Hacks Recap: Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

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We’re back with a vengeance! Last week saw some turbulence, but this episode delivers on the signature style of Hacks – a blend of heart-wrenching moments and humor, culminating in a powerful, touching scene between Deborah and Ava. To start anew, let’s go back to the beginning. Deborah is seemingly triumphant (it’s a publicity stunt funded by the network) as she wins the “Courage in Comedy Award” (a fictional honor), hoping it will breathe new life into our series (Cher has dropped out as tomorrow’s guest: “She, quote, ‘doesn’t feel like participating.'”). Meanwhile, Ava is on the verge of a breakdown.

According to my last email, Ava appears to be struggling in a role she may not have been fully prepared for, and it’s showing. Instead of effectively managing her team, she seems more focused on winning their favor with activities like group birthday parties and free lunches. However, these attempts seem to backfire, as seen when Deborah pops all the balloons during a celebration. Deborah’s perspective, predictably, is more along the lines of “that’s what the salary is for.” A particularly memorable moment occurred when Deborah told Ava that she can’t be friends with her staff because they find her annoying, not due to her position as their supervisor. To add to the complexity, Ava’s ex, Ruby, will be visiting tomorrow to promote her new book, “Wolfgirl,” a title you might recall.

Deborah’s friend Marcus, Damien, has embarked on a lengthy, complicated trip to acquire a special mix of bear urine in Wyoming with the aim of resolving the coyote issue. At the same time, DJ is past her due date and anxious to initiate labor; she reaches out to her mother stating she needs “someone reliable” during childbirth, before Deborah could object that she’s too occupied. However, DJ quickly clarifies: “I meant Josefina.” As a result, Deborah remains at the ranch by herself, accompanied only by the dogs and coyotes. Hopefully, everything will turn out well!

At sunrise, Ava visits the mall for a beauty transformation in anticipation of encountering her stunning, accomplished former partner. This moment promises to be the pinnacle of her day, but it will likely end with Ava having an emotional breakdown, adorned in Marnie’s wedding-style makeup. What a hilarious twist! Ruby takes it all in stride, and Ava strives hard to maintain composure, but she’s barely holding it together, making her quite the mess. As it turns out, Ruby has a girlfriend? Well, Ava not only has a girlfriend, but also a boyfriend!

Deborah appreciates only three out of the twenty jokes Ava had shared earlier, and Ava was boasting about them. Ava hastily runs through the corridors as dramatic violin music swells; she and her team have half an hour to improve the remaining jokes. Upon Ava’s return, Deborah expresses frustration because there are now too many jokes, prompting a change in the act lineup that puts Ruby on stage instead, adding to her embarrassment. Matters worsen when Deborah shares an impromptu anecdote (a breach of professionalism, as you know their rivalry is causing issues) about Ava mistakenly believing Ruby’s “Wolfgirl” ring was a real engagement ring and trying to propose with it. Deborah’s punchline is amusing – “And with a bezel marquise cut, too! No wonder she’s an ex.” It’s worth noting that while Deborah has resumed her usual hairstyle, the open desk remains for maximum leg exposure. (Additionally, the segment teaser suggests “Dance Mom” is coming up next – a curious choice.)

Behind the scenes, Ruby is genuinely apologetic while Ava remains gracious. Deborah arrives home to her charming corgis and a reminder from Josefina to secure the doggy door due to coyotes. At this point, I’m incredibly overwhelmed!!!

Ava attempts to change her evening’s course by unexpectedly visiting Emily and Dev, hoping to scare them and then move quickly into intimacy. However, Dev and Emily are no longer interested in such behavior; they’re seeking an emotional bond, which Ava is unwilling to provide. Emily, who is quite perceptive, remarks that Ava still seems entangled in her previous relationship. Predictably, Ava becomes defensive. “So now you want ?” Emily replies, “No, we’re breaking up with you, and you’re making it difficult.” At least Ava managed to catch her key on the throw, or else stumbling around on the floor to retrieve it would have been disastrous for her.

The following day in the office, Deborah experiences her own version of purgatory, collaborating on social media content with TikTok sensation Jake Shane. (“You’re going to pretend to catch a bag of Fritos from Mariska Hargitay!”) However, she is so engrossed in her work that she fails to notice Ava grappling with a predicament. Ava’s nonchalant refusal to apologize for the Ruby interview results in a chilly “fuck you” from Ava, who then storms back to the writers’ room to find one of her lackadaisical team members absent without leave to get a tooth gem at the orthodontist. Despite their shared group chat, they apparently discuss matters without Ava – as she is the boss, such conversations should ideally take place in her absence. The culmination of their insubordination comes when they order a $72 branzino for lunch and label it “Mrs. Table,” a term used to denote extra food, which Ava has been covering the cost of herself. I was hoping Ava would stand up to these individuals by firing someone, perhaps the tooth-gem girl. Regrettably, after an emotional outburst about her early morning schedule – she once witnessed a janitor in an intimate moment, and decided not to report it as he likely doesn’t earn a living wage – Ava throws the branzino against the wall, declares that she is resigning, and drives off in a fit of rage through the security gate.

