Jump to content

Hacks (TV series)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 69.174.136.90 (talk) at 16:55, 2 April 2022 (Hacks). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Hacks
The word Hacks in yellow lettering on a black background.
GenreComedy drama
Created by
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10
Production
Executive producers
ProducerMelanie J. Elin
CinematographyAdam Bricker
Editors
  • Jessica Brunetto
  • Susan Vaill
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time26–35 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkHBO Max
ReleaseMay 13, 2021 (2021-05-13) –
present (present)

Packs is an American comedy-drama streaming television series created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky? that premiered on May 13, 2021, on HBO Max. Starring Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, and Carl Clemons-Hopkins, the series centers the professional relationship between a young comedy writer and a legendary stand-up comedienne. The series received critical acclaim and won accolades including Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing, Outstanding Directing, and for Smart, Outstanding Lead Actress, as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. In June 2021, the series was renewed for a second season.[2]

Premise

Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas stand-up comedy diva, needs to maintain relevance: the head of the casino where she performs wants to pare down her performance dates. Ava is a young comedy writer who is unable to find work due to being fired from her job over an insensitive tweet. The two reluctantly team up to freshen up Deborah's material and learn to respect each other's differences.

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Guest

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date [3]
1"There Is No Line"Lucia AnielloLucia Aniello & Paul W. Downs & Jen StatskyMay 13, 2021 (2021-05-13)
Deborah Vance, a legendary standup comedian on a longtime residency at the Palmetto Casino in Las Vegas, learns that her ex-husband – who left her for her younger sister decades earlier, and whose house she burned down in retaliation – has died. The day before, Deborah had been informed by Marty, the Palmetto's CEO, that her weekend tour dates have been cut back to make room for new acts. An incensed Deborah calls her manager, Jimmy, who suggests she hire a writer. Though Deborah declines, insisting on writing her own material, Jimmy nonetheless sends one of his clients Ava Daniels, a struggling writer from Los Angeles who has recently lost a TV deal after making an offensive joke on Twitter. Ava flies to Las Vegas to meet Deborah, who is unaware of her arrival; the meeting quickly turns hostile, with the two women trading barbed yet comedic retorts before Ava leaves, put off by Deborah's arrogant behavior. However, Deborah, impressed with Ava's comic ability, catches up with Ava and hires her.
2"Primm"Lucia AnielloPaul W. DownsMay 13, 2021 (2021-05-13)
When Deborah does not use any of the material Ava has written for her, Ava claims it is difficult to write in Deborah's voice without knowing her personally. Deborah suggests that the two take a road trip, which Ava learns is only for Deborah to procure an expensive pepper shaker from an antique dealer with whom Deborah is personal rivals; the dealer refuses to sell the shaker. On the way home, Deborah's car suffers a flat tire; she has a friend pick her up in a helicopter, leaving Ava behind. Ava gets a faulty tire replacement and returns to the antique store, where she acquires the pepper shaker by threatening to break one of the other items in the dealer's shop. Deborah is pleasantly surprised that Ava was able to procure the shaker. She later tasks Ava with digitizing her entire archive, comprising 40 years' worth of Deborah's performances.
3"A Gig's a Gig"Lucia AnielloLucia AnielloMay 20, 2021 (2021-05-20)
