This post contains spoilers from Hacks season episode 4 from this point forward.
Following last week's ill-fated trip to Las Vegas for a writers' retreat, Hacks season 4 episode 4 is all systems go on final preparations for Deborah's late night show. The monologues and bits have been written, the wigs have been sewn, the stage has been set, and all that's left to do is run through the first taping in a dress rehearsal. But consummate professional Deborah freezes during her monologue. Is the pressure finally getting to her?
Deborah assumes and insists that she's having a cardiac event. She won't hear anyone else's consideration that she could be having a panic attack due to stage fright. Deborah Vance doesn't get stage fright. A heart attack is much easier for her to understand rather than the vague concept of fear-induced anxiety. Ava attempts to lend support to Deborah, but once again, their encounter only leads to Deborah screaming at Ava and cutting her down.
When Winnie (Helen Hunt) pushes Deborah to see a cardiologist ("I just spent a lot of money at the dealership, and I wanna make sure I didn't get a clunker!'), an unlikely source in the waiting room offers words of wisdom to Deborah about stage fright. Carol Burnett guest stars as herself and gives Deborah the advice to choose one person in the audience and perform the show just for them. That's how Carol used to calm her nerves. But who will Deborah choose?
Deborah beats stage fright thanks to Ava
During the taping of the first show, Deborah seems like she's going to crush her monologue, but once again, she gets tripped up during the same part. Following Carol Burnett's advice, Deborah looks out into the audience to choose her focal point. When we see Deborah's point of view, she sees an empty audience and only Ava standing at her head writer station behind the camera. She's performing the show for Ava. Can we all agree that this is the moment we've been waiting for?
When Deborah hits her jokes, she only hears Ava's laughter, and she's able to push through the rest of the show, and even sing "I Love LA" with Randy Newman, without incident. After all the tension in their relationship so far this season, I appreciated the tenderness of this moment. Hacks is all about the connection between Deborah and Ava. Even when she's angry with her, it's important to know that Deborah still loves Ava and looks to her for comfort. We finally have hope that things will get better.
Ava's plans to celebrate the taping and watch the first show with the writers ends up a bust when they're all too tired from working hard late nights to drink at the bar. She sends them home and ends up drinking alone as her car gets towed. Deborah also ends up dining alone before calling Damien (Mark Indelicato) last minute. After dinner, Damien takes Deborah to a club where she passes out and hits her head in a go-go cage after sniffing poppers.
The couple inside the sex shop — where Ava attempted to buy something to stop her car from getting towed — gives her a ride to her car. They also ask her out to dinner, which seems to hint at a new romantic endeavor for Ava in future episodes. While Ava drives home, she receives a call from the hospital because she's still Deborah's emergency contact. Ava helps break Deborah out of her room so they can watch the first episode of their show together in the waiting room.
In perfect Hacks fashion, the heartfelt ending of episode 4 has Deborah and Ava nervously watching their first episode together after a wild string of unexpected circumstances. It's the first time they share peaceful space, or any space, without their company-appointed chaperone. I know we're only four episodes in, but this was my favorite episode of Hacks season 4 so far. Even though Deborah and Ava are far from reconciled, the subtle character development was exactly what we needed.
Hacks season 4 drops new episodes Thursdays at 9/8c on Max.