Rob unexpectedly drops by on Deborah as she tirelessly campaigns on social media, attempting to get Barry Keoghan to do the chicken-dance challenge for arthritis research. To inform her, he shares that Ava seems to have had a mental breakdown, which means they’ll need to proceed with the show without her. The performance reportedly runs smoothly, but Ava’s absence leaves Deborah feeling uneasy. She slips on her stylish coat and explores the empty office of her former head writer. Among Ava’s belongings, she discovers a framed photo of young Deborah.

At this phony gala, Deborah encounters Rosie O’Donnell who encourages her to appreciate even minor, insincere victories such as the Crystal Pepsi Award for Comedy Clarity. “Savor the days you spend rolling with laughter alongside your most cherished companions,” Rosie advises before inquiring about Deborah’s secret to improvement. She wonders if it was ayahuasca, but Deborah hesitates to mention Ava instead.

Upon returning home, the house seems unusually tranquil – almost eerily so. The only sound comes from a solitary corgi. Deborah heroically saves her cherished pet Barry from an aggressive coyote by hurling (it turns out, not entirely ineffective!) her comedy award at it, sending the assailant fleeing. She is visibly shaken, as the thought of living without the little redhead companion she has grown to depend on leaves her distraught. With renewed determination, Deborah leaps into action, searching for Ava who, according to Kayla, may no longer be alive. (“At this point, we’re essentially looking for a body.”)

Luckily, a kind young woman at the “girl twirl” event in Silver Lake, which was a night of line dancing for the LGBTQ+ community, demonstrates to Deborah how to use FindMy, as Deborah has activated it for Ava. It’s heartwarming to see such technology fostering connections among people <3. Deborah locates Ava at the beach, which is quite a distance from Silver Lake. This journey across town could be seen as a testament to Deborah’s dedication rather than the events that follow. Seeing a woman resembling Ava in the water, Deborah bravely jumps into the water, even wearing her fur coat, because Ava, as you may remember, cannot swim. I implore everyone to vow never to engage in such behavior. Swimming alone at NIGHT? As a former lifeguard, I cannot express enough my disapproval of this action.

The water is freezing cold, and the woman isn’t Ava. Deborah makes her way back to land, with Ava casually strolling along the beach. Ava then shares her predicament: “I’m not contemplating suicide. I just want to cease existing!” If Ava were planning to take her own life, she wouldn’t venture into the sea. Deborah is well-acquainted with Ava’s actions and they both conclude in unison: She’d appear on ‘Watch What Happens Live’ wearing a suicide vest instead.

After an incident where Ava appeared quite comical, Deborah seems disheveled and forlorn, a stark contrast. They catch up at the Slippery Oyster, where Ava expresses gratitude to Deborah for damaging her beloved fur coat, an action taken to save Ava’s life. They then delve into serious matters: Deborah warns Ava that she’ll regret her decision to quit; she admits her mistake in setting Ava up for failure and asks for a second chance she acknowledges she doesn’t deserve. In response, Ava admits she believes Deborah was right to bypass her for the opportunity initially, and, as Deborah makes her promises, Ava implores her to cease. “When you promise that,” Ava says, “I want to trust you. But you’ve always let me down.

Apart from not trusting Deborah and not recognizing her voice, Ava openly expresses this sentiment. In response, Deborah claims, “You are my voice.” It’s questionable whether this is the most gracious thing Deborah has ever said… to anyone. However, Ava now harbors feelings of dislike towards Deborah. To her surprise, Deborah suggests that this makes her part of a lively group of individuals who dislike her. And in truth, Ava has been feeling quite lonely. So, hearing such words might be quite pleasant for her.

I’ve come to embrace a fresh perspective where we create this show with each other in mind. We’re stepping away from our data-driven decision-making process, you know, no more numbers guiding our every move (so maybe no more Dance Moms? Fingers crossed!). Instead, what if we simply enjoyed ourselves? What if we found common ground over shared annoyances, like how Stacy’s deodorant-less state consistently grinds our gears? It feels great to laugh together again, just like old times without the blackmail!

Ava pulls out a bottle of Champagne that’s been stored away for quite some time, and unfortunately, it turns out to be rather unpleasant. Despite this, they go ahead and drink it directly from the bottle.

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2025-05-09 06:46