"Hacks" season 4 finale just wrapped up on Max, bringing to a close a chapter of the hit comedy drama that has, frankly, been treading water at times.
Don't get me wrong, the show remains excellent. A relatively stale season of Hacks is still one of the funniest things on TV or the best streaming services.
But now I'm more excited for the future of the show than ever, because the end of season 4 — including its shocking climax — has me hopeful that this show is ready, like its main character Deborah, to finally get back to its peak.
'Hacks' season 4 finale seemingly acknowledges the show has been in a rut
Spoilers for "Hacks" beyond this point
Let me reiterate: At no point has this show been bad.
But the first two seasons of "Hacks" are some of the best from a comedy series ever. They were brilliant, fresh and constantly had you on alert for what was coming next.
The past two seasons, though? Well, as Deborah made the transition from the queen of standup to the queen of late-night TV, the show entered a bit of a holding pattern.
In retrospect, this holding pattern may have occurred because the show knew it didn't want Deborah's story to end there. But it still felt like the show's writers were finding excuses to keep the late-night show storyline going.
That storyline ended with a bang in last week's penultimate season 4 episode, and now Deborah can't work at all, let alone on a late-night talk show.
That penultimate episode marked the end of one era of "Hacks," and this season finale is all about transitioning to the next era of the show.
We see Deborah and Ava leave Hollywood and Vegas behind to recreate their Vegas years in Singapore. We get the not-so-subtle metaphor of the Tropicana imploding while everyone watches.
But with the episode about to end, Ava and Deborah seem ready to split again, continuing the push-pull, will-they-won't-they of their mother-daughter/mentor-mentee relationship that we've seen all season long. The cycle seemed set to repeat, with Ava headed back to Los Angeles with her tail between her legs and Deborah once again a "hack," but this time in Singapore instead of Vegas.
However, "Hacks" chose that moment to remind us why this show is so good. Ava wakes up to Jimmy calling to say that TMZ is reporting that Deborah is dead.
That's the kind of twist "Hacks" used to hit us with. I was immediately brought back to season 1, when Ava spends a whirlwind, possibly perspective-changing night with a guy in Vegas, only to find that he'd jumped to his death while she was getting coffee.
Of course, Deborah isn't dead, something we knew given that the show was renewed for season 5.
But she's is pissed about the TMZ obituary saying she killed late-night TV and then retired to Singapore, and she's ready to get back to the top of the comedy world — consequences be damned.
That's a show I'm looking forward to watching, and it's why I can't wait for "Hacks" season 5.
Stream "Hacks" now on Max
Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.
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