Warning: the following contains SPOILERS for Hacks.
HBO Max's May 2022 series roster, tells the tale of the fictional comedy legend Deborah Vance. Deborah's experiences in the comedic world notably borrow much from the real history of comedy.
Indeed, Deborah's abrasive, irreverent comedic style may be familiar to long-time fans and scholars of stand-up. Moreover, Deborah's career history also reflects certain events in the lives of some of comedy's biggest stars. Deborah Vance is, in many ways, an amalgamation of the experiences of various icons in the comedy industry.
Hacks isn't based on any single true story or comedian, but on a variety of true stories and performers. Much of this can be observed in Deborah, who serves as both the hero and the villain in the cast of Hacks. Similar to comics like Joan Rivers and Sam Kinison, Deborah is known for her controversial act. Like Elayne Boosler and Phyllis Diller, Deborah also had a short-lived stint hosting late-night talk shows, which is also evocative of Johnny Carson and Joan Rivers' infamous falling out. Also, the way Deborah got started echoes the roots of Elaine May, while Deborah's divorce is similar to Lucille Ball's. Moreover, while George Carlin also ended his Vegas residency on bitter , the evolution of Deborah's act through Ava's help is also pulling Deborah's material towards the direction of Carlin's transgressive, counterculture school of comedy. Although Deborah has been mostly compared to Joan Rivers, the fact is that the character was actually inspired by many of America's greatest entertainers.
Meanwhile, Deborah's Gen Z writer Ava is more comparable to comedians like Janeane Garofalo, The Colbert Report, and The Late Show's Stephen Colbert, and even canceled former SNL writer Shane Gillis. Like these more contemporary comics, Ava constantly tries to push the boundaries of what's funny, which also calls to mind comedy legends like Tina Fey and Dave Chappelle. While Ava is always concerned with the political message of her comedy, she's also not afraid of putting out jokes that could get her canceled, and speaking her mind at every opportunity. While Deborah represents the foundations that built the art of comedy, Ava represents the evolution of stand-up in the contemporary comedy scene.
Through Deborah and Ava, Hacks pays tribute to the history and evolution of American stand-up comedy. This is a key factor in how Hacks, an underrated sleeper hit on HBO Max, has managed to become one of the best comedy-dramas on television. With Hacks season 2 underway, the series is bound to draw even more parallels between Deborah, Ava, and the real history of comedy.
Hacks releases new episodes Thursdays on HBO Max.