Hacks Season 5, Episode 1 Recap: Deborah Vance, Free Speech Warrior
Recap and review of HBO Max's season 5, episode 1 of Hacks, "EGOT"
Note: This is a spoiler-filled recap of episode 1 of season 5 of Hacks. If you have not yet watched, this is your warning! I am offering this for free, but if you would like to support my writing, you can upgrade your subscription for 30% off. Now, let’s take a look at “EGOT.”
As I said in my full season review of Hacks, I have been a fan of this show pretty out of the gate. And season 5 of Hacks might be my favorite. Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky have given us something really special in this show, and the final season is an absolute joy to watch. So, let’s dive into episode 1, “EGOT.”
The episode opens with a choir singing and a montage of memorial items for Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), as her fans grieve her death. Deborah pulls up to her house, disgusted that she has been reported dead, and three mourners turn around and scream. She explains that when she passed out on a boat, she didn’t make it to the hospital because she felt fine and asked them to take her to her hotel, providing the bad tip to TMZ.
One of the fans said that they didn’t want to believe it, but it made sense because of Deborah’s breakdown. She asks for clarification, and another fan says that it was all over the news that she had a breakdown during her final episode of Late Night. Deborah doesn’t respond, just gets back in her car and heads to her home.
In her home, Deborah is angrily reading headlines to Ava (Hannah Einbinder), Damien (Mark Indelicato), and Josefina (Rose Abdoo). All of the outlets are calling her crazy. Damien explains that when she went to Singapore, Bob Lipka (Tony Goldwyn) had been smearing her in the press. Deborah asks where the stories calling her a free speech warrior are, and Damien explains they have been buried because Bob owns all of the news outlets. Ava pulls up a video where he is being interviewed and says that he hopes Deborah “gets well.”
Deborah is frustrated because it feels like the house fire all over again, and that had nearly ruined her in the past. Ava suggests suing, but Deborah says it’s too late and that they now need to shift the narrative. Josefina asks what, and Deborah says that she’ll think of something.
At their firm, Kayla (Megan Stalter) and Jimmy (Paul W. Downs) are talking about Halloween costumes, and Randi (Robby Hoffman) comes in explaining that they were turned down by another client. Kayla is surprised because the meeting went well, and Jimmy explains that all of their meetings go well, but when people realize they can’t do business with Bob Lipka’s companies, they back out. Randi adds that it doesn’t help that most of their clients are older women. Jimmy suggests that they need to downsize, but Kayla is insistent that this projects success. Randi adds that Deborah wants to meet with them in Las Vegas.
Back in Vegas, Deborah bursts into the room of a sleeping Ava. Deborah says that every obituary leads with the person’s greatest achievement or failure, so she needs a legacy-defining win that can’t be spun into something negative. She wants to be remembered on her own terms, so she has decided to EGOT. Ava gets on board quickly, to Deborah’s surprise.
At lunch with the team, Deborah explains that she’s already halfway to an EGOT. She has a Daytime Emmy, and she has a Tony for a producer role. She tells Jimmy that he needs to help her get her Oscar. He says that he would have to review her contract to see what she’s allowed to do, and Randi explains that Deborah can’t do anything scripted or paid, and no live performances. Technically, she can film something now, but it can’t be released until the non-compete is over.
Deborah says that she has been nominated for seven Grammys for her comedy albums (the list of show names is brilliant, but “The Best Things in Life are at Sears - Deborah Vance Live Sponsored by Sears” is probably my favorite). Because she can’t perform right now, she has decided to compete in Best Audiobook for her memoir. Jimmy says that he didn’t realize she had a memoir, and she says that she doesn’t, but she knows Tony Kushner, who can write it for her.
Later, Jimmy and Ava are talking, and Jimmy expresses incredulity at their ability to actually get an Oscar and a Grammy. Ava agrees that it’s a lot, but says that things got really scary in Singapore. Jimmy says that she has done crazier things, and Ava says that Deborah can do anything and that, as a group, they can do anything. To which Jimmy replies that he’d like Ava to write a huge international hit that has potential for sequels. He admits that they’ve had a tough few months, and this would help. Ava says that she has to stay and help Deborah, but she finished her “Mall Girls” script while she was in Singapore, and she could send him that.
Back at Deborah’s house, Tony Kushner is there to begin work on Deborah’s memoir. Ava is there to observe. Deborah tells Tony that she wants to try to get through a chapter a day, fifteen chapters, and wrap up in about two weeks. Tony says that he wants a fully immersive process. She says that she doesn’t like all of the whiny childhood parts of most celebrity memoirs, and Tony explains that he wants to start way before that, going back to her family’s history in Scotland.
Jimmy, Randi, and Kayla are spitballing how to get Deborah an Academy Award. Jimmy pitches a producer on a documentary short, but Randi says that there are too many ongoing wars for her to compete. Jimmy and Kayla say that it feels impossible, but Randi reminds them that Deborah is already connected to the Fatty Arbuckle movie that Jimmy is producing. He says no, but Randi says that it’s perfect and she would just need a small role.
