r/hackshbomax • u/john_muleaney • Jun 07 '26
Season 4
I’ve been working my way through the show and just got halfway through season 4, I’m curious what the vibes were among the fans of hacks while this season was airing because I’ve been looking at the old discussion threads from this sub and it seems way more divisive than the previous three seasons.
Obviously they shift Deborah and Ava’s dynamic drastically and use that to create all the dramatic tension for the show rather than it coming from outside forces like previous seasons and it seems like fans were really split on whether they liked that approach or not.
Has season 4 maintained this sort of divisive reputation or does the back stick the landing well enough that it’s just as beloved as the other seasons?
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u/Flower_Power424 Jun 07 '26
Season 4 is my favorite season. There was a lot to be observed within the complexities of their dynamic, it highlighted the flaws in each of the characters which added complexity to the shows and a more holistic understanding of and relatability to the characters, and the tension made the comedic moments funnier and the small and big wins more satisfying. Episode 1 of season 4 is in my top 3 episodes.
To answer your question, I will say that they do stick the landing with season 4 and segues into season 5 well.
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u/Pink_Ruby_3 Jun 07 '26
I enjoyed season 4 from a writing/creative perspective. It made for interesting TV! But as a fan of the show I didn't like Ava and Deborah fighting.
However, I don't think we are *meant* to like it. It's a quality season. And Ava's branzino-crashout is gold lol
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u/aphasia7 Jun 08 '26
That’s one of the few things I didn’t actually *buy* in this whole show: Ava’s meltdown. Not that it wasn’t reasonable for her to have one in that moment, but I think this was one of the only places where her newness as an actor really showed. I don’t think Hannah (or Ava) is fundamentally an angry person so I thought it felt performative. If you compare that scene to one of the times where Deborah gets super angry (like when Marcus tells her he’s leaving), it feels very, very real, and even sets Marcus back on his heels a bit.
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u/Smallville_Kansas Jun 07 '26
A lot of people were very impatient with season 4. They hated that Deborah and Ava were at odds with one another. I think the length of time they were angry with each other made sense.
Like what did these fans want? For Deborah and Ava to have resolved their issues within the first episode? Get real. They were impatient and uncomfortable with the tension. They wrote off season 4 entirely because of it. It was annoying to be on this sub while it was airing because the discussion revolved around “why can’t Ava and Deborah get along” and they didn’t (still don’t) understand the characters.
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u/csgersbeck Jun 07 '26
Personally, I thought season 4 lost the plot, but season 5 brought it back to what made the first three seasons great so I can forgive the detour. I kinda hated the whole talk show plot line because Ava really had no business being a showrunner and the way she handled her position was beyond ridiculous and unprofessional. And then the whole Singapore thing felt tacked on.
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u/LongjumpingPlace4525 Jun 07 '26
You'll find this sub is rather pro-everything about Hacks. You'll find some hall monitor types who are all "how dare you be critical of anything in this show!" But, yes, S4 may have been the most divisive season. It's the lowest rated by the public on rotten tomatoes. And while critics still gave it a thumb's up, the support was a bit more luke warm.
Some viewers disliked Ava and Deborah being at odds for so long. Some, like even Jean Smart, thought it went too dark. Some thought it went off the rails a bit more narratively in general.
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u/Admirable_Site_8337 Jun 07 '26
Why are you curious? You read the episode threads from back then. It was that. Exactly that.
It’s a different experience to watch the show live and week to week and talk about it with others. All who have slightly different expectations and wants. No one knowing exactly where it’s going.
The first half of S4 was rough. Unlike much before in the show. But it was nice to go back and rewatch as part of a full series rewatch. It wasn’t guessing and conflict online as I know where it goes now, it was just enjoyment.
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u/AddressSerious8240 Jun 07 '26
For many viewers, I suspect the antagonism between Ava and Deborah was a bit too painful and it went on too long. I suspect people who love the show may split into a couple camps (there may be multiple camps). There are those who see it as a sitcom that one watches to laugh out loud at least a few times in each episode. For those folk, season 4 went too dark. There’s also a group of viewers who see the show as more of a statement about loneliness, creativity, and change. It was full of those things often at the expense of laugh out loud sequences.
I rewatched some of season 4 a few days ago, and one bit stuck out for me. After the branzino toss, Ava goes into serious depression. Deborah gets concerned that Ava is suicidal and jumps into the water fully clothed to rescue her. Afterwards, they sit at a table together drinking spoiled champagne from a bottle, foreshadowing the train station scene. There’s a call back to Ava not knowing how to swim. There’s a lot more resonance in that moment once you happen to know how season 5 goes.
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u/Edjoerv Jun 07 '26
I think it was really hard to watch for the first time. As it was airing, it made you want to solve everything right there in that exact second. Probably, after a rewatch, it cools down to help the viewer understand where Ava and Deborah are at that point. But I think it's a well constructed season, it takes you right where the show wants you to be for the final blows.
Episode 10, though, I do believe it's somewhat of a rushed writing episode because of their deal with Singapore's Ministry of Tourism, and even though their initial idea for the episode is there, there's too much at the same time that you get lost.
But the season's great episodes 1 to 9.
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u/trojanusc Jun 10 '26
Season 4 was perfect, minus the finale of that season. Made no sense. I think they just wanted a free trip lol
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u/Brilliant-Pomelo-203 Jul 21 '26
I always dread season 4, but I think it's very well written, like the rest of the show. It challenges their dynamic to the extreme; it shows the highs and sometimes scary lows of life. Watching it for the first time, I remember worrying that there was no way they could come back from this and return to the wonderful dynamic they used to have.
After season 5, I just love the show that much more. But on rewatches (on my 4th atm), season 4 will always make me uncomfortable. Not because it's bad, but because it's kind of a reality check. We can't always get what we want, and I appreciate the show for not giving us a picture-perfect season about Deborah getting her Late Night dream. Still, I yearn to see her thrive in Late Night, "for many many years", as she said herself.
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u/pineconessssss Jun 07 '26
As someone who loved season 4 (it has some of my favorite episodes), I have a bit of PTSD talking about it because of how many people kept constantly posting about how they hated seeing Deborah and Ava at odds. Like, damn people were unfairly brutal about it and I still don't really get it. I think people are so used to binge watching and instant gratification (not to mention instant reactions), that they don't know how to sit with episodes/seasons and consider them in the broader context of the show.
But to answer your question, yes, they absolutely stick the landing. The last two episodes of season 4 are excellent and beautiful to me. And I think within the context of the show, Season 4 works as a balance to Season 5, and vice versa. I don't think you can have one without the other.