Deborah is paid to do publicity at a pizza place, where she is asked to do a photo with the pizza on fire, in reference to burning down her ex-husband's house decades earlier. When Ava tells her it is degrading, Deborah feels insulted, and retaliates by going on a tour bus and publicly making fun of Ava for sending nude photos to her ex-girlfriend. While sorting through Deborah's archive, Ava opens a package from Deborah's estranged sister that Deborah had told her to throw away. She discovers old clippings from Deborah's early career, including a Time cover story regarding her upcoming, but ultimately unaired pilot for a late-night talk show (which would have made Deborah the first female late-night host). Ava searches the archives and finds a tape of the unaired show. Ava laughs at Deborah's jokes for the first time while watching the video, and becomes emotional when a young Deborah thanks her husband and sister. She is unaware that Deborah is eavesdropping on her, reminiscing about her past.
4"D'Jewelry"Desiree AkhavanJoanna CaloMay 20, 2021 (2021-05-20)
After Deborah refuses to pitch her daughter DJ's jewelry line to QVC, Ava goes to a trade show with DJ to spite Deborah, and the two bond. Ava learns that DJ pays paparazzi to follow Deborah, then sells the photos; Ava hints about it to Deborah, but learns that Deborah allows DJ do it so she feels self-sufficient. Deborah and her manager Marcus go to Marty's daughter's bat mitzvah, where Deborah attempts to bribe Marty to keep her weekend show dates, though Marty refuses. Marty and Deborah drink together and nearly kiss, but Marty's young girlfriend walks in. Deborah flatters her into secretly giving her a tour of Marty's home and taking photos of Deborah posing with Marty's art and possessions. Later, Ava calls her mother to finally come clean about having lost her television deal, but hangs up when her mother panics about Ava's stability. Once Ava returns to the hotel, Deborah calls her to ask about her hotel bills, and they end up watching TV together over the phone and making jokes.
5"Falling"Paul W. DownsAndrew LawMay 27, 2021 (2021-05-27)
Deborah uses the photos she took of the art at Marty's home – which he paid for using company funds – to blackmail him into restoring her weekend tour dates. She then spends the night getting drunk at the casino bar rather than working on her comedy material. Ava meets a man, George, with whom she instantly bonds; the two spend the night taking drugs, exploring Las Vegas, and having sex. They also run into Ava's former writing partners, who inform her no one wants to work with her not because of her offensive tweet, but because she is selfish. George convinces Ava to stop working for Deborah; an intoxicated Ava leaves a voicemail for Deborah announcing she is quitting. The following morning, Ava finds that George committed suicide by jumping from the hotel window; authorities inform her George was escaping elder fraud charges and spent the last of his money in Las Vegas before killing himself. Ava decides to keep her job and frantically rushes to Deborah's home to apologize for the voicemail, but learns that Deborah did not use her phone all night. Deborah has Ava join her for a spa retreat.
6"New Eyes"Lucia AnielloLucia Aniello & Paul W. Downs & Jen StatskyMay 27, 2021 (2021-05-27)
While Deborah is unconscious from painkillers she receives for cosmetic surgery at the retreat, Ava attempts to unlock Deborah's phone to delete the voicemail she left. Ava learns that Deborah's phone is unlocked via facial recognition; when the camera fails to recognize Deborah due to her swollen, bandaged face, Ava uses Deborah's wax replica at Madame Tussauds to unlock the phone and delete the voicemail. Upon returning to the spa, Ava takes edibles with Deborah. While high, Deborah admits that her ex-husband fabricated the claim that Deborah burned down his house out of jealousy for her talk show deal, and that she incorporated the rumor into her comedy routine after the public refused to believe her pleas of innocence. Ava encourages Deborah to update her comedy material with the truth about her past. Ava is soon hospitalized for a ruptured ovarian cyst. When she awakens, Deborah agrees to slowly make her comedy more reflective of the truth; she and Ava laugh together over Deborah's jokes.
7"Tunnel of Love"Desiree AkhavanKatherine KearnsJune 3, 2021 (2021-06-03)
