HBO finally confirms ‘Hacks’ Season 5 will be its last as streamer sets release date
'Hacks' is back. But as a dampener, HBO Max confirmed that the upcoming season of the Emmy-winning dramedy will be the show's final run. Season 5 is set to premiere Thursday, April 9, at 9 p.m. ET. According to the streamer, the finale will consist of 10 episodes dropping weekly, except on April 30 and May 7, which will see two-episode releases. The series finale is set for May 28.
The official logline for Season 5 reads, "In the aftermath of mistaken and unflattering news reports that she passed away, Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and Ava (Hannah Einbinder) return to Las Vegas more determined than ever to secure Deborah’s legacy as a comedian." As a quick refresher, 'Hacks' Season 4 ended with Deborah Vance (Smart) and Ava Daniels (Einbinder) in Singapore. The duo finds an opening that allows Deborah to perform on stage despite her non-compete clause, which kicks in after her untimely exit from her late-night talk show.
Series regulars Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Paul W. Downs, Megan Stalter, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Mark Indelicato, and Rose Abdoo return. The guest cast includes Robby Hoffman, Tony Goldwyn, Kaitlin Olson, Christopher McDonald, Jane Adams, Lauren Weedman, Poppy Liu, Johnny Sibilly, Luenell, Angela E. Gibbs, and Caitlin Reilly. Christopher Briney also joins the cast. 'Hacks' premiered on HBO Max in 2021 and has 47 episodes across five seasons. The show has been an Emmy staple with Smart winning four Emmys for lead comedy actress, as well as a win for Einbender. Furthermore, it won the Outstanding Comedy Series in 2024.
The series' end isn't entirely surprising. Previously, the stars and producers hinted at the possibility of the show ending. Last year, lead Hannah Einbinder spoke about the show's future in an interview with E!, saying, "Knowing it’s the last season is really bittersweet. But I think it’s right, you know? It’s nice to do something as many times as it should be done. Don't overstay your welcome. Rip it and do it and laugh and cry." In related news, EPs and creators Jen Statsky, Lucia Aniello, and Paul W. Downs had also shared that the show was planned for five seasons. "We are now breaking up Season 5, and we have to see how many episodes it will take us to get to where we know we’re going to go," Downs told Variety after the Season 4 finale. "The final scene of the final episode has been in our minds since 2015, and we’re excited to get there. But that may take more episodes than we can fit in the season. So the truth is that we don’t know."
