and another starting to shine, with a fair amount of bad Hollywood subtext.

I will say I find the Jimmy and Kayla sideshow eats up too much time in a half hour show. There are some good moments, but neither of them should be third and fourth in a character hierarchy.

Kayla's subplot in the finale hit close to home for me. I also did stupid, embarrassing, demeaning shit as a kid just so I could be and feel included. Kids are so vicious. And then you grow up and realise some never mature out of that phase and you're expected to act as a court jester for their amusement all over again.

The talk show season will be great just for the guest… guest stars

I thought it was odd that Deborah has not yet found out that Marcus is leaving, odd both in that it was unrealistic and in that it’s a weird point upon which to poise a cliffhanger. Who cares?

Yeah the Marcus plotline has been handled poorly. We haven't spent enough time with the character this season to really be invested, and him and Deborah have barely had that many scenes together. The cliffhanger of him leaving her doesn't really play. They don't know what to do with the actor, I guess they are just going to end up writing him out.

But a significant portion of the finale was devoted to Kayla. Not sure how I feel about her being such a prominent part of the narrative now.

The writers 'splain all. Or a lot...

The Marcus character really got on my nerves - they could never quite figure out what to do with him.

r408 Sweetheart, we don't post paywalled articles. We all know how to get around the paywall, most certainly, but you must make it worth the extra few seconds. Do better.

I think Kayla gets so much screentime because writer/actor Paul Downs wants more screentime. There is only so much that he can do with Deborah.

Kayla is so annoying

Kayla is growing on me. I also like the Jimmy character.

Marcus is such an unlikeable character and seemed to grow more unlikeable as the seasons progressed. He was cute with the water cop though

I hope Marcus changes his mind about going to QVC and stays with Deborah. I also hope the writers figure out what to do with him (and his mother and her friend and his ex, the water cop, although they should remain tertiary characters).

Marcus and the actor who plays him are quite boring.

A little of Kayla goes a long way with me. I don’t dislike her but I don’t want her development into a capable woman to become a major plot point next season because I really don’t care about her.

I think her schtick with Jimmy is fun but he’s kind of two-dimensional except for his overpowering mother. And is he meant to be gay? Or just a gay-presenting straight man like the guy playing him?

I think he's just meant to be sexless on the show.

I love the way they were dressed at the luncheon. Jimmy's shirt in particular is so simple, but so nice.

I don't particularly care about Kayla's formative years. She gobbled up way too much time in the finale (that "proposal" on the plane?!). Give her a spinoff or something (that few will watch) -- I only care about DV, Ava and their whole deal.

Agreed R415. There's no there there.

[quote] I don't particularly care about Kayla's formative years. She gobbled up way too much

You were being shady as hell when you wrote that sentence. 😂

Carl C-H is third on the call sheet, yet had much less to do than Jimmy or Kayla. That has to burn.

Hollywood Reporter just included him in a roundup of 20 supporting actors who stole their shows. Yet, he was barely in the show!

Have to think they have something bigger in store for Marcus in season four.

Marcus was a good character in the first season - fit into the story in a genuine way; got just enough screen time and side story (Wilson, his mom and her friend). He was okay in the second season too, but his story was diminishing. I wouldn't mind him staying as long as they're not shoe-horning him in just to do it.

How did Marcus ~steal the show~ this season? I only scene that sticks out for me is his last one but the OTHER actor was the one who killed it. That guy throwing himself on the floor was hilarious.

Yeah, I don't even remember much about Marcus this season other than his flirtation with QVV and his hosting the Deborah house party thing where he hooked up with the cute guy with the nice ass.

Marcus is there to check a box.

The ending was fantastic. That twist left you wanting more.

Loved the finale. Thought Hannah Einwhatever was actually quite good in that fight with Deborah.

I like the Jimmy/Kayla stuff. I prefer their dynamic to Marcus and his QVC shit.

Great ending.

Megan Stalter as Kayla is great. It’s would be so easy for her come to come off as SNL/Kristen Wiig, but she’s likeable.

They were too cheap to actually film on location at Berkeley. USC as a stand-in was lazy shit.

I love Meg Stalter. She became famous writing and performing her own videos on YouTube.

I saw her for the first time in this video she did pretending to be the stage manager for Biden’s inauguration.

I meant instagram not YouTube.

[quote] I though Jean Smart and J Cameron-Smith had great chemistry together

I didn’t like J Cameron-Smith. I but then I’m not a fan in general.

