Our favourite Queen of Comedy has performed it: Deborah Vance is formally the primary late-night host within the nation. And in true Hacks vogue, Episode 9 kicks off with none apart from Katie Couric interviewing her in a shiny, high-profile phase. As a result of that’s what you do if you’ve clawed your approach to the highest of the leisure business. The second is huge, triumphant, and well-earned.
However earlier than we are able to even end celebrating, a well-recognized shadow creeps in: Bob Lipka. With Winnie gone, the pinnacle of the community immediately has time to linger on set. He assures Deborah he received’t intervene – after all of the present is successful, they clearly have every part below management – after which instantly interferes by demanding she invite actor Ethan Summers on her present.
Summers, whereas undeniably well-known, can also be wrapped in a package deal of scandal: erratic conduct, home violence accusations, and allegations of sexting underage women. Deborah and Ava had agreed early on that they don’t want him on the present. However Deborah is aware of she’s cornered. Bob removed Winnie for her (not that she requested for such drastic measures), and that is clearly a part of the unstated commerce.
Ava is, unsurprisingly, horrified however doesn’t combat it. Not as a result of she is okay with it, however as a result of she has grown. She’s nonetheless an anxious, self-righteous mess however apparently, she doesn’t blow up each time one thing crosses an ethical line. And Deborah? She’s grown too. Positive, she largely performs together with Summers’ redemption tour, however she will be able to’t assist sliding in slightly joke about his secret Snapchat account which he presumably makes use of to attach with underage women. It’s daring. It’s dangerous. But it surely’s the precise factor to do. One could name it “The Ava Impact”.
In the meantime, in a subplot straight out of chaos comedy heaven, Kayla and Jimmy are on a mission to Dance Mother. She has been lacking for a number of hours, and she or he is scheduled to carry out on Deborah’s present in like half an hour.
They discover her handed out and deeply hungover on the Determined Housewives set. She shouldn’t be performing in her state however Rob, the everlasting showrunner, insists the present should go on, even when the dancer in query can barely stand. When chilly water doesn’t revive her, Jimmy, on the finish of his rope, lets her snort slightly cocaine to get by means of the quantity. The scene is a catastrophe, solely chaotic and messy. However in a great way. It’s additionally extremely entertaining and nothing in need of sensible.
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| “A Slippery Slope” – HACKS. Pictured: Paul W. Downs as Jimmy LuSaque, Julianne Nicholson as Dance Mother & Megan Stalter as Kayla Schaeffer. Picture: Jake Giles Netter/Max ©2025 HBO Max, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
After the taping, Deborah is requested to chop her jab at Summers from the interview. His crew needs it gone. She’s not thrilled however agrees. Ava, however, is livid. She calls it what it’s: censorship.
And since that is Ava Daniels we’re speaking about, the second she runs into her previous colleague Louis from On the Opposite, you already know she goes to mess up. Naïve as she generally could be, she casually vents concerning the community slicing Deborah’s joke. Predictably, Louis makes use of that data for successful piece on Summers, specifically highlighting the truth that the studio tried to cowl up his misconduct.
Ava instantly owns as much as her mistake, telling Deborah what occurred. And in a shocking twist Deborah doesn’t yell. She listens. She processes. She needs to determine it out collectively. Progress!
The 2 ladies wish to speak to Jimmy however he has apparently disappeared. Kayla, normally comedian aid, turns into the voice of reality: Jimmy has been holding every part collectively behind the scenes, and none of them, herself included, ever actually stopped to say thanks. For as soon as, there’s no punchline. Simply honesty. And it lands. Deborah and Ava are left standing there, referred to as out and confronted with the very actual proven fact that Jimmy’s loyalty, endurance, and work have been quietly holding their chaotic world collectively.
It doesn’t take lengthy for phrase to get again to Bob Lipka. Somebody talked, and it doesn’t take a genius, or perhaps a mildly competent govt, to determine who it was. Ava virtually gift-wrapped the leak for Louis, and now Lipka’s livid. His community has been dragged right into a scandal (lol), and there’s just one identify on his chopping block: Ava.
Lipka: “Fireplace her, or the present’s performed.”
Deborah, to her credit score, refuses, at the very least for now.