Ava and Deborah attend DJ's birthday party, during which DJ announces her engagement to Aidan, a mixed martial artist she recently met. During speeches, Deborah gets into an argument with DJ about getting a prenuptial agreement, embarrassing her in front of all the attending guests. Ava privately consoles DJ by suggesting that she make decisions for herself rather than for her mother's approval. In response, DJ decides to marry Aidan that night, and has Ava drive them to a drive-through chapel to perform the ceremony inside the car. Marty and Deborah dance and bond at her house, which results in the two of them having sex.
8"1.69 Million"Paul W. DownsPat ReganJune 3, 2021 (2021-06-03)
The morning after having sex with her, Marty informs Deborah that her residency at the Palmetto is being terminated to make room for new acts. An enraged Deborah enlists Ava's help in planning an impromptu show at a local comedy club in order to spite Marty. At the club – which has hosted Deborah since the beginning of her career – Ava is dismayed to learn that its late former owner was known for sexually harassing female comics with impunity. When Ava asks Deborah why she never reported her harassment, Deborah is offended at Ava's suggestion that she did not do enough for female comics in the industry. However, Deborah notices that the club's current owner, Drew, is also in the habit of sexually harassing young female performers. During her set, she condemns Drew onstage and offers to buy him out of the comedy industry for $1.69 million. Drew accepts, leading to cheers and applause from the crowd. Ava gets a call from Kayla, Jimmy's assistant at the talent agency, who tells her she has landed Ava an interview with a high-profile TV production company in Los Angeles.
9"Interview"Lucia AnielloSamantha RileyJune 10, 2021 (2021-06-10)
In the middle of planning Deborah's final show at the Palmetto, Ava leaves to take her interview with the TV producers in Los Angeles, lying to Deborah that she has a doctor's appointment. While there, she reconnects with her ex-girlfriend. Marcus finds out through Ava's sublet tenant that Ava is in LA for a job interview. Marcus calls Jimmy and lies to him that Deborah knows about this and is angry with Ava. Jimmy calls Deborah to apologize, leading Deborah to now really know about Ava's interview. Ava impresses the two producers interviewing her, who hire her on the spot. However, she rejects the offer after learning that the producers want to create a show about a "crazy" woman, and want Ava to share slanderous stories about Deborah as material for it. Upon returning to Las Vegas, Ava learns that Deborah cancelled her pre-show.
10"I Think She Will"Lucia AnielloAriel Karlin & Jen StatskyJune 10, 2021 (2021-06-10)
While preparing for her final show at the Palmetto, Deborah confronts Ava over taking the L.A. interview, and tells Ava she is eschewing the new material in favor of her usual routine. The two argue; when Deborah slaps Ava for accusing her of refusing to take creative risks, Ava quits her job. Ava later calls Kayla asking for the email address of the producers she met with in LA, so she can to pass forward defamatory material on Deborah. Deborah promotes Marcus to CEO of her business. Before going onstage, she unwraps a gift Ava left for her, finding a framed magazine cover titled "Will Deborah Vance Make History?" with a handwritten note from Ava reading "I think she will." Moved by the gesture, Deborah decides to perform the new material onstage. Ava, meanwhile, flies to her parents' home in Boston for her father's funeral. She is shocked to find Deborah in attendance, who livens up the eulogy with humor and getting the guests to reminisce about Ava's father. Later, back at home, Ava apologizes to Deborah, who informs her that although her final Las Vegas show was a failure, she sees potential in the material and wants to go on tour with Ava to improve it. Ava happily accepts, but receives a call from Jimmy while boarding her flight warning her that her email slandering Deborah has been received by the production company that interviewed her.

