'Hacks' Knows Exactly What It’s Doing — And That’s What Makes It Great

On paper, “Hacks” could have been — excuse the pun — a hacky premise: a generational clash between a boomer comedian and a Gen Z comedy writer forced to work together. Insert some low-hanging jokes about their differences, and call it a day.

But the Max comedy series has always been richer and deeper than that, thanks to creators Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky — veterans of great TV comedies like “Broad City” and “The Good Place” — and an ensemble of extremely funny actors led by television icon Jean Smart. In 2021, the show’s first season mined real-world parallels to create a perfect tonal alchemy, uproarious one minute, poignant the next. Smart’s character, fictional comedy legend Deborah Vance, evoked lots of real-life women in entertainment who have been unfairly maligned, misunderstood and written off. And Deborah’s relationship with her writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) was always much more complex than a simple pairing of two mismatched people or a toxic boss managing an entitled new employee.

Add in a rich tapestry of supporting characters, including Deborah and Ava’s long-suffering manager Jimmy (played by Downs), his inept assistant Kayla (Meg Stalter), Deborah’s devoted but perpetually overworked CEO Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins) and striving assistant Damian (Mark Indelicato). Seamlessly weave in some mordantly funny meta-commentary on the entertainment industry, and you’ve got comedy gold.

Season 2 found new ways to do the same things that made the first season great, taking the characters on the road as Deborah tests out new material for what becomes a career-defining comedy special. It ends with one of the show’s best scenes, where Deborah fires Ava — but does so out of respect and love, so Ava can go find her own comedic voice. Ava tearfully tells Deborah: “I want to be wherever you are.” It was a reminder of yet another clever and sneakily brilliant trick the show had been pulling all along: making a rom-com about work.

So it should come as no surprise that the third season of “Hacks,” premiering Thursday, is once again funny as hell, while also warm and poignant. Over nine sharp and succinct episodes, just when you think the show’s central dynamics might get repetitive, “Hacks” keeps finding new ways to push things forward.

Season 3 opens a year after Deborah and Ava’s separation. Ava is thriving in a coveted staff writing job on a “Last Week Tonight”-like show, and seemingly has a healthier relationship with her on-again-off-again girlfriend Ruby (Lorenza Izzo). Deborah, riding high off the success of her special, is figuring out what comes next.

But we know where this is going. “Hacks” doesn’t really work without the work marriage of Deborah and Ava, so they’re bound to get back together again — and they do. By Episode 2, when Deborah gets the opportunity to pursue her deferred dream of hosting a late-night talk show, she rehires Ava, setting up the central storyline of the season.

The themes and character dynamics we know and love keep evolving. As she makes the case that she should be the next late-night host, Deborah wonders if she can even say her ambitions out loud, knowing all too well how being ambitious puts women in a bind. Meanwhile, a more seasoned Ava is learning how to set boundaries with Deborah and be a better advocate for herself.

All of the show’s main characters are once again navigating their relationships to their work and figuring out whether they can ever untether their identities from their jobs. Another work marriage on “Hacks,” the one between Jimmy and Kayla, also gets to transform in new and surprising ways. Kayla remains laugh-out-loud funny, while also revealing some depth as a person who secretly does care about her job. Meanwhile, Marcus, who has long been married to his job, is wondering whether to finally put himself first over his devotion to Deborah.

The show has few flaws, if any, but the viewer might wish that Clemons-Hopkins, Indelicato and some of the other ensemble players had more to do. There are a lot of character dynamics to juggle, particularly with this season’s impressive roster of guest stars. Perhaps unavoidably, some of the show’s recurring characters get short shrift — though many of them do get at least one centerpiece moment to shine.

“Hacks” is at its best when it keeps finding new ways to turn familiar tropes into something unexpected. For example, there’s a climactic airport scene that encapsulates how the show continues to take rom-com tropes and apply them to work-related situations.

Without spoiling it, the season’s resolution sticks the landing perfectly, giving the audience what it thinks will happen — but also a twist of the knife. Like the show itself, its characters always have one more trick up their sleeves.

“Hacks” premieres Thursday on Max, with two episodes airing weekly.

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