After five critically acclaimed, award-studded seasons, the beloved HBO comedy series ‘Hacks’ is preparing to draw its curtain, and lead star Jean Smart says the story’s final chapter delivers a conclusion that could not have been more fitting. Smart, who has taken home the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series four consecutive times for her portrayal of iconic aging comedian Deborah Vance, opened up about wrapping up the groundbreaking series in a recent press briefing ahead of the fifth and final season’s launch.
When co-creators Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky first walked Smart through their planned ending for Vance and her sharp-witted mentee Ava Daniels, played by rising star Hannah Einbinder, the veteran actress admitted she had initial uncertainties about how the narrative would land. “I didn’t really have an idea of how it would end. I wanted to be surprised,” Smart told reporters, adding that she had embraced unforeseen narrative turns throughout her five years on the project. “I’ve loved being surprised every episode for all these years.”
Smart shared that she was initially taken aback by the creative team’s final plot direction for the two core characters. “I was not sure,” she confessed. “But I said: ‘Hey, I trust you guys. Always have, always turns out great.’ And it did. And now I think it was perfect.”
Since making its debut on HBO Max in May 2021, ‘Hacks’ has earned near-universal critical praise, cementing its status as one of the most celebrated comedy series of recent years. Across its first four seasons, the show dominated awards circuits, racking up multiple Emmys and Golden Globe Awards, with honors recognizing not just its lead performances but also sharp writing and innovative directing.
Co-creator Paul W. Downs explained that the series finale wraps up the core theme that anchored the show from its very first episode: legacy and what a person leaves behind after their career comes to a close. “It is about what we set out in the very first episode, which is your legacy and what you leave behind,” he said. “We’re leaving behind a series, and we’re thinking about that for ourselves and for our characters.”
For the cast, saying goodbye to the show and characters they have lived with for four years has brought a mix of joy and sadness. Einbinder, who has portrayed Ava throughout the character’s entire journey of personal and professional growth, said she could not have asked for a more satisfying conclusion to the story. The 30-year-old actress noted that it has been a privilege to grow alongside her character, and that every evolution the pair underwent across five seasons felt earned and purposeful. “I think every evolution that these characters have undergone has felt warranted and earned,” she said. “Everything that I would hope for them has been achieved.”
For 74-year-old Smart, the reality of the show ending sank in slowly as the cast filmed final scenes on each of the series’ iconic sets. The actress joked that production allowed her to take small mementos from each set as keepsakes to remember her time on the groundbreaking comedy.
Viewers will get to see the highly anticipated final chapter when the fifth and final season of ‘Hacks’ premieres on HBO Max on April 9.