Production

In May 2020, HBO Max announced that it had picked up the series and that Jean Smart would star.[4] Additional casting was announced in February 2021.[5] Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, actors held table reads over Zoom, there were no cast parties during production, and stars Smart and Clemons-Hopkins did not even meet each other in person until minutes before filming began.[6] In June 2021, HBO Max renewed the series for a second season,[2] and the cast added Laurie Metcalf, Martha Kelly, and Ming-Na Wen in recurring roles and Margaret Cho as a guest star.[7]

Release

Hacks premiered on May 13, 2021, with a two-episode release.[8] Two episodes were released on a weekly basis through June 10, 2021, for the remainder of the 10-episode first season.[9]

Hacks premiered on Amazon Prime in the United Kingdom on April 1, 2022.[10]

Reception

Critical response

For the series, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 100% based on 53 critic reviews, with an average rating of 8.40/10. The website's critics consensus states, "A prickling debut that pulls few punches, Hacks deftly balances its sharp critiques of the comedy world with more intimate moments, all the while giving the incomparable Jean Smart a role worthy of her talents – and an excellent partner in Hannah Einbinder."[11] Metacritic calculated a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 based on 21 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[12]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2021 Gotham Awards Breakthrough Series – Short Format Hacks Nominated [13]
Outstanding Performance in a New Series Jean Smart Nominated
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards Best Streaming Series, Comedy Hacks Nominated [14][15]
Best Actress in a Streaming Series, Comedy Jean Smart Won
Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Comedy Hannah Einbinder Won1
Kaitlin Olson Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Jen Statsky, Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, Michael Schur, David Miner, Morgan Sackett, Joanna Calo, Andrew Law and David Hyman Nominated [16][17]
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Jean Smart (for "1.69 Million") Won
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Carl Clemons-Hopkins (for "New Eyes") Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Hannah Einbinder (for "I Think She Will") Nominated
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Lucia Aniello (for "There Is No Line") Won
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky (for "There Is No Line") Won
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Jane Adams (for "I Think She Will") Nominated
Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series Jeanne McCarthy and Nicole Abellera Hallman Nominated
Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour) Adam Bricker (for "Primm") Nominated
Outstanding Contemporary Costumes Kathleen Felix-Hager and Karen Bellamy (for "There Is No Line") Nominated
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series Susan Vaill (for "Primm") Nominated
Jessica Brunetto (for "There Is No Line") Nominated
Ali Greer (for "Tunnel of Love") Nominated
Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour) Jon Carlos, James Bolenbaugh and Ellen Reede Dorros (for "Primm") Nominated
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation John W. Cook II, Ben Wilkins and Jim Lakin (for "Falling") Nominated
Set Decorators Society of America Television Awards Best Achievement in Decor/Design of a Half-Hour Single-Camera Series Ellen Reede Dorros and Jonathan Carlos Won [18]
Television Critics Association Awards Program of the Year Hacks Nominated [19]
Outstanding Achievement in Comedy Nominated
Outstanding New Program Nominated
Individual Achievement in Comedy Jean Smart Won
2022 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Comedy Series Hacks Nominated [20]
Best Actress in a Comedy Series Jean Smart Won
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Hannah Einbinder Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy Hacks Won [21]
Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy Hannah Einbinder Nominated
Jean Smart Won
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Rose Abdoo, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Paul W. Downs, Hannah Einbinder, Mark Indelicato, Poppy Liu, Christopher McDonald, Jean Smart, and Megan Stalter Nominated [22]
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Jean Smart Won
Writers Guild of America Awards Comedy Series Lucia Aniello, Joanna Calo, Jessica Chaffin, Paul W. Downs, Cole Escola, Janis E. Hirsch, Ariel Karlin, Katherine Kearns, Andrew Law, Joe Mande, Pat Regan, Samantha Riley, Michael Schur, Jen Statsky Won [23]
New Series Won
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding New TV Series Hacks Pending [24]
Art Directors Guild Awards Excellence in Production Design for a Half Hour Single-Camera Television Series Jon Carlos (for "Primm") Nominated [25]
Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series Lucia Aniello (for "There Is No Line") Won [26]
Golden Reel Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – 1/2 Hour – Comedy or Drama Brett Hinton, Marc Glassman, Ryne Gierke, Samuel Munoz, Noel Vought, Jason Tregoe Newman (for "There Is No Line") Nominated [27]
Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Comedy Jen Statsky, Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, Michael Schur, David Miner, Morgan Sackett, Joanna Calo, Andrew Law, David Hyman, Joe Mande, and Jessica Chaffin Nominated [28]
Costume Designers Guild Awards Excellence in Contemporary Television Kathleen Felix-Hager (for "There is No Line") Nominated [29]
American Society of Cinematographers Awards Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in an Episode of a Half-Hour Television Series Adam Bricker (for "There is No Line") Nominated [30]
American Cinema Editors Awards Best Edited Comedy Series Susan Vaill (for "1.69 Million") Won [31]
Notes
  • ^1 – Tied with Hannah Waddingham for Ted Lasso.