Deborah, Tony, and Ava are beginning work. Deborah talks very briefly about her high school experience, and when Frank showed up, but Tony stops her. He says before they even get started, he wants to share the soundtrack that he’ll be listening to while he writes. Ava, Tony, and Josefina all start singing along to Peggy Lee’s “Is That All There Is?” while Deborah gives them all the side eye.
On the set of the Fatty Arbuckle movie, they are doing additional photography, and we see someone overacting significantly. Jimmy says that Deborah would be better at this. He then pitches the idea to the director that maybe they should cast Deborah in the role. He explains how her story mirrors Arbuckle’s, and the director says that they should go for it after Jimmy fires the current actor.
We cut to Deborah and Ava walking into a recording studio. Ava says that she’s surprised they’re ready to record anything, and Deborah says that she’s scrapping the book idea. Ava asks why they’re in the studio, and Deborah says that she discovered that there is one weak category in the Grammys that year: Regional Mexican Music Album, including Tejano.
After Jimmy and Kayla fire the actor, we cut to Deborah and Ava at home. Deborah says that in order to really cement her legacy, she should primary AOC. Ava responds positively, if hesitantly. Deborah asks what is wrong and why Ava isn’t challenging her. Ava says that she’s trying to be supportive, and Deborah says, “I don’t need a ‘yes man,’ I need ‘no woman’ I can ignore!” Ava says that things were hard in Singapore, and she’s just happy to see Deborah motivated and excited. Deborah accepts that and asks what Ava thinks.
Ava says that she doesn’t think that performing Tejano music is the best way to rewrite her legacy. She says she doesn’t think Deborah should try to game the system. Deborah says that maybe she can find something else that she’s brilliant at. Ava says that Deborah is going to be remembered for her comedy. Ava asks her, “What is the biggest achievement for a comedian?” Deborah says that it’s hosting a late night show. Ava presses her, and Deborah says, “Selling out Madison Square Garden.” But she can’t do that because she can’t perform.
Deborah leaves to go to bed. She tries to look up her final monologue, and can’t find any results. She calls for Ava, who sees that they’ve taken down all of her late night clips, as well as her special, “My Bad.” Because Bob Lipka owns the streamer, they have scrubbed her work. Deborah says that everything they’ve worked on for the past five years is gone. She says, “They’re not just rewriting me, they’re replacing me!” She talks about how the last time the press smeared her, she let them, but not this time.
Jimmy is on a Zoom call with his therapist, who tells him that he needs to work on his boundaries with his clients when Deborah calls, and he immediately answers. Jimmy tells her that she has a role and is closer to her Oscar, and Deborah says she doesn’t need that anymore. She says that she wants to do a secret comedy show where phones are confiscated. Jimmy says no venue will agree to that, and she tells him that she knows a guy.
We then cut to Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins) in a warehouse asking people for a password. Josefina and Damien are collecting phones. While they’re seating people, Jimmy calls his mom (Deidre Hall) to play the part instead of Deborah. He asks her if she could be off-book for 8 pages by the next day, and she says that she works in soaps, so of course she could (I loved this moment so much, especially after Ryan Gosling’s recent hailing of Deidre Hall, specifically.).
The crowd begins chanting Deborah’s name, and then she comes on stage with her notebook, ready to perform. She makes some jokes about being back from the dead (my favorite was, “The only other time I was mistaken for a corpse was when I let a straight man do my makeup.”).
The next day, she is at a jewelry store, and someone comes in asking if she’s Deborah Vance. She admits that she is, and is handed a subpoena. We see her on the phone with Jimmy, who says that there’s a video of the show online. She says that she guesses they’re going to court. She loses the trial because the non-compete is solid.
Deborah then comes out to give a statement. She says that free speech is under attack. She says that the moment her contract expires, she will be speaking her truth at her comeback show at Madison Square Garden. Jimmy says, “You know, for a woman who can’t be on camera, you just got a lot of air time.” Deborah responds, “Mmm-hmm.” We then discover that Ava leaked the video. The episode ends with “Free Deborah” written across the sky.
This was such a fun start to this final season of Hacks. I was super frustrated in season 4 when it started with the animosity between Deborah and Ava yet again. Having them locked in from the jump is what I’m looking for. There were so many great jokes in this. Kayla’s response to being the “good cop” absolutely killed me. And Deborah’s decision to leak the video is just really clever (while also showing that “crime” is a construct, because if you can afford it, a fine is just the cost to do whatever you want). This is definitely a catch-up episode, but once it hits those last five minutes, it’s all gas.
What was your favorite joke from the episode? Do you think Deborah sells out MSG? Would you listen to her Tejano record? Let me know in the comments!
Kayla: "Sorry about that hun im super bipolar." 😭😭😆😆
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