As Hacks season 3 kicks off, it has been a year since Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) triumphed with her standup special featuring all-new material. It has also been a year since Deborah fired Ava (Hannah Einbinder) to push the talented writer to the next stage of her career.
Ava is now working on a hit comedy news show (similar vein Last Week Tonight with John Oliver) and lives with her actress girlfriend Ruby (Lorenza Izzo). Meanwhile, Deborah is modeling for the streetwear brand Supreme, getting laughs whenever she steps in front of a mic and receiving awards for her special that Ava co-wrote.
The Just For Laughs festival in Montreal is the ideal spot for their long-overdue reunion. Will it be awkward?
Restless Deborah, distracted Ava
A sequin-clad Deborah walks into Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. However, this is not Deborah; it is one of several drag queens dressed like the comedy star as Marty (Christopher McDonald) unveils a new Deborah Vance slot machine. The real Deborah is too busy dancing the Macarena routine at the Time 100 bash. Everyone wants a piece of the star, and she is living it up.
Deborah performs an impromptu set at George Wallace's comedy club (Wallace plays himself). Unfortunately, this crowd laughs at everything Deborah says, regardless of whether it is a joke or not, and this is what being too popular looks like. Later, she struggles to sleep and spends the night rearranging her vintage salt and pepper shaker collection.
A meeting with Deborah's stylist to discuss her dress for the Just For Laughs event is just the thing to shake the cobwebs out. None of the new garments appeal, so she suggests looking in her closet. By closest, she means an airplane hanger filled with rows of garments. It is a fashion paradise, but Deborah picks out a yellow frock that causes Damien (Mark Indelicato) to look horrified before he switches to compliments.
In Los Angeles, Ava accidentally crashes into the back of a bus when distracted by a billboard featuring Deborah. But work is going well, and Lewis (Aristotle Athari) asks her to represent On the Contrary with Lewis Benton at the Just for Laughs festival. While Ava's relationship with Ruby appears to be going well, she lies about how she got into the fender bender.
An awkward encounter
Talent manager Jimmy (Paul W. Downs) and assistant Kayla (Megan Stalter) arrive late to the comedy festival, meaning they have already missed some hot new comics. Adding fuel to the fire is Jimmy's former assistant, Silas (Michael Garza), who is there with another agency, so Jimmy immediately wants to sign someone big.
At the bar, Ava meets Deborah's new writers, which causes her to panic as she is unaware Deborah is in attendance. Ava confronts Jimmy about this, but they are interrupted by Ava's new boss, who wants to introduce his star writer to network head Winnie Landell (Helen Hunt). Jimmy tags along, and Winnie mentions that she slept with Jimmy's father in the past, making it extra awkward.
They are invited to a fancy party, but Ava wants to change first — she sweated through her T-shirt the minute Deborah's name was mentioned. When Ava yells for someone to hold the elevator, little does she know it is the woman she is not ready to see. Deborah tells Ava she looks well, and it is all rather cordial — too cordial.
The famous Tom Cruise cake
After Deborah exits the elevator on her floor, Ava can't leave it at that. For starters, Ava wants to know why Deborah hasn't made fun of her new haircut (which she then immediately does).
Ava immediately identified the coconut cake near the door as the one Tom Cruise sends to his entire contact list. Deborah isn't eating sugar but tells Ava to help herself.
The initial stiltedness continues to subside as Ava gives a rundown of her recent life events, like her job and the "Changing the World with Laughter" panel she will be on the following day. Ava mentions how well things are going with her TV star girlfriend, and Deborah seems genuinely pleased for her.
It feels more like old times when Ava clocks the hideous couture gown Deborah will wear, comparing it to Big Bird. Ava also points out that only people on Deborah's payroll like it. When they get an impartial bellboy to judge the dress, he says it is "really ugly" until he clocks Deborah and changes his opinion.
Elsewhere, Jimmy and Kayla approach the toast of the festival, Clive Matthews (Matt Bush), and explain their long-term plans. Clive is surprised but excited by their optimism. If only they had arrived on time, they would know his standup set focuses on being given three months to live.
Asking for joke advice
In Deborah's hotel room, the conversation turns even more honest as Ava thinks Deborah creates unnecessary obstacles, like squeezing into a dress as work is no longer challenging. Deborah asks for punchline advice, and this is where Ava draws the line. She is no longer her employee and Deborah hasn't replied to a single text in nine months, which means she isn't a friend either.
Everything Ava has been holding in comes spilling out, including Ruby making her go to couple's therapy to deal with how much Ava talks about her old boss. "I didn't deserve to be cut out like that," says Ava. Deborah seems surprised by this reaction, but Ava makes sure Deborah acknowledges the hurt. "I do not miss this bulls***," Ava says before leaving.
The following day at the panel, Ava tells one audience member to enjoy where she is right now because she will "miss it, and you can't go back." Ava does text Deborah the funnier punchline, so Deborah goes to Ava's room with the rest of the Tom Cruise cake as a peace offering. But she's too late, as Ava has checked out already. The pair have reunited but when will they work together again?
Hacks season 3 episodes premiere Thursdays exclusively on Max.
