HBO Max renews Hacks for a third season
The acclaimed comedy series stars Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder
[This article contains spoilers for the second season finale of Hacks]
HBO Max has renewed the acclaimed comedy Hacks for a third season, shortly after the second season finale saw its characters going in surprising new directions. The news arrives after a number of other projects recently hit the chopping block at the streamer, such as Made For Love, Raised By Wolves, and Wonder Twins.
Hacks stars Emmy-winner Jean Smart as Deborah Vance, a veteran comedian and lifestyle personality who is both trying to reclaim her embattled public image and confront past shortcomings in her personal life. Hannah Einbinder plays Ava, a young writer who is reluctantly enlisted to punch up Deborah’s act. The two immediately clash, but their dynamic eventually evolves into a working partnership that reinvigorates Deborah’s career.
The second season concluded with Deborah self-producing a new stand-up special and distributing it on DVD through her deal with QVC after her vision was rejected by traditional networks. Despite what they have achieved together, Deborah then fires Ava, fearing that she has put her own career on the back burner. With a third season on the way, it seems unlikely that the two of them will stay out of each others’ orbits for long.
The series also co-stars Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Kaitlin Olson, Meg Stalter, Joe Mande, Poppy Liu, Christopher McDonald, Rose Abdoo, and Mark Indelicato. Season two featured guest appearances from Laurie Metcalf, Ming-Na Wen, Susie Essman, Martha Kelly, Margaret Cho, and Devon Sawa.
Hacks was created by Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky, who all previously worked on Broad City. Aniello has also directed a number of episodes, as has Downs, who is regularly in front of the camera as Deborah and Ava’s manager Jimmy.
The first two seasons of Hacks are now available on HBO Max.