“It’s so cool they let you move into a Cheesecake Factory.” This is what sullen young writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) snaps to aging comedy legend Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) inside the sitting room of her palatial Las Vegas estate during a disastrous job interview—as seen in the first episode of the sharp new comedy Hacks (which premieres May 13 on HBO Max). Deborah retorts, “Is that where you wait tables? It seems like a better fit!” and the two continue to trade barbs until Deborah hires her. It’s the start of a tentative, albeit fulfilling, friendship.
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