WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Hacks season 3, episode 3, "The Roast of Deborah Vance."

Summary

• Dee Reynolds fans will find Kaitlin Olson's character success in stand-up comedy on Hacks hilarious, a complete reversal from It's Always Sunny.
• DJ Vance fulfills Sweet Dee's comedy dreams in Hacks season 3, a delightful surprise for fans of Kaitlin Olson's iconic character.
• The funny irony of DJ's successful stand-up routine in Hacks is even greater for fans of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Max’s cast of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which is about to embark on its 17th season, the actress has also taken on recurring and main roles in other acclaimed sitcoms over the years. Olson notably starred in The Mick for two seasons before its cancellation, had a recurring role on Curb Your Enthusiasm, and has a ing role on Hacks as Deborah Vance’s daughter, DJ.

After making some memorable appearances in the first two outings, Kaitlin Olson returns in Hacks season 3’s cast in a simultaneously hilarious and heartfelt storyline with Deborah actress Jean Smart. In Hacks season 3, episode 3, Olson’s character is recruited to partake in the Roast of Deborah Vance, which DJ wants to use to get back at her mother while Ava worries about the quality of her jokes. The roast then includes an incredible surprise for DJ with a meta connection to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, as the subplot fulfills a long-held wish for Olson’s Sweet Dee character.

Kaitlin Olson's Hacks Character Successfully Does Stand-Up Comedy (While Dee Always Failed)

Dee would be extremely jealous of DJ Vance

Accomplishing what Sweet Dee never could (and still hasn’t as of It’s Always Sunny season 16), DJ’s jokes all land with the crowd as she successfully performs stand-up comedy in Hacks season 3. While DJ doesn’t have any aspirations for acting or comedy like her mother, this is exactly the desire of Kaitlin Olson’s It’s Always Sunny character. One of It’s Always Sunny’s greatest running gags since season 2 is Dee’s desire to be a successful actress and comedian, with the comedy show reliably crushing her dreams as her material typically bombs with crowds or she fails to be cast in bigger acting roles.

New episodes of Hacks season 3 release Thursdays on Max. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is available to stream on Hulu.

Consequently, it was ironic to see Kaitlin Olson’s Hacks character succeed in stand-up comedy while her It’s Always Sunny persona has always struggled. Of course, there is an exception to Dee’s stand-up comedy struggles in It’s Always Sunny’s season 9 episode “The Gang Broke Dee,” which saw Olson’s character embrace the desperation and self-hatred that the other of the gang had constantly pushed onto her. As it turned out, this helped Dee finally succeed in stand-up – only for the end of the episode to reveal that her success was entirely fabricated by Charlie and Mac as a prank.

It was ironic to see Kaitlin Olson’s Hacks character succeed in stand-up comedy while her It’s Always Sunny persona has always struggled.

Dee's History In It's Always Sunny Makes Her Hacks Character's Success Even Funnier

Hacks' joke is even better for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia fans

Hacks viewers who also enjoy It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia almost certainly watched “The Roast of Deborah Vance” with different expectations for Olson’s character. After seeing Dee struggle with comedy for nearly two decades, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia fans would have greater expectations for DJ to go on stage thinking her material was great, only for it to upsettingly fail. As such, the fact that DJ’s bits at the roast were met with resounding applause and genuine laughter in Hacks was even funnier, as Olson’s most famous character has long set a precedent for such ventures to end quite badly.