‘Hacks’ Season 4 Is Keeping Deborah and Ava at Odds — Good!
Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Hacks Season 4, Episode 3.Hacks has been an undeniable hit for Max, from its Emmy wins to Season 4 receiving the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of the entire series. The unlikely duo of Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) have become a beloved pair, with their many ups and downs professionally and personally being incredibly relatable and increasingly funny.
Over the course of the series, the generational clash between Ava and Deborah caused them both to have immense success and grow; Deborah garnered a new level of fame as a stand-up comedian outside of her Las Vegas residency and Ava found the writing gig of her dreams in Los Angeles in her brief time away from Deborah after the Season 2 finale. The way the two challenged either other when they worked together made them distain the level of complacency the two had reached. Like moths to a flame, they were both brought back to each other to help Deborah achieve her biggest goal: hosting Late Night. But the end of Season 3 has birthed a new rift between the pair, one caused by greed and, ironically, Ava taking a page out of the book of her mentor.
‘Hacks’ Season 4 Continues a New Dynamic Between Ava and Deborah
Season 4 of Hacks started interestingly for the series as a whole, with Ava and Deborah completely at each other’s throats at a time when they need to be more in sync than ever. The premiere of Deborah’s debut as the new face of Late Night is quickly approaching, and Ava’s decision to take what was hers in the finale of Season 3 is felt throughout every scene in the current season. The first three seasons of Hacks showcased the duo developing a beautifully strong bond, and while at times their work relationship was still very problematic, it’s been proven time and time again that they get the best out of each other when they work together. Ava’s perspective of the world has enlightened Deborah, not only causing her to grow as a human being, but elevating her game as a comedian and entertainer at the same time. Deborah’s wealth of knowledge from being in the Hollywood trenches for decades gave Ava a new level of experience, as she worked hand in hand with her when her career was at its lowest. This is why their co-dependent, symbiotic relationship works; they perfectly complement each other.
Ava’s decision to blackmail her way into the head writer position obliterated the relationship they’ve built over the years. It has raised a new level of paranoia in Deborah, partnered with new trust issues which are only deepened when Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins) tells Deborah he is resigning as her business manager now that Deborah has had a massive career shift in Season 4, Episode 2, “Cover Girls.” The choice to put Ava and Deborah’s relationship at its worst when they need to be at their absolute best is something that makes Season 4 of Hacks so compelling thus far; Deborah has the power to make Ava’s life as difficult as possible at work, but Ava has the upper hand as she is equipped with knowledge that can destroy Deborah. This is all on top of the fact that Deborah needs Ava’s sharp skills, worldview, and — let’s face it, companionship — to make her new venture as big of a success as it needs to be. This leaves audiences not only wondering if the Late Night show will prevail, but if their friendship will survive in the process.
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Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder are better than ever with Deborah and Ava at odds.
Deborah and Ava declared a truce at the end of Episode 3 after Winnie (Helen Hunt) laid on the pressure when she said Late Night needed to be an absolute hit by the end of the year. However, emotions got the better of Ava and Deborah. The choice to keep the duo at odds is a way that co-creators Jen Statsky, Lucia Aniello, and Paul W. Downs are keeping the show fresh and that adds a new layer of tension not only to our main characters, but to the possibility of success as we approach the premiere of the show. The tension between the two isn’t just obvious to the viewers, either, but even the new writers and the network. Given what we have seen so far this season and from the Season 4 trailer alone, this problem doesn’t seem like one that’s going to be solved immediately (or at all) with HR (Human Resources) representative Stacey (Michaela Watkins) being assigned to oversee both Ava and Deborah at all times for the foreseeable future. Will a mediator help smooth out the tension? Signs are definitely pointing to the two continuing to butt heads.
Is There a Chance of Redemption for Both Ava and Deborah in ‘Hacks’ Season 4?
As the newly hired writing team takes a retreat to Vegas in Season 4, Episode 3, “What Happens in Vegas,” Ava gets to catch up with Kiki (Poppy Liu), who feels sad about the devious lengths Ava went to in an effort to secure the head writer position. While we can applaud Deborah and Ava for their growth and the strides they’ve made as a collaborative team, the reality of Ava stooping to Deborah’s level to succeed is sad. Ava not only compromised herself as a person, but she set back all the growth in the working relationship she had with Deborah. Even though Ava thinks what she did was for the best for both of them, she still betrayed Deborah. The fact of the matter is that both Ava and Deborah are in the wrong.
The reason the two worked so well was the contrast between them, and now that is gone — at least, for now. This rift leaves the opportunity for an amazing redemption arc for both characters, with Ava realizing she went too far to get what she thinks she deserves, and for Deborah to realize that Ava truly does deserve this position, because Ava is a big reason for the new level of success she’s seen in recent years. There are small moments of the old relationship shown, but ultimately the reality of both of them feeling wronged by each other always comes back to the surface. Every obstacle comes with the option of it being conquered, which could lead to the bond between Ava and Deborah becoming stronger than ever before. Drama makes for good television and there has been no shortage of it in the saga of Deborah and Ava in Hacks Season 4, and with Deborah’s big Late Night debut inching closer each week, the drama in the best comedy series will only continue to grow.
