A long time – that’s how lengthy Deborah has waited for her personal Late Night time Present. Now that it’s lastly a actuality, she must be over the moon, proper? As an alternative, it has been one big headache: company are canceling on the final minute, Ava’s not giving her the jokes she needs, and worst of all, Deborah is about to obtain an award the community principally purchased for her simply to drum up publicity. She’s lastly dwelling her dream, but it surely’s nothing like she pictured it, and he or she is definitely not completely happy.

And neither is Ava. Actually, the author is downright depressing. After Cher cancels her look on the present, Deborah’s group scrambles to e book actress Ruby Rojas… aka Ava’s ex. Issues spiral from unhealthy to worse when Deborah trashes Ava’s jokes. She even rejects the 5 pages of rewrites Ava and the writers crank out in simply half an hour. She scraps Ava’s complete bit and as a substitute provides Ruby much more airtime. Oh, and simply to twist the knife additional, Deborah has Ruby inform the humiliating story of how Ava as soon as mistook a prop ring Ruby introduced residence from set for an precise engagement ring. And Ava is standing within the entrance row, compelled to hearken to all of it. Brutal!

However wait, there’s extra unhealthy luck in retailer for the younger girl! The married couple she is seeing breaks up together with her as a result of they imagine her to be emotionally unavailable. Then she finds out the writers not solely have a secret group chat with out her, however they’ve additionally been quietly milking her lunch contributions. Since every author solely will get a couple of dollars a day for meals, Ava’s been pitching in additional to allow them to all eat decently. However as a substitute of simply ordering correct meals, they’ve been splurging – including “extras for the table,” like at present’s $70 branzino… which no one even bothers to eat. It simply sits there, getting chilly, whereas Ava foots the invoice.

That’s it. She’s had sufficient. Ava lastly snaps. Channeling her interior Deborah, she hurls the branzino on the window, yells “I quit,” and storms out, peeling by means of the car parking zone gate like she’s auditioning for The Quick and the Livid whereas screaming her guts out.

With Ava gone and nowhere to be discovered, Deborah is considerably rattled. She finds she doesn’t like taping with out her head author within the wings. Poking round Ava’s workplace after the present, Deborah occurs to stumble open THE picture: younger Deborah on stage, the snapshot Ava as soon as swiped off a comedy membership wall. It’s a intestine punch. A reminder of the place they began and simply how powerfully they click on after they’re collectively. Their relationship is messy, positive, but it surely’s distinctive, and it someway brings out one of the best in them each.

Reluctantly, Deborah drags herself to the awards ceremony to gather her faux trophy, which is introduced to her, in a unbelievable cameo by Rosie O’Donnell. And like all one of the best Hacks cameos, Rosie’s not solely there for fun but additionally to present recommendation. When Deborah admits her present has been hit and miss, Rosie tells her, “Some days you wanna pull your hair out. But other days, you’re just sitting there laughing your ass off with some of your favorite people in the whole world. You gotta focus on that…because to tell you truth… that’s what I miss most.” Everyone knows who flashes by means of Deborah’s thoughts in that second, proper? Trace: ginger, chaotic, awkward, and presently MIA.

Again residence, the evening takes one other sharp downturn when Barry, one among Deborah’s beloved corgis, slips outdoors and will get attacked by a coyote. She manages to save lots of the pet, however the breakdown that follows feels… greater than it simply being in regards to the canine.

In the meantime, Jimmy and Kayla are out looking for “the ginger lesbian,” and by this level, Deborah is anxious sufficient to hitch in. She even reveals Ava’s image to individuals ready in line at a comedy membership, asking in the event that they’ve seen her. And it’s not simply any picture, not a headshot or a press nonetheless, however a goofy selfie Ava in all probability as soon as texted her. To high it off, Deborah apparently left the home carrying simply slippers, too anxious about her buddy to care about appearances.

“Mrs. Table” – HACKS. Pictured:  Jean Smart as Deborah Vance. Photo: Jake Giles Netter/Max ©2025 HBO Max, Inc. All Rights Reserved

When someone suggests the “Find My iPhone” app and helps the comedian use it, Deborah locates Ava somewhere by the ocean. She races there and panics when she sees someone wading into the waves. Believing Ava wants to drown herself she chases after her. Dressed in expensive fur Deborah plunges into the freezing cold water to save Ava – only to realize it’s not Ava at all. Just some random swimmer. Ava, of course, was casually strolling along the beach the entire time.

Finally, they collide. Deborah, drenched and shivering, comes face-to-face with Ava at last. They huddle together at an empty bar, find Deb some dry clothes, and for the first time in what feels like forever they finally talk,

Ava thanks Deborah for trying to “save her life”. She very much appreciates that the older woman ruined her second-favorite fur coat for her. Then comes one of the rawest, most honest exchanges we’ve ever seen between these two: Ava admits that Deborah was right all along. She was never the right person for the head writing job.

Deborah: “The one purpose you’re failing is as a result of I set you as much as fail. I’m sorry. Give me one other probability. Please… though I in all probability don’t deserve one.”

Ava tells Deborah she will be able to’t belief her anymore, that ultimately, Deborah at all times breaks her coronary heart. She at all times lets her down. However Deborah pleads for an additional probability, promising she’ll do higher and begging Ava to return to the present.

Ava: “Even if I did came back… I don’t if I can do the job. I don’t even know your voice anymore.”

Deborah: “You ARE my voice.”

You’ll be able to image me crying on the sofa at this level.

Ava: “But I kinda hate you now.”
 
Deborah: “So? Lots of people do. You are part of a vibrant community.”
 
Ava: “I can’t write a show that appeals to millions of people.”
 
Deborah: “I… I was wrong to focus on them. We can’t make it for them. We have to make it for each other.”

Deborah, reflecting on Rosie O’Donnell’s recommendation, realizes that attempting to please everybody with the present is a dropping recreation. However on the very least, they will have enjoyable making it… And neither of them has had enjoyable in a very long time.

It’s messy, it’s uncooked, it’s humorous, and it’s good. They bicker, they snort, they toast with months-old champagne Ava digs out of her trunk, they usually roast Stacy from HR. Positive, the Late Night time Present’s scores should still be circling the drain, however at the least Deborah and Ava are again the place they belong: working collectively, not in opposition to one another. And that’s the actual win. From right here, the one approach is up.

What virtually slips by amid all of the bustle is DJ’s temporary look within the episode. She continues to be very pregnant, a number of days overdue, and hoping somebody she trusts might be there when the child arrives. Naturally, Deborah assumes she’s the one DJ needs. She brushes her daughter off, saying she’s too swamped with the present to be there for the delivery. Seems, DJ by no means wished her all alongside. She was speaking about Josefina. Positive, that revelation stings a bit of… but it surely’s nothing in comparison with the sting Deborah feels when Ava turns her down.

Final week might have been the season’s weakest episode up to now, however this week greater than delivered. Between the insults, the meltdowns, the ocean rescue, and the months-old champagne toast, Hacks gave us the whole lot we may need. And reminded us that so long as Deborah and Ava are tousled in one another’s lives, the magic isn’t going anyplace.

Are you as thrilled as I’m to see Deborah and Ava patch issues up? Drop a remark!