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- 2021
- TV-MA
- HBO Max
- 2021
- TV-MA
- HBO Max
Summary Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), a Las Vegas comedian, mentors Ava (Hannah Einbinder), a 25-year-old writer in this dark comedy from Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky.
Created By: Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky
- 2021
- TV-MA
- HBO Max
- 2021
- TV-MA
- HBO Max
Hacks
Season 1 Premiere: May 13, 2021
7.7
Where to Watch
Summary Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), a Las Vegas comedian, mentors Ava (Hannah Einbinder), a 25-year-old writer in this dark comedy from Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky.
Created By: Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 70 Critic Reviews
86
96% Positive
67 Reviews
67 Reviews
4% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 70 Critic Reviews
86
96% Positive
67 Reviews
67 Reviews
4% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
The series has never been better. Rather than feeling lazy or bloated, it has found exciting stakes and challenges for its characters that span the professional and the personal. .... Hacks also remains—mercifully—one of the funniest shows on television. Although it’s not a sitcom, it almost competes with 30 Rock for the sheer number of jokes per scene, yet it still manages to remain smart and create a deep sense of pathos.
The pacing is exquisite, with every episode revealing just enough of Deb and Ava’s backstory to cast them repeatedly in a new light. So there it is: Hacks is every bit as great as you’ve been told.
The show still resists the impulse to lean purely into aspiration or empowerment, as strong a sign of its longevity as any. Both Deborah and Ava are often unpleasant people. That’s exactly why they’re such a pleasure to watch.
The genius of Hacks is how deftly it critiques decades of TV comedy, reminding viewers of what’s missing now (stars of Deborah’s wattage and grace) as much as what’s changed for the better.
The first six episodes of Hacks’ second season are very much a middle act, with plenty going on, but no concrete resolutions. And that’s perfectly okay; these characters are well-established and enjoyable enough that it’s fun to simply hit the road with Deborah, Ava, and Marcus.
“Hacks” is not a joke machine; the later episodes are downright melancholic. ... It’s not convincing that this person would force an awakening in someone like Deborah. But Einbinder works hard to match Smart, and, at moments, seeing them get into grooves of compassion, I felt myself flush. The rest of the cast, by the way, also kills.
There’s a schematic quality to the series’ foundation that Hacks mostly fails to outgrow in the first six of its 10 episodes. Deborah and Ava’s boomer-versus-millennial, heartland-versus-the-coasts, experience-versus-innovation tensions are constantly telegraphed without becoming organic to the characters. Occasionally, their differences can lead to interesting discussions.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 154 User Ratings
7.7
82% Positive
127 Ratings
127 Ratings
5% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
12% Negative
19 Ratings
19 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 154 User Ratings
7.7
82% Positive
127 Ratings
127 Ratings
5% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
12% Negative
19 Ratings
19 Ratings
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
Production Company:
- 3 Arts Entertainment
- BCD Travel
- First Thought Productions
- Fremulon
- Paulilu Productions
- Universal TV
- Universal Television
Initial Release Date: May 13, 2021
Number of seasons: 3 Seasons
Rating: TV-MA
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 2 Wins & 6 Nominations
Primetime Emmy Awards
• 6 Wins & 32 Nominations
Online Film & Television Association
• 3 Wins & 21 Nominations