Watch Rectify (one of the show ever) and tell me how much you don't like J. Cameron Smith.

one of the BEST shows ever ^

Binged the series this weekend.

Episodes 2 and 9 were excellent.

Both were big arc stories.

All the Eva personal stuff is dull and tedious. Even the shower scene in E2. Oh, look, they are in a shower and she is getting a clit rub. Hello 2010. Look at Heineybinders tits, ooh ahh. dull

Aside from the Deborah/Ava scenes, the rest of the show is a bunch of show biz freaks living in desperation in LA.

And the Helen Hunt character, hit her with a bus.

"They were too cheap to actually film on location at Berkeley. USC as a stand-in was lazy shit."

Does it REALLY matter to that arc? Deborah having to face current views and criticisms of her work via college students. Could be any number of places. I get Berkeley is symbolic of that, but did they really need to shoot on location to get the point across?

The Helen Hunt character is very true to life.

r438, I had no idea I was watching a documentary.

R437 I didn’t say it mattered. It was an observation. Since the show films in multiple locations in California and Nevada, it stood out. The two campuses could not be more different in their architecture…take a deep breath—thx

You weren't r439. It's a story about Hollywood with lots of real elements thrown in.

r440 nobody really cares.

[quote]Aside from the Deborah/Ava scenes, the rest of the show is a bunch of show biz freaks living in desperation in LA.

Yeah, that's kind of the point of the whole fucking show dear.

Sweet Jesus, I have never had such validation as a DLer in my entire posting life.

Thank you, r443.

THANK YOU!

r444 maybe the show just isn't for you. Bless your heart.

r445, I kinda hate watch it.

Nepo baby is the epitome of Laura Keitlinger/Largo tedium.

.

r444 , r436

It reminds me of the Matt LeBlanc sitcom Episodes, which was a gem.

The Berkeley episode was my least favourite of the series. I get what the writers were trying to do. They had to address how Gen Z would cancel Deborah. And how smarmy writers would address her history. But I didn’t like the way it came together. And while I agree Deborah would feel shitty about her jokes making other people feel shitty, I don’t for a second imagine her watching her old videos in shame at her meanness.

^^get the fuck over it.

I LOVE the Mayor of Las Vegas!

"I have to do a number threee!"

The Einbender girl broke character and laughed her ass off

Has anyone watched Ava’s stand up special? I quite liked it.

I'm planning on watching that tonight! I'll let you know!

What is a number 3? Barfing?

I loved the season finale! Hannah plays her cards exactly how Deborah would and it was amazing! I cannot wait to see how their relationship will evolve now proving that Hannah can be just as ruthless.

R453 You've seriously never heard the expression "a number 3" before? It's a combination of a #1 and a #2 at the same time.

It's what is done when someone sits...

Sandra has a point.

R457 nobody gives a fuck what Bearnhardt has to say about anything. She's beyond over.

Eeeeew. Not Cohen. Bleh.

[quote]It's a combination of a #1 and a #2 at the same time.

I took it that she had to puke because she drank too much alcohol. It's not a common expression at all and as such its meaning can easily be bent for comedic purposes.

It's menstruation. Number 3 is menstruation.

The Mayor was much too old to still be getting her period.

The more you know....

I would love Sandra Bernhard making a cameo appearance in the next season — or hell, create a character for her! She would fit right in with that show since she’s a veteran comedian who is openly gay with her own history of making insensitive jokes back in the day.

And, no, I’m not her agent or PR person. But I love a good comeback success story for talented vets.

Nobody in 2024 knows who the fuck Sandra Bernhard is. She was a one trick pony who was tolerable for five minutes.

R457/R464=an increasingly desperate Sandra Bernhardt.

Season 4 is going to be the Nighttime show. Like Carson, she will be appearing in Vegas.

Season 5, she buys a Vegas hotel.

Get rid of Ava. She can have that rapport with someone the viewers will actually like.

Ava is Deborah's heroin. There is no Naloxone for her influence.

Deborah doesn't need Ava as much as Ava thinks she does. I think that'll surface in the next season.

Megan Statler has been cast by Lens Dunham in a film about her relationship with her itinerant musician husband.

I was going to say something negative but then I realized i would never see this film.

R218, Another Period is a hidden gem.

It's fucking hysterical. And totally stupid. But also hysterical.