Hacks Season 4 Twist Finally Revealed: Why Deborah Sacrificed Everything

by

Fans of Hacks were caught off guard by the unexpected turn in Season 4, a surprise even for the showrunners. In an exclusive interview with Max (formerly HBO Max), creators Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky, and Paul W. Downs discussed the intricate plot points of Season 4’s Episode 9. Among the topics covered was Deborah’s selfish nature, which led to much debate about her decision concerning a significant ultimatum she received: either dismiss Ava from the show or face removal herself. [Spoiler alert: major spoilers ahead for those who haven’t watched Season 4, Episode 9 of Hacks.]

Deborah and Ava have often found themselves at odds, a situation that has frequently provided both conflict and humor on the show. Given this history, viewers might have anticipated Deborah putting her financial interests first over her writing partnership. However, surprisingly, Deborah made the decision to forgo her long-held aspiration of hosting a late-night talk show in order to maintain her bond with Ava. The question now arises as to why Jen, Lucia, and Paul chose to rehabilitate what some might call a self-centered individual, and how improved dynamics between the pair could influence “Hacks” in future seasons, especially if it proceeds for a potential 5th (and final) season.

How Far We’ve Come Since ‘Hacks’ Season 3

If you had gone back in time to last May and told viewers of ‘Hacks’ that Deborah would risk her entire career for Ava in the upcoming season, they wouldn’t have thought it possible. To clarify, at that point, Deborah had recently demoted Ava to a less significant role on her writing team out of fear of upsetting higher-ups who favored other potential Head Writers. This move left Ava feeling devastated and led her to make an unusual, manipulative move by blackmailing Deborah for the position she wanted. While ‘Hacks’ had always been a mix of comedy and drama, this development suggested a significantly darker, more politically-charged tone similar to ‘Veep’ for the show’s future direction.

Throughout most of Season 4, their relationship was tense and heated, as hinted at in the previous season. For five episodes, viewers witnessed a decline in their usual friendly banter to harsh, even hurtful arguments. So when they reconciled in Season 4, Episode 6, fans held out hope but remained skeptical. Fans had been led on so many times before that it seemed unlikely this reunion would be any different from the others for this toxic (seeming) pair. However, that changed in the second-to-last episode of the season.

In a display of both self-assuredness and humility, Deborah publicly declared on live television, “The dream I once knew has transformed, and so have I.” The drastic change she made to all her previous endeavors was, as always, unconventional but ultimately for the greater good. This unexpected turn of events was a decision made by the showrunners.

Jen: “We aimed to make the audience question whether Ava has truly transformed or if she’ll continue to be self-centered, focusing primarily on her own interests…

Lucia: “She made an emotional choice. Which is so unlike her.”

Jen mentioned that the current situation in (Episode) 309 was essentially the opposite of an emotional choice made then. Now, instead of being driven by fear, she’s motivated by a different emotion altogether.

Paul: “It was love, truly, that influenced our perspective on the industry during the WGA strike, and it significantly shaped Season 4. Expressing those emotions through Deborah’s character was an incredibly therapeutic experience.

‘Hacks’ Will End With Season 5

Great news! The show Hacks has been formally renewed for another season. This means the entertaining duo will return to provide even more humor, emotion, and insightful commentary on the challenges faced by artists in an industry that seems to prioritize metrics over creativity, and image over authenticity. As per Jean Smart’s interview with Deadline, the showrunners had always envisioned five seasons for this series. “They mentioned they had five seasons worth of ideas in their minds, but that was all,” shared Smart.

In the season finale, there was a tough but potentially just discussion between Deborah and Ava. During this conversation, Deborah hinted that Ava had spent most of her 20s working under her, suggesting she should make friends closer to her own age. However, an unexpected twist unfolds when Deborah encounters a mistake in her obituary. This error serves as a reminder of Deborah’s past and keeps the story between them unresolved for one more installment. But with Deborah bound by a non-compete clause with the late-night network, where can their tale possibly unfold next?

In Season 4, Episodes 9 and 10, we learn that Deborah was effectively silenced for 18 months. One possibility is she finds another loophole in her contract, similar to the one that allowed her to perform stand-up comedy through a translator while in Singapore. Alternatively, she might use her past relationship with head-of-network Bob Lipka as leverage, potentially blackmailing him. However, it’s also possible that Deborah will follow advice given by her friend Nora Ephron and find humor in the situation, making it her own joke. Another intriguing option is that Hacks could skip forward in time, showing us how Deborah develops a new plan over 12 months which she reveals in the series finale. Find out what route they choose as you stream Hacks on Max.

Read More

2025-06-03 02:02