'Hacks,' with Terrific Chemistry from Leads, TV's Best Show of 2021 So Far

by Julian Spivey

Photo: HBO Max

The terrific first season of “Hacks,” an HBO Max original, came to an end on Thursday night when the final two episodes of the 10-episode debut season dropped on the streamer.
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“Hacks” is about a stand-up comedy legend Debra Vance, who’s longtime Las Vegas casino show is coming to an end, and Ava Daniels, a twentysomething television writer recently fired for a controversial tweet who’s only job prospective now is being hired to modernize or punch-up some jokes for Vance. Debra is played by TV veteran and multiple-time Emmy-winner Jean Smart. Ava is played by newcomer Hannah Einbinder (the 26-year-old daughter of original “Saturday Night Live” cast member Laraine Newman).

The rest of the cast is rounded out by Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Debra’s manager, Christopher McDonald, the owner of the casino that hosts Debra’s show, Kaitlin Olson, as Debra’s daughter DJ, and Paul W. Downs as the agent of both Debra and Ava.

The primary focus on the first season of “Hacks” is the unusual boss/employee relationship between Debra and Ava that over the course of the season develops into more of a friendship. It’s unusual because there’s so many generations between the two – Debra is old school and Ava is a modern twentysomething woman. Both are stubborn to a fault, and this leads to butting heads and eventual mutual respect.

Prior to the last two episodes of the season Ava has convinced Debra to drop her normal act for her final casino show and to do a one-woman show about the struggles faced during her life as a female comic. But, despite their growing relationship and mutual respect, Ava still is desperate to get out of Vegas and return to a cushier L.A. writing job and takes an interview without telling Debra. This is a knife in the back moment for Debra, who fires Ava right before her final show when Ava tells her she must leave because her father has died and Debra views it as another lie and betrayal.

Debra decides to go back to her normal act prior to the final show, but once she hits the stage, she changes her mind once again and goes forth with her more personal one-woman show.

Ava is surprised when Debra shows up at the funeral of her father. Debra realized how much she needed Ava and rehires her. Debra’s final show had bombed, but it made her feel something she hadn’t felt in many years and believes the show will work with some edits and a tour to flesh it out a bit more. The season ends with the two boarding a plane back to Debra’s home in Vegas when Ava receives a phone call from their mutual agent about an email, she had fired off in anger to the TV folks who had interviewed her for a writing job on their show about a horrible boss, which will certainly lead to immediate drama when the show returns for a second season.

“Hacks,” which was created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky, has been hitting on all cylinders from the very beginning. The on-screen chemistry between Smart and Einbinder is A-plus stuff as the two bounce off each other brilliantly. Both characters are completely realized from the beginning of the series, which truly allows the viewer to jump right in and just enjoy the ride. “Hacks” is certainly one of the highlights of television in the first half of 2021.