No effort is spared in the lead-up to Deborah’s big Late-Night debut. From the set builders and wig artist to the ever-suffering writers’ room, everyone is working overtime to make sure the opening night goes off without a hitch. Meanwhile, Deborah is laser-focused on the one thing she can’t delegate: herself. She weighs herself obsessively, works out like her life depends on it, and survives on a glamorous diet of approximately four to eight almonds a day. The rapid-fire montage that opens the episode hints at several long days of intense, borderline-manic prep.
Then, two minutes in, the episode really kicks off. Deborah walks on stage to thunderous applause, and we’re led to believe the show is finally happening. She opens strong, delivers a few lines… and then freezes. Completely. The words are right in front of her, but she can’t read them, can’t finish the bit. She stumbles offstage, convinced she’s having a heart attack. But deep down, we already know what’s really going on.
Ava is the only one brave (or foolish?) enough to say it out loud: Deborah is having a panic attack. Naturally, our beloved, rage-fueled Queen of Comedy is horrified by the very suggestion. She insists it was something cardiac related – in fact she very much hopes it was. Ava, thinking she’s being helpful, tries to soften the blow by calling it “stage fright.” That goes over even worse. “I’ve never had stage fright!” Deborah snaps. “Not even when I performed in front of Saddam Hussein – AFTER rejecting his advances.” Where did Deborah always meet those war lords? Just asking so I can avoid those places at all costs.
And because Deborah and Ava are still on HR probation and not allowed to be alone in a room together, poor Stacy from HR is stuck sitting between them during their entire exchange – completely unequipped to referee a war between two women who seem to adore and loathe each other in equal measure.
After Deborah has had a moment to calm down, Winnie informs her that she’s booked an appointment with a cardiologist. Sweet gesture, right? Not exactly. It’s less about Deborah’s well-being and more about making sure their cash cow is physically fit to keep the network machine running. They’ve invested too much in this show to let a little heart scare ruin things now.
With no real choice, Deborah drags herself to the appointment. But it’s not the doctor who ends up helping her. It’s Carol Burnett, casually sitting in the waiting room like a living legend on standby. Deborah lights up. Burnett was one of her guiding stars, a woman who made the path she now walks even possible. For once, Deborah lets her guard down. She asks if Burnett ever had stage fright, hoping for some grand, showbiz wisdom. And she receives it only seconds later: “I’d pick one person in the audience,” Burnett says, “and I’d do the show just for them.” Deborah might not have figured it out in that moment, but most of us knew exactly who she’d be performing for the next day.
| “I love LA” – HACKS. Pictured: Carol Burnett as herself & Jean Smart as Deborah Vance. Photo: Kenny Laubbacher/Max ©2025 HBO Max, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
We never actually hear what the cardiologist has to say – or if Deborah even made it past the waiting room. But since it was pretty obvious from the start that this wasn’t a physical heart issue, I’m willing to let the medical mystery slide.
When the big day finally arrives and Deborah is about to walk on stage to write Late-Night history, the nerves creep back in. Everyone fussing over her as she makes her way to the stage only adds to the pressure, but there’s no turning back now. This is it. She has got to nail it. There is no other option. So she steps onto the stage, suddenly a radiant smile in place, looking every bit the part of a glamorous talk show host. But then – just like in the rehearsal – she hits that same line in the monologue… and freezes. Again.
She remembers Carol Burnett’s words and does exactly what the legend advised: pick one person in the room and perform just for them. And the person Deborah chooses? None other than our favorite chaotic head writer, Ava Daniels.
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| “I love LA” – HACKS. Pictured: Hannah Einbinder as Ava Daniel. Photo: Max ©2025 HBO Max, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
In that instant, everything changes. The audience disappears. The fear vanishes. It’s just Deborah and Ava. A switch flips, Deborah lights up, steadies herself, and delivers. Her swagger returns, her timing snaps back into place. She is flourishing. After all these decades, she finally does it: she hosts her own Late-Night Show… and absolutely kills it.
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| “I love LA” – HACKS. Pictured: Jean Smart as Deborah Vance. Photo: Kenny Laubbacher/Max ©2025 HBO Max, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
The aftermath is far more sobering than either of them expected. Deborah was meant to schmooze with Winnie and some major players over a celebratory dinner, while Ava had plans to watch the show with the writers when it aired later that night. She even invited Deborah to join, but of course, Deborah declined. Priorities, right? Gotta keep the network happy.
