When HBO Max launched Hacks in May of 2021, no one was sure what to expect from the show. It was written by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky and stars Jean Smart as iconic female stand-up comic Deborah Vance and Hannah Einbinder as young comedic writer Ava Daniels after the two are compelled to work together because of a project they are both working on. There were many ways this might have gone wrong, but the show’s key combination proved to be a winning formula for humour. Hacks, HBO Max’s first original success, had a magnificent and nuanced lead performance by Jean Smart. Smart won the Outstanding Lead Actress Emmy a few months after the show premiered, further cementing the show’s success. Breakout success, on the other hand, may be a double-edged sword – one that elevates the expectations of fans to unreasonable levels.
For the first time, the show has the opportunity to establish whether or not its seemingly miraculous formula can continue for numerous seasons when Hacks premieres its second season this week. According to the first six episodes of this season, Hacks appears to have what it takes to be a long-term smash.
Same old baggage on this new trip
First, Deborah and Ava set out on their private plane to organise the trip that would help Deborah perfect her new comedy performance. The email Ava sent in retaliation to Deborah hitting her near the conclusion of Hacks season 1 looms large over the events. Every unprofessional incident, personal embarrassment, and nasty slight that Deborah had subjected Ava to during their relationship were all described in the email sent to a couple of writers who are in charge of a programme about an aggressive female employer. Ava and Jimmy’s manager, Jimmy (Paul W. Downs), are terrified by the possibility of Deborah finding out about the email when season 2 of Hacks begins. When Ava sends her email to Deborah, she risks re-shattering the link between them that was only recently repaired at the end of Hacks season 1. As a result of this, the second season of the series is a sensible move. However, the Hacks writers deserve praise for not dragging out any of the unresolved tensions from season one. These plot pieces from Season 1 are instead used to launch a series of new, absurd tales.
A solid group of players
In their roles as the show’s two leading men, Smart and Einbinder continue to captivate and enthral. This season’s first six episodes have some of the greatest moments between Ava and Deborah, as the pair continues to add life and complexity to their relationship. When it comes to Einbinder, she maintains a lovely lack of self-consciousness while Smart’s portrayal always finds the proper mix between ferocity and tenderness in Deborah. Hacks may have cemented Smart’s status as one of television’s finest actors even before it began, but it gives her the type of triumphant send-off that most actors can only dream of receiving. This year, Hacks is buoyed not just by Einbinder and her, but also by a cast of amusing supporting performers that has returned to form. Jimmy, as played by Paul W. Downs, is subjected to a growing number of unpleasant scenarios. Mark Indelicato and Poppy Liu, two returning cast members who play Deborah’s friends, continue to deliver strong supporting performances, but the show could use more of Poppy Liu’s Kiki. There are some notable guest stars who appear on Hacks as well. Martha Kelly and Ming-Na Wen, for example, both manage to take the attention with their brief appearances and make an immediate impact as straight-to-the-point tour managers.
A journey well spent
There are occasions in Hacks season 2 when the planning falls short, just as there were in the first season. When it comes to Carl Clemons-Hopkins’ Marcus, that’s especially true. Most of the season’s episodes follow Marcus as he struggles to come to terms with the collapse of his relationship with Deborah and the rest of the show’s core characters. Because it drags on for much too long, Marcus becomes less of a presence on Hacks. Early in the season, there’s also a cruise ship episode that feels like a waste of time. Hacks, for all its flaws, remains one of the most endearing comedies on television. In its eight-episode second season, Hacks still manages to create one-off short stories that are both devastatingly humorous and emotionally deep despite the show’s short run.
In one episode, Smart’s Deborah meets a female comic who rose to fame about the same time as her but has now chosen a more sedate path. At first, it appears as if Deborah’s reunion with her old coworker (played to perfection by Harriet Sansom Harris) will take a predictable turn before turning out to be one of the episode’s most fascinating and riveting moments. Also true of Hacks as a group. There’s always something fresh and vital to be discovered, even when the show is riffing on well-worn elements. Season 2 of Hacks will air on HBO Max on May 12th with the first two episodes.