Hacks (Season 4) ☆☆☆☆

Starring:Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Megan Stalter, Paul W. Downs, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Mark Indelicato, Rose Abdoo, Helen Hunt, Tony Goldwyn, and Kaitlin Olson

Created by: Jen Statsky, Lucia Aniello, and Paul W. Downs

(Spoiler alert if you don’t want to know anything after Season 3)

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Hacks Season 4 picks up at almost the exact moment Season 3 lets off, building on the tension of the unexpected power shift. This change in Deborah and Ava’s dynamic — as well as the new setting of entering the late-night world — allows Hacks Season 4 to feel fresh, though rest assured that everything you loved about the first three seasons remains firmly intact.

Hacks Season 4 sees Deborah learning how to be a late-night host, which includes working with demanding executives like Winnie Landell (Helen Hunt) and network CEO Bob Lipka (Tony Goldwyn), with whom she had an affair in Season 3 — information that Ava constantly holds over her head. Ava, on the other hand, steps into a position of authority as she heads up the writers’ room, which comes with its own unique challenges.

Ava isn’t the only one moving into a position of power. Season 4 also sees Kayla (Megan Stalter) becoming a manager, which shakes up the dynamic between her and Jimmy (Paul W. Downs). Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins) attempts to move on from Deborah and carve out his own path, forcing Damien (Mark Indelicato) to step up, and Josefina (Rose Abdoo) continues being the MVP — especially throughout the end of DJ’s (Kaitlin Olson) pregnancy. Hacks Season 4 is a true period of growth and evolution for most of its ensemble, keeping even more familiar comedic beats from becoming stale or stagnant.

One of the best things about Hacks Season 4 is how focused the first half of it is, as the Deborah and Ava feud gets time to breathe and be thoroughly explored. Creators Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky, and Downs smartly don’t rush the process of their reunion — a risk that pays off in spades. Hacks is, of course, first and foremost a comedy, but it shines brightest when it leans into the dramatic beats, too. The conflict between Deborah and Ava is arguably the meatiest arc this show has ever done, and Smart and Einbinder both make absolute meals of it.

Einbinder simply gets better and more confident every season, and watching her tap into Ava’s fury and borderline reckless ambition is a delight. You can sense the frustration and raw hurt simmering underneath her performance, though she never abandons the character’s endearing quirks and awkwardness. Smart’s most impressive moments, on the other hand, are when we get flickers of Deborah’s raw vulnerability — of the betrayal and loneliness she feels. The chemistry between them is intense and visceral, fluctuating between highly toxic and oddly tender. Some moments, like when Deborah interrupts Ava’s date, showcase how twisted the pair can be, while others — including Deborah secretly using Ava’s presence to ground herself during a tough moment — highlight the more heartwarming side. Smart manages to convey tremendous depth with a single, silent look, fleshing out Deborah’s guarded feelings toward Ava during the character’s private moments and proving why she’s won three Emmys for this role alone. If there’s any justice, Einbinder will eventually get one, too.

“Einbinder simply gets better and more confident every season, and watching her tap into Ava’s fury and borderline reckless ambition is a delight. You can sense the frustration and raw hurt simmering underneath her performance, though she never abandons the character’s endearing quirks and awkwardness. Smart’s most impressive moments, on the other hand, are when we get flickers of Deborah’s raw vulnerability — of the betrayal and loneliness she feels. The chemistry between them is intense and visceral, fluctuating between highly toxic and oddly tender. ”

Often, shows go downhill fast when their characters finally get what they want, but Hacks Season 4 not only manages to create enough obstacles to keep things interesting but also makes these moments of triumph satisfying and earned. The fact that the show refuses to veer into saccharine territory certainly helps, as the moments of impact are subtle and might just sneak up on you. I didn’t necessarily expect that seeing Deborah take her late-night seat would hit me so hard that I cried, but you can bet some tears were shed. Seeing Ava admit that she doesn’t want children and likely never will — more fulfilled by her work — is groundbreaking, too, considering the expectations and pressure society still puts on women.

Unfortunately, the second half of the season isn’t as strong as the first. Once the conflict moves from being primarily between Deborah and Ava to a larger, more external force, the show begins to feel less contained and lacks the emotional resonance that was there at the start. The pacing is uneven, going from too rushed in Episode 9 to sluggish in Episode 10. Hacks is known for its excellent finales, but unfortunately, this one falls flat, with a turn in its final minutes that comes off as cheap. Don’t get me wrong — I’ll still be streaming Hacks Season 5 the minute I can — but the cliffhanger doesn’t work the way it was obviously intended, culminating in the weakest season finale the show has done so far. The show is clearly trying to go bigger and more explosive than ever, and because of that, it ends up ringing uncharacteristically false and inauthentic — a rare misstep for a show that always seems to know exactly what it is.

While Hacks Season 4 may not end on the highest note, there’s still plenty to enjoy on the journey there. If you’re worried that moving out of stand-up comedy into the late-night space will make the show lose its magic, don’t be. The switch-up allows for interesting and timely conversations, particularly at this crucial moment in time for comedy, talk shows, and network programming altogether. The discussions the team has about the double standard of platforming men and women involved in different scandals, giving up-and-coming comedians a spotlight, and growing ratings in an increasingly social-media-obsessed age offer fascinating and relevant commentary.

The show’s streak of incredible guest stars keeps going as well, with Michaela Watkins as the poor HR employee forced to play mediator between Deborah and Ava and Julianne Nicholson as a dancing TikTok star both inspired casting choices that offer countless laughs. Coincidentally, the show also gives newer voices that have made a big splash on social media a chance to shine, between Holmes, who plays one of the late-night show’s writers, and Jake Shane, who absolutely nails it as a social media manager constantly pestering Deborah to create absurd content to promote the show. I’ve said before that I usually find the Jimmy and Kayla storylines less compelling, and while some of their scenes do end up feeling a bit redundant and dragged out (minus an ever-evolving gag involving a dog, which is consistently hilarious), the addition of Robby Hoffman shakes up their arc in the best way.

For the first time, Hacks can’t quite manage to stick the landing, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that it’s still undeniably one of the best things on television. The relationship between Deborah and Ava has never been more intriguing, and Smart and Einbinder have never been better. It’s also notable that this is a show that’s not afraid to take risks, having blown up their established central dynamic more than once and switched settings entirely. Even if these big swings occasionally don’t pay off, as in the instance of the Season 4 finale, I, for one, am still glad it’s taking them.

– Courtesy: Collider.com