She visits Jimmy, who – based on Kayla – had mysteriously disappeared when he actually was simply at house, stewing in his emotions and ignoring everybody. Seems, when nobody notices your efforts, hiding in plain sight looks like the one transfer. Deborah lastly tells him what he’s been dying to listen to: that she sees what he does for her, that she appreciates him. After which, she tells him about her plan: “It’s one thing I actually don’t wish to do. However I believe I’ve to.”
What follows is a doubtlessly devastating betrayal. Shortly earlier than Deborah begins taping their Oscar particular which might be airing reside, she sends Ava on to the Oscars to do a phase for the present. However when Ava arrives, she discovers she and her crew have been by no means added to the credential record. On the identical time, she runs into Winnie, who bitterly tells her the reality: It’s Deborah’s fault she bought fired. She wished her gone and so Bob made it occur. Ava defends Deborah, at first, however one can see the doubt creeping in.
Ava rushes again to the studio, determined for solutions. When she arrives on the lot, she discovers her badge not works. The safety guard tells her she is seemingly not with the present. Ava is shocked. What the hell was occurring?
Along with the safety girl she watches the reside broadcast, on some degree anticipating the worst. However what occurs subsequent is something however.
Deborah begins the reside Oscars particular with a thanks. To the viewers, to her crew. After which to Ava.
“I’ve been requested to fireside her by the pinnacle of this firm. However I received’t try this… I refuse to fireside her. Not simply because she’s my inventive companion, however as a result of it’s a slippery slope. A number of days in the past I agreed to chop a joke I made to guard Ethan Summers and the studios pursuits. And now I’ve been requested to fireside somebody I really like who did nothing mistaken. So, what’s going to they ask of me subsequent? The place’s the road? And for me it’s right here, proper now. Which is why tonight might be my final present.”
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| “A Slippery Slope” – HACKS. Pictured: Jean Sensible as Deborah Vance, Picture: Max ©2025 HBO Max, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
It is a mic-drop monologue for the ages. Deborah admits she performed the sport, lower the joke, performed good. However sufficient is sufficient. She received’t hold compromising simply to make shareholders blissful. “This was my dream. And I’m so blissful I bought it. However the dream modified… and so did I.”
And with that, she quits. On air. Reside.
Bob Lipka storms the management room, screaming for them to chop the feed. Jimmy will not be having any of it and blocks him from interfering with the published. A full-on bodily combat breaks out between them, as Deborah’s phrases beam out to the world. The reality stays on air.
Ava watches Deborah’s speech, tears streaming down her face. The safety guard lastly lets her by means of. She runs by means of the lot, finds Deborah, and collapses into her arms.
“Why did you try this!? You need to have fired me and saved the present!”
“There’s no present with out you.”
That’s not only a line. It’s the thesis of the whole sequence.
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| “A Slippery Slope” – HACKS. Pictured: Hannah Einbinder as Ava Daniels & Jean Sensible as Deborah Vance, Picture: Max ©2025 HBO Max, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
However simply if you suppose it’s over, Lipka reappears, throwing one final punch. Deborah can’t work wherever else. There’s a non-compete clause in her contract. If she performs wherever within the subsequent 18 months, he’ll sue her.
The look on Deborah’s face? That’s the value of integrity.
And but… she did it and she or he doesn’t appear to remorse it. She protected Ava. She stood for one thing. And in a world that consistently calls for compromise, Deborah Vance walked away on her personal phrases.
It takes a sure type of affect to make somebody stroll away from every part they’ve constructed.
Ava didn’t simply make Deborah’s jokes higher – she made her higher. She opened her eyes to issues she used to disregard, helped her acknowledge injustice the place Deborah as soon as rolled her eyes, and confirmed her that success means little or no if it comes at the price of integrity.
The episode was filled with a lot emotional weight, character progress, and razor-sharp comedy that it felt longer than normal – in the very best means. Each second felt intentional, each beat earned. It was messy. It was courageous. It was sincere. And it reminded us precisely why we care so deeply about these characters and why this present continues to be certainly one of TV’s best.
Are you continue to recovering from that mic-drop monologue too? Identical! Let’s speak!