INDIANAPOLIS — The wait is over for the highly-anticipated third season of the award-winning and critically-acclaimed comedy "Hacks."
"So, Deborah and Ava, we left them in a precarious place. Deborah fires Ava at the end of Season 2 — partially out of the goodness of her heart so that Ava can be pushed out of the nest and move on to the next thing, and also, in a way, to be self-protected because they were getting close, which is always hard for someone like Deborah Vance," said Paul W. Downs, co-creator, co-showrunner, writer, director and actor in "Hacks."
The comedy series stars five-time Emmy winner Jean Smart ("24," "Mare of Easttown") as a legendary stand-up comedian who teams up with an entitled, young television writer (Hannah Einbinder) to freshen up her aging act.
"When we come back this season, it's been a year, and both women are at new heights, new career heights, and the only thing missing is each other," Downs said.
All three seasons have received glowing reviews from critics and many accolades, including two consecutive Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Smart.
"We are so lucky they have such great chemistry, and they are actually friends. They text all the time. It's not something you can really manufacture, so we are so lucky it exists," Downs said of Smart and Einbinder. "They really do – especially this season – bring out the best in each other. As actors, they are so good, but together, they're really amazing. There are some scenes this season that really blew us away."
Also a standout in "Hacks" is the hilarious Meg Stalter, who is an unqualified assistant to Downs' character because she is his boss' daughter.
"Working with Meg is a dream. We have so much fun together," Downs said. "This season, you also get to see some more vulnerability and emotional turns for Jimmy and Kayla."
With a show like "Hacks," there's no shortage of celebrities wanting to make guest appearances, and this season is no different: Christina Hendricks ("Mad Men"), Christopher Lloyd ("Back to the Future"), Tony Goldwyn ("Scandal") and J. Smith Cameron ("Succession").
"It's an embarrassment of riches to see the guest actors on the show this year," Downs said.
When it comes to television shows, there's always a question about how many seasons the creators envision to tell their story from start to finish.
"When we pitched the show, we pitched the very last scene of the very last episode," Downs said, noting "Hacks" was pitched as five seasons. "As much as it's up to us, it's up to the audience. As long as the audience is there, I think we will be able to tell the story that way."
New episodes of "Hacks" are released Thursdays through May 30 on Max.