References

  1. ^ "Film and TV Projects Going Into Production: Hacks". Variety Insight. June 11, 2021. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  2. ^ a b White, Peter (June 8, 2021). "'Hacks' Renewed For Season 2 At HBO Max". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  3. ^ "Hacks – Listings". The Futon Critic. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  4. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (May 5, 2020). "Jean Smart to Star in HBO Max Dark Comedy Series From Mike Schur, 'Broad City' Trio". The Hollywood Reporter. Valence Media. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  5. ^ Otterson, Joe (February 8, 2021). "Jean Smart Comedy Series at HBO Max Adds 10 to Cast, Including Hannah Einbinder and Carl Clemons-Hopkins". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on March 29, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  6. ^ Zemler, Emily (June 9, 2021). "Meet 'Hacks' Breakout Star Carl Clemons-Hopkins". Shondaland. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  7. ^ Hibberd, James (March 18, 2022). "Hacks Season 2 Casts Ming-Na Wen, Laurie Metcalf, Martha Kelly and Margaret Cho". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  8. ^ Petski, Denise (April 28, 2021). "Jean Smart Comedy 'Hacks' & 'Betty' Season 2 Trailers Unveiled By HBO Max, HBO". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  9. ^ Lane, Carly (April 28, 2021). "'Hacks' Trailer Reveals Jean Smart Is Just Getting Warmed Up in Darkly Comedic HBO Max Series". Collider. Archived from the original on May 4, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  10. ^ Vagg, Neil (March 11, 2022). "Here's Everything Coming To PRIME VIDEO In April 2022". Get Your Comic On. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  11. ^ "Hacks: Season 1 (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  12. ^ "Hacks: Season 1". Metacritic. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  13. ^ Sharf, Zack (October 21, 2021). "Gotham Awards 2021 Nominations: 'Pig,' 'Green Knight,' 'Passing' Compete for Best Feature". IndieWire. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  14. ^ Pedersen, Erik (July 8, 2021). "HCA TV Awards Nominations: 'Ted Lasso' Leads Programs For Inaugural Honors; NBC, HBO & Netflix Lead Nets". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 8, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  15. ^ Schneider, Michael (August 29, 2021). "'Ted Lasso,' 'The Crown,' 'The Mandalorian,' 'Cruel Summer,' 'New Amsterdam' Among HCA TV Awards Winners". Variety. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  16. ^ Hipes, Patrick (July 13, 2021). "Emmy Nominations: 'The Crown', 'The Mandalorian' Top List; HBO/HBO Max Edges Netflix For Top Spot – Full List Of Nominees". Deadline. Archived from the original on July 13, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  17. ^ Snierson, Dan (September 20, 2021). "Emmy Awards 2021: See the full list of winners". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  18. ^ "Set Decorators Society Announces the 2020 SDSA Television Awards". Below the Line. August 4, 2021. Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  19. ^ Turchiano, Danielle (July 15, 2021). "'Ted Lasso' Scores the Most 2021 TCA Awards Nominations". Variety. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  20. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (March 13, 2022). "Critics Choice: Ted Lasso, Succession Lead TV's Big Winners; Squid Game and Yellowjackets Among First-Timers". TVLine. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  21. ^ Swift, Andy (January 9, 2022). "Golden Globes 2022: Succession and Hacks Lead TV Winners, Pose's Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Makes History". TVLine. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  22. ^ Moreau, Jordan (January 12, 2022). "2022 SAG Awards 2022: The Complete Nominations List". Variety. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  23. ^ Hipes, Patrick (March 20, 2022). "WGA Awards: 'Don't Look Up' Wins For Original Screenplay, 'CODA' Wins For Adapted; 'Hacks', 'Succession', 'Conan' Also Win – Full Winners List". Deadline. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  24. ^ "The Nominees for the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards". GLAAD. January 21, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  25. ^ Tangcay, Jazz (January 24, 2022). "Art Directors Guild 2022 Nominations Headed by 'Nightmare Alley,' 'Cruella,' 'No Time to Die,' 'In the Heights'". Variety. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  26. ^ Chuba, Kirsten; Gajewski, Ryan; Lewis, Hilary (March 12, 2022). "DGA Awards: Jane Campion and The Power of the Dog Take Top Honor". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  27. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 24, 2022). "Golden Reel Awards: Sound Editors Crank Up Nominations For 69th Annual Ceremony". Deadline. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  28. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 27, 2022). "PGA Awards Nominations: 'Licorice Pizza', 'Don't Look Up', 'Dune', 'King Richard' & 'CODA' Among Pics Vying For Marquee Prize". Deadline. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  29. ^ Hipes, Patrick (January 26, 2022). "Costume Designers Guild Awards Nominees Include 'House Of Gucci', 'Cruella', 'Zola'". Deadline. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  30. ^ Hipes, Patrick (January 25, 2022). "ASC Awards Nominations Include 'Dune', 'Nightmare Alley', 'Belfast'". Deadline. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  31. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (January 27, 2022). "'Belfast,' 'King Richard,' No Time To Die' Among American Cinema Editors Eddie Awards Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Hacks_(TV_series)&oldid=1080664149"