The fourth season of the bickering buddy comedy is over, but Deborah and Ava haven’t said their last word yet. HBO has green-lit Hacks for season 5, in which the two comedians will face greater challenges than ever before.
The happy news came shortly before season 4 finale. As Erin Underhill, president of Universal Television, co-producing the show, stated (via Variety):
Like Deborah Vance herself, ‘Hacks’ only gets bolder, sharper and more iconic with time. We’re beyond thrilled to keep the laughter rolling with Jen, Paul, Lucia, our extraordinary cast and crew and our partners at Max.
Season 4 brought a fresh dose of dramas, razor-sharp jokes, and showbiz satire. Once again, the creators provide viewers with an emotional rollercoaster – will the fifth instalment maintain this standard?
Here’s everything we know about Hacks’ next season.
When will Hacks season 5 be released?
For now, HBO hasn’t revealed an official premiere date for the fifth season of the show.
Season 2 arrived a year after season 1 was released. However, fans had to wait almost two years for season 3. The delay was primarily caused by the Hollywood strikes, which lasted from May to September 2023. Season 4 premiered on 11 April 2025, a year after the first episode of the third instalment was released.
Therefore, if nothing unexpected happens, Hacks season 5 may appear in the spring of 2026.
What could the plot of Hacks season 5 be about?
Spoilers for season 4 below.
In the fourth season, Deborah fulfilled her lifelong dream of hosting The Late Night Show. However, she got off to a rough start due to a conflict with Ava. In the season 3 finale, Deborah betrayed the girl by not hiring her as the show’s head writer. However, Ava blackmailed the diva to change her mind by threatening to reveal Deborah’s romance with network CEO Bob Lipke.
In season 4, constant arguments and mutual malice disrupted work on the show, but ultimately, Deborah and Ava managed to forgive each other and reconcile.
However, at the end of the season, Deborah again faced a tough choice: either fire Ava, who antagonised the network, or leave the show with her. Ultimately, the comedian decided to resign from The Late Night Show, mocking the CEO and announcing her decision during a live episode. Sadly, Deborah’s moment of triumph was ruined – it turned out that, due to her contract with the network, she wasn’t allowed to take any new gig for the next 18 months.
Despite all that, season 4 ended on a hopeful note. After spending months in residency at the Singapore casino, Deborah and Ava rushed back to the US. Deborah decided to take up the fight and rebuild her career – how she’s going to do it is unknown, but one thing is sure. In season 5, she’ll have to set sail for uncharted waters.
Ava will probably accompany her, but it’s becoming clear that the girl needs to find her own path, both in her professional and personal life.
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As for other characters, season 5 will surely cover the constant struggles of Jimmy and Kayla, who are trying to run their own PR agency. We really hope to see more of Marcus, who, in season 4, resigned from working with Deborah. Something tells us that he may reconsider his decision and return to Deborah’s gang, possibly with some brilliant new ideas.
Who could star in Hacks season 5?
We expect the following cast members to reprise their roles in the fifth season:
- Jean Smart – Deborah Vance
- Hannah Einbinder – Ava Daniels
- Paul W. Downs – Jimmy LusSaque
- Carl Clemons-Hopkins – Marcus
- Megan Stalter – Kayla
- Kaitlin Olsen – DJ
- Poppy Liu – Kiki
- Rose Abdoo – Josefina
- Mark Indelicato – Damien
- Lorenza Izzo – Ruby
- Jane Adams – Nina Daniels, Ava’s mom
- Christopher McDonald – Marty Ghilain, Las Vegas casino owner
- Paul Felder – Aidan, DJ’s husband
- Polly Draper – Diana, the psychic
- Luenell – Miss Loretta
- Johnny Sibilly – Wilson
Since we don’t know how Deborah’s and Ava’s careers will unfold, it’s hard to say whether characters associated with The Late Night Show, such as Bob Lipka (Tony Goldwyn), Winnie Landell (Helen Hunt), or Rob (Dan Bucatinsky), will return.
Is there a trailer for Hacks season 5?
No, since the work on the set hasn’t started yet, there’s no trailer promoting the fifth entry in the series.
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Will there be a Hacks season 6?
Nothing has been decided yet, but the show may end in season 5.
In 2024, Paul W Downs, Hacks co-creator, told The Hollywood Reporter:
We pitched the very last scene in the very last episode when we were pitching the show, and we’ve always had a pretty clear vision of what the tentpoles of each season would be… Five would be ideal.
In 2025, Jen Statsky, series’ co-creator, in an interview with Collider, stated:
I think keeping the relationship fresh and making sure there are new places for Deborah and Ava to go, that is the beating heart of the show. If we found a way [to do more] that made sense, then maybe, yeah. But right now, [five seasons] is still the plan.
It seems that the creators of the series have planned their story for five seasons, but of course, they may decide to create more of them. Stay tuned for more information on the subject.
