
I’ve been following Hacks since the beginning, and it’s fascinating to see how much the show has evolved. It started as this wonderfully barbed battle between Deborah Vance, a comedy legend past her prime, and Ava, a struggling writer. Then it settled into a comfortable groove of these two women working together. But Season Four really shook things up, showing us the emptiness that can come with achieving ‘success’ – especially when Deborah landed a late-night gig and then bravely walked away from a controlling, and frankly awful, billionaire boss. What I’ve noticed over the seasons is that the show’s initial, sharp satire of the Hollywood scene has softened. It feels like the creators are less willing to truly critique the people they now work alongside. Season Five doubles down on this shift, turning its attention away from comedians and actors and instead focusing its fire on the executives – the Bobs of the world – and the systemic issues of mismanagement and unchecked power that plague the industry. It makes you wonder if talent even matters anymore, or if it’s all just about who’s at the top.