The first few moments of the premiere of season four of Max’s Hacks feels like something out of a boardroom drama. Deborah Vance finally fulfilled her lifelong dream of landing a coveted late night talk show spot just in time to have her comedy writer, Ava Daniels, swoop in and blackmail her way to the head writer position. The ending of season three shocked devoted audiences and positioned this season for a battle royale between these headstrong women. In last season’s conclusion, Deborah looked at her protégé instantly in a new light, and it reminded me of how Logan Roy spied at his son, Kendall, after “the eldest boy” betrayed him at the conclusion that dramatic juggernaut’s first finale of Succession. Season four of Hacks remains one of the most razor-sharped comedies on television, but this outing is one about personal and professional risk.
You didn’t think that Deborah and Ava were just going to have a heart-to-heart, make some dick jokes, and then take late night by storm, did you? Now, more than ever, Deborah feels like she is alone as she realizes how drastic her life is changing and how big this is for her career. The fits, fights, and screaming matches between Deborah and Ava are more intense than they ever have been before and more continuous than we imagine. Could a passionate feud stand in the way of Deborah’s ultimate dream?
With Ava determined to prove Deborah wrong and that she can be a leader as the show goes into production, Hacks adds another layer to how both of these women work with others. Ava wants her new writers to feel seen, heard, and appreciated, but Deborah insists that they need to hire seasoned scribes to the mix in order to appeal to audiences who always tune into late night. They aren’t just selling a show, they are selling a person. Do they make Deborah more relatable and palatable, or should they try to bend our perception of what late night should be? Can anyone, especially a veteran performer, truly change with such an analytical, critical eye of the network in addition to the audience? This season dips its toe, also, into the conversation of art versus commerce.
The final moments of this season’s premiere highlight the hurt between the embattled relationship of these women. Ava wanted to feel appreciated and respected, and Deborah tossed her aside for the sake of her show on her terms. She has always been a lone wolf even if other members join her tribe–coincidentally, literal wolves pop up around Deborah’s new digs throughout the season. Ava’s emotions are always most jostled by Deborah’s behavior in unexpected ways, and Hanna Einbinder brings both a hardened conviction and a soft vulnerability to this season. There are glimmers when both women show how the hurt must always, always stay hidden, and it’s proof that Einbinder and the incomparable Jean Smart will always be evenly matched on screen together.
As Late Night with Deborah Vance struggles to get off the ground, Jimmy and Kayla (co-creator Paul W. Downs and Meg Stalter) are trying to put their new talent firm’s feet on the ground. Nothing is getting done: no one is answering calls, there are no assistants, and there is literal dog crap on the floor. Kayla’s roster of talent is literally for the dogs. Their dynamic remains solidly uncomfortable, but there is some more affection there. The addition Robby Hoffman’s Randi (literally straight off the Speed-loving bus from New York City) only enhances the dysfunction. Downs, who helms more episodes this season than before, becomes more assured behind the camera with every season.
Previous seasons of Hacks have broadened the circle of Deborah and Ava’s life, but this season is more devoted to the bitterness between them and tightens that focus. Dan Bucatinsky joins the cast as a frustrated producer of Deborah’s show, and Michaela Watkins is one of the best additions as Stacy, a beleagured network human resources representative who is continuously brought to the breaking point by inserting herself between Deborah and Ava. Watkins gives Stacy the out-of-breath, rushed demeanor of someone who was just told their lunch break ended five minutes ago. There are rules for everything, Stacy assures us, but she might not believe it anymore after spending time on the set of Late Night with Deborah Vance. Julianne Nicholson delivers a hilarious turn as Dance Mom, a Canadian TikTok star brought in to audition for the show to connect with a wider audience. There is a bevy of guest stars that pop up here and there (I yelled at the screen all the way through the season) as guests for Deborah’s show’s roster. Mark Indelicato, as nervous, devoted Damien, is finally given more time to shine as he takes on more responsibility in Deborah’s life with the fourth episode being a highlight.
While some might assume that this season of Hacks takes on too much or has some growing pains, I would argue that this season creates an unexpected amount of tension between its characters. Imagine going through a break-up with your ex, but then you had to see them every day and depend on them for every decision throughout the day.
Comedy can be fueled by anger and hurt. It feeds and mutates humor as it serves as a calming agent or balm. Hacks‘ fourth season remains decidedly vicious in its comedy, but what’s surprising is how it gives space to the injuries of the heart.
Hacks debuts 2 episodes on April 10. It drops one episods per week for four weeks. Episodes seven and eight debut together on May 15, followed by episode nine on May 22. The season finale debuts on May 29.
