WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Hacks season 4, episodes 7 & 8.
Hacksseason 4, episode 7, “D’Christening” and episode 8, “Witch of the Week,” offered two very different types of old and newHacksinstallments.Hacksseason 4, episode 7 reintroduced Kaitlin Olson’s DJ Vance after briefly appearing during a phone call to her mother, Deborah, duringHacksseason 4, episode 6. Deborah and Ava attend the baptism of DJ’s newborn son, where Carl Clemons-Hopkins' Marcus – who has been disappointingly absent from most ofHacksseason 4 – also makes a notable appearance.
Hacksseason 4, episode 8, jumps back into the LA-centric setting that has replaced Las Vegas in past seasons. After Ava and Deborah make up, they start writing a more honest show that is better suited to their unique bond and sense of humor, which launches Deborah’s late-night show to the top of the ratings chart.Kayla and Jimmy are also refreshingly more involved inHacksseason 4, episode 8, andJimmy’s season 3 Fatty Arbuckle biopiclead is finally brought up again, adding more to their arguably neglected season 4 character arcs.
Hacks Struggles To Balance Its New LA Look With Its Beloved Classic Feel
Image via Max
Although the expansive list ofHacksseason 4’s guest starshas been fun, the series has risked getting too far away from its original tone and characters. AfterHacks’Emmy success, it feels as though HBO Max is eager to make their critically acclaimed series an answer to the absence ofCurb Your Enthusiasmor evenEntourage, two self-reflexive Hollywood series that continue to have dedicated audiences.Hacksseason 4, episodes 7 and 8 pump the brakes on this effort,forcing Deborah to step out of the limelight and be a grandmother, but not before playing strip poker with Kaia Gerber andThe Studio’sSeth Rogen.
After so many shifts between seasons 3 and 4, these rearview mirror glances in episode 7 make it feel like an outlier in the show’s new Hollywood landscape.
Kayla and Jimmy’s increased screen time in these latest episodes should be much appreciated by diehardHacksfans, but they still feel somewhat out of place this late in the season. While it’s always a treat to see Kaitlin Olson in a comedic role, DJ’s whole bit as a member of the Catholic Church was underwhelming and led to some predictable punchlines compared to the more innovative moments ofHacksseason 4.Deborah chugging the communion wine, for example, felt out of characterand forced with little comedic payoff.
Additionally, Marcus makes a pit stop to smoke a joint with Ava outside the church before making the point that he no longer had to be anywhere he didn’t want to be.Hacksseason 4, episode 7, undoubtedly felt like the most classic episodeof the season by far. Still, its placement sort of made it more random than nostalgic, which presents a big problem for the remainder ofHacksseason 4 and its eventual season 5. After so many shifts between seasons 3 and 4, these rearview mirror glances in episode 7 make it feel like an outlier in the show’s new Hollywood landscape.
Season 4 Suddenly Feels More Aimless Now That Deborah & Ava Made Up
Placing Deborah and Ava at odds with each other was a fascinating developmentat the start ofHacksseason 4. While some viewers found it to be too abrupt of a change in their character dynamic, I thought it was not only a natural evolution of their creative partnership but also one of the most compelling scenarios of the entire series.
WhileHacksseason 4, episodes 7 and 8 had their moments, they were arguably two of the most ineffective entries of the season, especially back-to-back.
Now that Deborah and Ava are back on good terms,I’m wondering what the throughline is that will continue to connect fromthe beginning to the end ofHacksseason 4. While these two episodeshad their moments, they were arguably two of the most ineffective entries of the season, especially back-to-back.
I also can’t help but ask whether I would genuinely be entertained by Deborah’s fictional late-night show, particularly the Mayor Jo shtick that Deborah found to be funnier than it was. I couldn’t imagine such a stunt working in reality, but regardless,I was confused as to why the series dropped its riveting Deborah v. Ava feud with something so aimless. In the same vein, Dance Mom’s episode 7 crash-out is unexpected and humorous, but unfortunately, it’s adrift from season 4’s previously intentional and meaningful tone.
Hacksseason 4 came out of the gate with a sharp voicethat spoke on women historically being unappreciated and overlooked in the entertainment industry, among other things. These last two episodes felt like they didn’t have much to say in that regard, as if these sentiments oddly concluded with Deborah and Ava’s feud.
Hacksseason 4 took a big swing with its various shifts in tone, protagonist dynamics, and location shift. These latest entries feel quite stagnant and conflicted compared to the rest of the season, stuck between theHacksof old and new. Hopefully, the final two episodes ofHacksseason 4 will provide a better indication of where the series is heading in its all-but-greenlit fifth season.
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Hacks, released in 2021, is a dark comedy series that explores the evolving relationship between Deborah Vance, a legendary comedian in Las Vegas, and an ambitious, outcast young writer. The show delves into the complexities of mentorship and creativity in the entertainment industry.
