Hacks is a comedy-drama on HBO Max. It kicked off in 2021. Jean Smart plays Deborah, a Las Vegas comedian trying to stay relevant. Hannah Einbinder is Ava, a young writer trying to save Deborah’s act. They fight, they bond, it gets messy. This show dives into age, gender and power in comedy. Critics love its smart writing and great acting. It’s like a masterclass in humor and chaos.

Meet the characters from Hacks

Deborah Vance

Deborah is a force of nature — legendary, sharp-tongued, and somehow both terrifying and deeply, weirdly tender. She rules the Vegas stage like it’s her kingdom (lipstick always perfect, even after a meltdown), but don’t be fooled, she hoards vulnerabilities under that couture exterior. She hates being messed with and will cut you down with a single line, yet she also collects little sentimental things and will unexpectedly cry at a birthday card — total contradiction, I know. She’s a pro who reinvents herself constantly but also gets furious about the slightest change to her routine, which is somehow charming and alarming. Basically, she’s ruthless, brilliant, and endlessly watchable, like a diva who reads your mail and forgives you for no reason.

Ava

Ava is chaotic in the best possible way: hungry for success, sharp as a tack, and emotionally undercaffeinated (I mean, who sleeps, right?). She’s that messy millennial exec who drafts biting notes at 2 a.m. and then deletes them five minutes later — brilliant, self-sabotaging, and very, very human. She wants to break into the big leagues and will hustle and overthink her way there, often stumbling into actual growth when she least expects it. Loves snacks at bad times, hates small talk, and somehow writes killer pitches while spiraling — impressive and slightly exhausting.

Marcus

Marcus is the anxious, principled planner who acts like adulthood’s unofficial manager; he has binders, systems, and an emotional brain like a vintage radio that picks up too many stations. He’s meticulous and moral and gets flustered when things go off the script, but he’s also sneakily sentimental — likes old sitcoms, cares about people, and will defend you with spreadsheet precision. He can be a bit rigid, which makes his softer moments (a joke gone wrong, a misplaced compliment) feel huge and unexpected. Also, he collects novelty ties? Or maybe that’s a rumor, but imagine it and it’s perfect.

Marty

Marty is the no-nonsense industry shark with a soft center that only appears at odd hours and in really specific situations (like when someone mentions a missed deadline and then cries, who knows). He knows every number, every loop, every loophole, and will fix your career while simultaneously complaining about the pastry selection in the green room. He’s practical, blunt, and strangely paternal — the kind of person who negotiates a deal and then makes you call your mother. Low-key weird hobbyist (I could swear he knits or hums Sinatra while budgeting), and always scheming but somehow loyal to a fault.

Josefina

Josefina bursts in with the energy of someone trying to prove themselves to an entire city and their own complicated heart at the same time. She’s fiery, impulsive, sometimes bafflingly self-centered, and yet she desperately wants connection — so she messes up and apologizes with playlists and texts at 3 a.m. She thinks fast, plans faster, and says the wrong thing in the most honest way possible, which makes her both infuriating and deeply relatable. Also, she has this habit of naming plants after people she’s mad at (don’t ask), which somehow makes sense.

Kiki

Kiki is the eager, slightly scattered talent who carries a stack of notebooks and three different resumes in her bag — she means well and is simultaneously a walking brainstorm. She’s sweet, ambitious, and clumsy with both feelings and timing; she will volunteer for everything and then panic in the parking lot. Her optimism is infectious (and sometimes naive), but she learns fast and is surprisingly tough when push comes to shove. Tiny quirks: she labels things obsessively, but will forget her keys daily — adorable and chaotic.

DJ

DJ is quietly solid — practical, funny in a dry way, and the kind of person who notices when the coffee is stale and fixes it before you have a meltdown. He’s reliable to a fault, protective of the people around him, and has a surprising love for cheesy radio songs that he will defend like a scholar. He doesn’t need the spotlight but he often saves the day with literal calmness and a look that says “we got this,” which is more comforting than any motivational quote. Also, he might have an encyclopedic knowledge of grilled cheese variations? Probably.

Damien

Damien is the chaotic creative — loud ideas, bigger ego, and a soft core he only shows after midnight and/or pizza. He’s brilliant at pulling wild concepts together and then panics about whether anyone will actually get it, so he oscillates between grand gestures and over-apologizing. He loves the theater of things, obsesses about lighting, and will cry about a script in a way that is both dramatic and oddly endearing. Basically, he’s the person who will ruin your sleep schedule but also make you a better story, and you’ll forgive him because his passion is contagious.