While the idea of comedy on television has been warped by the Emmys, some shows can deliver the joke factories that once littered the TV landscape. Three-camera sitcoms may be out of vogue, but Hacks takes the best bits of those shows and applies them to a single-camera setup. Hacks shines as the best of both worlds with withering jokes and incredible performances. It’s among the most poignant and topical shows of the moment while laying track that will allow it to hold up in the decades to come. It does not hurt that Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder are two of the funniest people on television.
Hacks Season 3 Plot
Deborah Vance (Smart) continues to dine out on the success of her special. She’s the toast of the comedy world, no longer confined to Las Vegas. Meanwhile Ava (Einbinder) succeeds away from Deborah. As a producer on a John Oliver-esque show, Ava’s star continues to rise. When Deborah discovers a lifelong dream may open up, she asks Ava to help her. Reunited, the two must define new elements to their relationship. However, it also opens old wounds in their lives.
Hacks Season 3 Critique
The latest season of Hacks gets off to a rollicking start, which we first caught back at SXSW. With sharpened comedy and development for each character, the series comes out of the starting gate like a thoroughbred. The laugh-a-minute structure comes far more naturally to Hacks than 30 Rock or Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. It’s a constant stream of one-liners that feel rooted in character, and when the comedy originates in character, it sticks with you. It’s helpful to have some of the most talented performers alive, but Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky have turned Hacks into the most reliably funny show on TV.
It’s impossible to ignore the brilliance Smart continues to showcase. It’s not only an impeccably brilliant comedic turn, but her ability to conjure emotion and vulnerability is second to none. Smart brings unique pathos to each relationship, allowing each to occupy different shades of her personality. Again, this helps with development, as the show pushes its side characters and stars into confronting their inner demons. Smart is the hub through which all the other stories are told, and Hacks ensures that her comedic supremacy is on full display.
Einbinder continues her own ascent in the process. The young actress’ rise mirrors Ava’s, and when she first broke through, you could feel her ambition in the performance. Now, you can tell that Einbinder is not only self-assured but also one of the very best comedic actors working today. Her ability to volley with Smart would impress on its own. Yet her willingness to take on new vulnerability, employ her character’s ethos into the humor, and confront her own insecurity is all on screen.
Einbinder could easily default to make quirky jokes against an older comedian. What she’s doing in Hacks is far more complex and embodies the superstar she’s become. Hacks has been the story of a young comedian rising to help an established talent find her next step. With Einbinder’s performance, it’s impossible to ignore the literal passing of the torch occurring in front of our eyes.
While Smart and Einbinder dominate the series, the rest of the ensemble continues to thrive as well. Downs and Megan Stalter remain the best comedy sidekicks working. However, they get an opportunity to come into their own with deeper character work over the season. It’s one of the most rewarding relationships of Season 3, and Hacks is better for investing the time in them.
Carl Clemons-Hopkins gets a long overdue arc this season. He continues to play into the straight-man role, bouncing off the insanity around him with poise. Clemons-Hopkins works perfectly in this role, and his gravitas helps Hacks maintain integrity in its LGBTQ+ storylines. Both Mark Indelicato and Rose Abdoo get more comedic moments this season, and they help to balance the more emotional arcs of Hacks. We’d like them to get the development allowed to others in future seasons, but in the meantime, they’ve stepped up the comedy.
All of this comes into sharp focus behind the excellent director’s room. They’re led by Aniello, who shows incredible visual prowess. She’s also mastered building tension, releasing it with comedic timing, and reframing the narratives within an episode. Even the camera can play multiple sides, allowing Aniello’s blocking choices to establish motifs throughout the season. She’s not the only one in the chair this season, but her visual sensibilities leave fingerprints over the rest of the episodes. With Aniello, Downs, and Statsky in control of Hacks, the sky is the limit.
Hacks Conclusion
Few shows reach the Pantheon of Comedy. Yet Hacks continues to speed towards all-timer status. The ceiling has always been high with Smart and Einbinder delivering brilliant performances. Yet the combination of pathos and humor is unmatched in the current TV landscape. Add in more than a dozen guest stars, all of whom are utilized to perfection within the context of their episodes, and you have a show firing on all cylinders. Hacks has surpassed its initial status as a comedic and slanted look at the entertainment industry. It’s among the most human shows on television while being the funniest.
10/10
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