Week after week, Hacks season 4 continues to deliver everything we want. Whether it's Deborah and Ava hilariously feuding or having hard-fought moments seeing eye-to-eye, the fourth season of the Emmy Award-winning comedy has been a dream. The cameos and guest star appearances have been amazing, too, and the most recent episode finally brought back a favorite character.
In the halfway point of season 4, Hacks called in an iconic but unexpected cameo appearance from Nobody Wants This star Kristen Bell. Deborah Vance is a Veronica Mars fan. Who knew? The same episode also welcomed Paradise star Julianne Nicholson as Dance Mom, a viral social media personality who dances with Deborah to "Lifetimes" by Katy Perry.
With all of that momentum, Hacks season 4 went into the back half of the season with the long anticipated return of Kaitlin Olson as Deborah's daughter DJ. I don't know about you, but I have been anxiously anticipating DJ to appear all season, and let's just say her return in season 4 was definitely worth waiting for. She brings the laughs and a going-into-labor scare!
Kaitlin Olson returns in Hacks season 4 episode 6
Olson appears in Hacks season 4 episode 6, titled "Mrs. Table," during a FaceTime call with her mother. She's getting close to her due date and needs someone she trusts by her side. Deborah's horrified to think that it's her, but DJ wants Josefina (Rose Abdoo) to her relief. During the call, DJ's deadlifting weights and Deborah fears that her water broke... but she just peed her pants.
Obviously, Olson isn't a series regular on Hacks and only recurs, appearing in a couple episodes each season. This time around, she's a bit busier than normal with her commitments to her hit ABC crime comedy-drama procedural High Potential, which will be back for season 2 in the fall, and the upcoming 17th season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which premieres this summer.
DJ's one of my favorite side characters in Hacks, and it's always great to get an update from her crazy and always unexpected to life. There's no doubt that later this season, DJ will give birth to her baby, and she will name that poor thing something wild. After this excellent return from Olson as DJ, I can't wait for her next surprise pop in. Speaking of surprise pop-ins, episode 6 had another one.
In addition to Olson, this week's episode also featured the return of Ava's ex-girlfriend Ruby (Lorenza Izzo). While promoting her new movie Wolf Girl, Ruby drops by Deborah's late night show for a chat. Ava stresses to impress her ex by getting a makeover at the mall and attempting to flirt (and ripping a tablet off the wall of Ruby's dressing room). But the surprise visit gets even worse.
During Ruby's conversation on Late Night, Deborah brings up a "funny story" from Ruby's past involving a proposal gone wrong. Of course, that was a story from Ava's past that she didn't appreciate Deborah putting on television. It's the latest strike in their war and possibly the lowest blow yet. In a huff, Ava quits and goes "missing" when she leaves the studio.
Feeling increasingly guilty, especially after a coyote nearly kills one of her beloved corgis, Deborah searches for Ava and eventually finds her at the beach, assuming that she's suicidal. She isn't, and thankfully, the two are able to come to a truce. Deborah apologizes and they share a bottle of champagne Ava's had in her trunk for far too long. Make this the truce that sticks, please!
Hacks season 4 releases new episodes Thursdays on Max.