The Comedy Series That Reinvents Itself Does It Again & Better Than Ever

The end of Hacks season 2 made me question what more Ava and Deborah have to say, both to the audience and each other. They had completed their arcs and stories, and Deborah was right — it was time to move on. However, it took almost no time for season 3 to remind me of storylines Hacks never intended to forget about. In playing Ava and Deborah, Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart can’t keep away from each other, and there’s no reason to try and stop them. At this point, it’s starting to feel like destiny.

Hacks season 3 is a different kind of animal, but, just like Deborah, there’s no way it’s being left behind just because it’s getting on in years. Since Hacks was last on the air, things have changed both in the industry and out. The story picks up a year after the end of Hacks season 2 and the heartwrenching goodbye between Deborah and Ava. Deborah has never been more successful or, more importantly, well respected. Ava has found a job that helps her make a difference and lets her write long diatribes about the climate crisis.

The thrust of season 3 is Deborah’s journey to finally achieve her dream of becoming a late-night host. Undeniably, this is where her course has been set since the first season, and it’s the perfect excuse for Deborah to be selfish and call Ava back to her. Luckily, Ava has been waiting for just an excuse. Is it textbook enabling behavior? Perhaps, but even with a year of growth and material success, something is missing in these women’s lives, and it must be each other.

Hacks Season 3 Justifies Its Existence & Leaves Room For The Future

Not only can there be a season 4, but there must be

The late-night plotline has been brewing since that fateful night in season 1, when Ava happened upon the unaired pilot. It becomes clear in season 3 that while the special is meaningful and releasing it changed Deborah’s life, it was always a means to an end for her, and she never truly let go of that dream. It’s also in pursuit of this dream that it becomes obvious how, for every step forward, Deborah is taking just as many back. Ava is hardly better; though she sets some small boundaries with Deborah, Ava would still do anything for that laugh.

That’s not to say that they aren’t pushing each other and asking for bigger and better jokes than ever before. Ava, as always, is the only person in Deborah’s life who knows how to tell her no, even if Deborah doesn’t hear it. In some ways, Ava and Deborah have mellowed slightly since season 1, but it isn’t their spark or their chemistry that has gone out. The fire is still there and fuels them toward their shared goal of, let’s face it, world domination. There will always be another summit for these comedians, making it impossible to stop watching.

The guest stars in Hacks season 3 are phenomenal and illustrate how much the series has exploded since its inception. It’s true that the budget is higher and the sets are more sweeping, but what makes Hacks season 3 the biggest yet is how effectively the story raises the stakes from the previous seasons. If audiences think that Deborah has run out of stories, the newest installment will prove them wrong in a heartbeat. These characters feel more real than ever as their stars reach heights they never thought possible.

Hacks Stays Relevant In An Increasingly Fast-Paced World

Ava and Deborah adapt to their new world in their own ways

Hacks is a series about getting older and the unique experience of women in the film industry as they age out of their supposed window of desirability. However, season 3 starts to get serious about what comes after aging, and what it means when a person knows the next years of their life could well be their last. Deborah is at the pinnacle of success, but the clock is ticking on her ability to fulfill her dreams. If late-night doesn’t happen to her now, it never will. Whether Deborah truly deserves the opportunity is beside the point.

Everyone pulls out all the stops for Deborah, as they always do, and Hacks begins to thrive when it draws in its secondary characters and leans into an ensemble format. However, Hacks is always at its best when it lets Ava and Deborah experience the world as it comes and volley about topics most likely to come up on a social media feed. Even when the writing is taking on tough subjects that can easily fall into a preachy tone, the series avoids this and acknowledges that, while it has something to say, it understands its limitations.

There’s a pivotal episode a little more than halfway through the season when Deborah’s newfound notoriety catches up with her. The younger generation, the newly formed cusp between Gen Z and Gen Alpha, questions what right Deborah has to make them laugh when aspects of her problematic past rear their head. The way she responds is uniquely Deborah, but Hacks catches the audience off guard with its willingness to be genuine. By the end of season 3, few will be able to say that they didn’t get misty-eyed.

Hacks’ Story & Character Changes Hint At A New Future

It’s evolving and ready to become a new show

Kayla (Megan Stalter) and Jimmy (Paul W. Downs) continue to be the ultimate scene-stealers of Hacks. In season 3, they get to join the rest of the cast for A-plot stories, but I got just as much enjoyment out of their side adventures. Meg Stalter, as always, is a highlight of the show and one day will be just as famous as Deborah Vance. Unfortunately, season 3 slipped further away from Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins) and his growth. He has a few strong moments, but they indicate it’s unlikely much more of Clemons-Hopkins will be seen in the coming seasons.

If and when season 4 hits streaming, it won’t be the Hacks that began in 2021. The series is primed for a serious structural change and has proven that it’s never been more ready. Comedy is evolving, but no one knows how to tell a joke like Hacks. Today, television is flooded with characters that audiences love to hate. Viewers are invited to despise the horrible creatures for their shallowness and penchant for betrayal. After three seasons of Hacks, there are still lies, harsh words, and trademark Deborah Vance impulsivity, but it’s difficult to do anything but love them.