Industry satire with two career-defining lead performances.
Why it matters
Episode guide
47 episodes across 5 seasons — titles, air dates, and synopses.
At a glance
Fading Vegas comedy icon Deborah Vance hires canceled young writer Ava — mutual reinvention with knives out and punchlines as love language. Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky's Max series makes Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder a generational odd couple of ambition. Showbiz cruelty is the workplace; respect is the long game. Seasons deepen the mentor-monster bond without sanding the edges. It is industry satire that actually lands the jokes and the bruises.
Network & studio
- Max — streamer network
Why watch now
For Jean Smart's career-redefining comic monster and a writing staff that understands both stage mic and group chat. Best when you want Hollywood half-hours with teeth.
Cultural impact
Hacks became Max's flagship comedy awards machine and a master class in two-hander chemistry. Smart's late-career supremacy is now inseparable from Deborah Vance. It set the tone for smart, mean, affectionate showbiz satire in the 2020s.
Creators
Lucia Aniello · Paul W. Downs · Jen Statsky
Key cast
- Jean Smart as Deborah Vance
- Hannah Einbinder as Ava Daniels
- Carl Clemons-Hopkins as Marcus
Flash facts
- Created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky; HBO Max premiere May 13, 2021.
- Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder lead as Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels.
- Multiple Emmy wins across acting, writing, and comedy series contention through the mid-2020s.
- Centers on stand-up legacy, cancellation politics, and toxic mentorship.
- Ongoing seasons continue the Vance/Ava partnership through industry upheavals.
FAQ
Who stars in Hacks?
Jean Smart as Deborah Vance and Hannah Einbinder as Ava.
Who created it?
Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky.
What is the premise?
A legendary comic hires a young writer; they remake each other's careers and boundaries.
Where can you watch it?
Max.
Official & further reading
External sites for further reading — TV Flash is not affiliated with these networks or studios.
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