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The final bow for Hacks may have arrived, but the acclaimed comedy is not quite finished commanding attention.
Following five seasons of the complicated, often hilarious bond between Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), the beloved series wrapped in May. Its finale delivered the same sharp humor and emotional weight that defined the Emmy-winning show from the start.
Still, the HBO Max hit has one more major awards-season moment ahead. Hacks returns to the Emmy Awards on Sept. 14 with a record 24 nominations, the highest total ever earned by a comedy series.
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Before viewers learn whether Smart will make Emmy history as the first woman to win Best Lead Actress for every eligible season of a single show—after victories in 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025—it is worth revisiting how Hacks brought its story to a close.
The episode opens on promising new chapters: Ava directs the pilot for her comedy series, while Deborah unveils her new casino. Then the tone takes a devastating turn when Deborah tells Ava that her cancer has spread.
Rather than pursue treatment, Deborah reveals her plan to travel to Europe for an assisted suicide clinic. In an especially emotional performance, Ava spends the rest of the episode trying to convince her former boss and closest friend to reconsider.