Can Deborah Vance hack show business without Ava Daniels?
Sure, she can. But in the third season of “Hacks,” Vance (Jean Smart) gets an offer both can’t refuse – a late-night talk show.
Even though Ava (Hannah Einbinder) has moved on to a hip comedy show, she’s willing to risk it to see Deborah land the whale.
Very quickly, the fight that separated them is forgotten and they’re on the trail of executives who could make the expedition successful.
Interestingly, it’s more fun to see the two on the same side, rather than battling each other. Because Ava has tasted success, she doesn’t feel the need to bow to Deborah. Similarly, Deborah doesn’t always have to be right.
That Lucy/Ethel partnership bodes well, particularly since they take on celebrity golf tournaments, executive bias and a last-minute crisis that has a way of bringing out the best in everyone.
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Smart plays the coy Deborah when necessary but can turn on the aggressive one when essential. She has a blast crafting her over-the-top Christmas party and tries to get closer to her daughter and her sister in one fell swoop.
Ava, meanwhile, has a relationship to tend to, a not-so-old boss to appease and a way through the landmines of broadcast television that few have been able to maneuver. For Einbinder, it's a real promotion -- a chance to show she's an equal, not a complement.
To give them something of a break, Deborah’s agent and his assistant (Paul Downs and Megan Stalter) get more screen time this year, showing how their careers fare in light of the quest. While they’re not quite replacement Deborah/Ava, they do fill a niche meant for scramblers. It’s messy but it does provide respite. (Stalter, too, isn’t quite as annoying as she was in the first two seasons.) That change means less time for Vance’s house staff and practically no time for her extended family.
Luckily, daughter D.J. (Kaitlin Olson) has reason for extra attention and a relationship with Aunt Kathy (J. Smith-Cameron) that kindles old fires.
While “Hacks” isn’t as ruthless as it was in its infancy, it does have moments where Smart can bear her claws. She’s practically rabid in her quest to get the job and doesn’t stop trying even when several “isms” threaten to do her in.
When Deborah gets a guest spot, “Hacks” hits its apex and puts everyone on alert. It’s the season’s best episode and yet another reason Smart is the best female in a comedy series, hands-down.
The job, however, isn't hers for the taking and that's where "Hacks" has its most fun. It shows all isn't fair in love and television politics. It also proves where there's a will, there's an Ava.
“Hacks” returns May 2 on Max.