Four seasons in, Hacks feels stuck in a cycle, trapped between the hope-for-renewal strategy of the old days and the more mindful scheduling paradigm of the prestige TV era. There is nothing at all wrong with the season; in fact, it’s as delightfully watched as ever. But as the show’s patterns continue to recur, one wonders if it might be high time for an exit plan.
Continuing the chronicles of legendary comic Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and her progressive young writer Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), season four begins with Deborah having finally achieved her life’s dream: becoming the first female host of a late-night talk show. Unfortunately, it might have come at the cost of an amicable relationship with Ava, who — after laboring to help Deborah achieve her dream —was ruthlessly jettisoned from the head-writer position. Ava takes drastic measures to get her job back, but given the toxic results, it may not have been worth it. The rift between Deborah and Ava nearly wrecks the show, potentially turning a dream into a nightmare. Can they mend fences in time to save the show, and their careers, from oblivion?
I absolutely adore Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart, and together they are magical, so it makes sense that Hacks should continue as a fixture in HBO Max’s lineup. But there’s only so far the whiplash-inducing volatility of their relationship can play out before it starts feeling like unrealistic content churn: conflict for the sake of it, to generate new situations. As a show about partnerships and the warring motives of commerce and art, there should be plenty of grist for the mill, but this season may have extended the series without really refreshing the formula. The ensemble remain spectacular, with Paul W. Downs and Megan Stalter continuing to shine in a running B story, and guest stars — especially Julianne Nicholson and Michaela Watkins — stepping in to provide memorable performances. Ultimately, Hacks remains reliably funny and thoroughly engaging; it’s not so much that I want it to end, but that I want it to end well, before it reaches so far for new material that it ends up stepping on its legacy.