In the end, Deborah winds up sitting alone in a fancy restaurant, while Ava finds herself solo at a bar after sending her exhausted writing team home to collapse into bed. And while the writers were all falling apart, Ava looked… just fine. She is just her usual level of run-down. I found myself wondering why everyone else was practically on life support while Ava still had the energy to sit upright. Then again, with the way she lives, it’s likely her body runs on a steady cocktail of caffeine, adrenaline, and emotional chaos. Sleep deprivation? Please. That’s just a normal day for Ava.
Her night ultimately ends with a towed car and being asked out by a couple she met in an erotic shop – typical situations Avs finds herself in on a regular basis. Meanwhile, Deborah, determined not to be caught dining solo at a massive table in a five-star restaurant, ropes poor Damian into joining her.
Apparently it’s Damian’s very first time drinking alcohol, and once it kicks in, so does the oversharing. He launches into a monologue about how exhausting it is to keep up with the gays in LA and how he desperately needs someone like Deborah to boost his social capital. After all, the gays worship the Queen of Comedy. He talks her into coming with him to a gay club, and sure enough, he gets exactly what he wanted: attention from a room full of eligible men.
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| “I love LA” – HACKS. Pictured: Jean Smart as Deborah Vance & Mark Indelicato as Damien. Photo: Max ©2025 HBO Max, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
Deborah seems to be having a great time: dancing, drinking, basking in her icon status like it’s just another night in Vegas. But for the viewer it’s hard not to feel a little sad. She’s clearly being used for her spotlight, and something tells me she knows it… Neverthelss, Deborah feels comfortable and admired surrounded by gay men. Cheered on by the crowd, Deborah climbs into a go-go cage to dance. But when a random guy offers her poppers and waves them a little too close, she faints on the spot, crashing down and slamming her head against the bars.
The comedian gets admitted to the hospital as a precaution – and guess who’s listed as her emergency contact? You got it! It’s Ava. Of course it’s Ava. Who else would it be?
When the hospital calls, Ava initially assumes it’s a late-night follow-up from the couple who hit on her at the sex shop. But the moment she realizes it’s actually a nurse calling about Deborah’s accident, she whips the car around and races to the hospital, to see her boss, co-worker, writing partner, best friend, and worst enemy all rolled into one.
Deborah is surprised when the younger woman shows up and casually mutters that she really needs to update her emergency contact. Sure, Deb. Like that’s ever going to happen. Because when it really comes down to it, Ava is all you’ve got. There are assistants, stylists, publicists – but no close friends, no family that truly cares, that she actually trusts or talks to. Whether she likes it or not, Ava’s her person.
While lying in her hospital bed, Deborah suddenly realizes that her show is airing, for the very first time, and she’s not watching it. She tries to turn on the TV, but it doesn’t work. Luckily, Ava’s already on it. There’s no way she’s letting Deborah miss her own premiere. She sneaks her out of the hospital room and finds a working TV in a nearby waiting area. The two of them sit and watch. And for once, Deborah is quiet – just taking it in. She’s proud. Overwhelmed. Barely able to hold back tears. She has finally made it!
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| “I love LA” – HACKS. Pictured: Jean Smart as Deborah Vance. Photo: Kenny Laubbacher/Max ©2025 HBO Max, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
They’re both emotional as they congratulate each other on the successful show, and it becomes clear all over again: this show – and I mean Deborah’s Late Night debut just as much as Hacks itself – only works because they work. Against all odds, these two chaotic forces have managed to create something truly special.
While last week’s episode gave the supporting cast a breather, this week Kayla and Jimmy are back – and for me, it was the perfect dose. I like them in smaller portions. They’re hilarious, chaotic, and always good for a laugh, but let’s be honest: I’m here for Deborah and Ava.
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| “I love LA” – HACKS. Pictured: Rose Abdoo as Josefina. Photo: Max ©2025 HBO Max, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
Aside from the usual fireworks between our favorite disaster duo, one of my favorite moments came when Josefina showed up on set and Ava clung to her like a human comfort blanket, hugging her for what felt like five full minutes. It was sweet, vulnerable, and a quiet reminder of just how much her strained relationship with Deborah continues to weigh on her. But by the end of the episode, there’s a flicker of hope that they might finally be on the path to forgiveness, to moving past the blackmail, the resentment, and everything that’s kept them from admitting how much they need each other, not just professionally, but personally too.
We laughed, we winced, we may have cried. Share your take on the episode below!