Hacks - Seasons 1-4

“Hacks portrays Ava’s bisexuality with respect and honesty.”

Title: Hacks
Episodes Reviewed: Seasons 1-4
Creators: Lucia Aniello 👩🏼🇺🇸, Paul W. Downs 👨🏼🇺🇸, and Jen Statsky 👩🏼🇺🇸
Writers: Lucia Aniello 👩🏼🇺🇸 (13 eps), Paul W. Downs 👨🏼🇺🇸 (13 eps), Jen Statsky 👩🏼🇺🇸 (13 eps), Andrew Law 👨🏻🇺🇸🌈 (4 eps), Pat Regan 👨🏼🇺🇸🌈 (4 eps), Samantha Riley 👩🏾🇺🇸 (4 eps), Ariel Karlin 👩🏼🇺🇸 (4 eps), and various

Reviewed by Sam 🧑🏻🇺🇸🌈

—SPOILERS AHEAD—

Technical: 4.5/5

“Can women be funny?” Hacks scoffs at this sexist yet age-old question and shatters expectations in the world of stand-up comedy. The HBO series, created by Lucia Aniello, Paul Downs, and Jen Statsky, follows comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), whose comedy career is on the decline. Meanwhile, younger writer Ava finds her own career at a crossroads and helps reinvigorate Deborah’s career.

Ava and Deborah have a turbulent relationship, constantly challenging each other to be better and change their perspectives. The show leans into the hilarity of their arguments but isn’t afraid to highlight the valuable bond they share. All the while, the writing confronts the harsh realities of discrimination that women still face in the industry today.

Throughout its first four seasons, Hacks excels at balancing comedy and drama. It delivers both laughs and tears at unexpected moments, earning it several Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy Series in 2024. With a confirmed Season 5, it’s safe to say that, based on its track record so far, Hacks will continue to tell the story of Deborah and Ava with both heart and wit.

Gender: 5/5
Does it pass the Bechdel Test? YES

Hacks is so woman-centered that it seldom passes a reverse-Bechdel test—two men having a conversation about something other than a woman. In “Big, Brave Girl” (Season 4, Episode 1), one moment perfectly captures what the show is trying to address: Journalists badger Deborah about what it feels like to be the first woman to host a late-night show until she snaps and says, “How about you not think of me as a woman, okay? I’m not a woman. I’m a comedian. Got it?”

Deborah’s outburst stems from her frustration with the expectations the industry places on her, as they view her as a “woman” rather than a “comedian.” Throughout the series, she pushes back against the boxes that men in the comedy industry try to confine her to. The show does an excellent job of pointing out every moment she has to “overcome” her womanhood to prove that she’s funny. But a central point that Hacks makes is that being a woman isn’t a weakness, but a strength for Deborah, even if she doesn’t realize it. Ava, who works in a less public-facing role as a writer, helps Deborah recognize that she has a unique perspective that male comedians don’t have. Together, they reinvent Deborah’s public-facing identity to embrace her womanhood rather than treating her gender as a barrier.

Ava’s influence on Deborah is a great way to demonstrate how women can support one another in the industry. But Hacks also turns this trope on its head and illustrates how women can bring each other down in their pursuit of success. This nuanced portrayal of flawed women—without villanization—is a breath of fresh air in the era of “girlboss feminism,” which flattens women into being “badass” without addressing the ever-present glass ceiling.

Race: 3/5

The main recurring cast of Hacks, especially in Season 4, consists almost entirely of white characters. A few people of color shine during their limited screen time: housekeeper Josefina (Rose Abdoo, who’s Lebanese-Dominican American), trusted advisor Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Black American), and dedicated personal assistant Damien (Marcus Indelicato, Puerto Rican-Italian American). Additionally, blackjack dealer Kiki, played by Chinese American actress Poppy Liu, frequently makes appearances. Unfortunately, they’re all side characters, and it’s notable that almost all of them work for Deborah, her needs taking precedence over theirs.

This issue becomes stark in Season 4, when Marcus officially steps down because his job has consumed his life. While Deborah eventually lets him go, she also realizes how dependent she has become on him. Yet, Marcus only makes sparse appearances after his leave, and his importance to Deborah’s life seems to be the only lingering effect. With unsatisfactory closure like this, it’s clear that the show has no room for central characters of color when its two white leads occupy all the narrative space.

LGBTQ: 4.5/5

On the other hand, Hacks places queer characters at the forefront. In her role as a main character, Ava frequently talks about her bisexuality. Several side characters, specifically Marcus and Damien, also openly identify as queer and have had significant plotlines that explore this aspect of their lives.

The show consistently portrays Ava’s queer identity with respect and honesty. She has several love interests, including men and women, and in Season 4, sometimes both at the same time. Hacks never shies away from difficult conversations around bisexuality, as Ava often talks about it and helps Deborah, who’s straight and older, understand why her queerness is an important part of her life.

One of the most touching moments occurs in “Join the Club” (Season 3, Episode 4), when Deborah hears her long-time friends making jokes about bisexuality. She points out their ignorance and challenges their assumptions. Deborah refuses to sacrifice her allyship to Ava, and to the LGBTQ community, just to make her industry peers feel comfortable—even when it means her reputation might suffer. That said, it also highlights how Hacks can occasionally slip into focusing on allyship, giving off the sense that writers are hand-delivering a message to presumably straight audiences.

Still, Hacks undeniably centers LGBTQ narratives. Several of the writers openly identify as queer, and that authenticity shines through with Ava’s storylines.

Bonus for Age: +1.00

Hacks highlights the intersection of age and gender, directly confronting the way society often negatively views women over 50 who have public personas. Deborah—played by Smart, who’s 73 at the time of this review—constantly faces personal questions about her age. Several characters in the show question whether she’s fit to host a grueling production like late-night in her 70s, making it even harder for her to prove herself.

All the while, Deborah is surrounded by people in their 20s and 30s and often complains that she needs to “compete” against them. Hacks highlights the way society weaponizes aging in an honest light that very few shows accomplish.

Mediaversity Grade: A- 4.50/5

Championing LGBTQ and women’s rights in the comedy world, Hacks serves as a welcome change. It does falter when trying to tell the stories of non-white characters, but perhaps Season 5 can find a way back to its extended cast of characters like Marcus, Damien, and Kiki. Until then, we’ll be rewatching previous seasons and waiting for the next chapter of this whip-smart story.

Like Hacks? Try these other titles featuring performers trying to make it.

Grade: ALiJuly 28, 2025Great for: Gender, Great for: Age, Great for: LGBTQ