Standing ovation for the final episode of the “Hacks” series.
The Emmy Award-winning HBO comedy series ended Thursday night after five seasons, with a major change in the fortunes of Deborah Vance (Jean Smart).
Warning: Spoilers ahead. Do not proceed if you have not watched the series finale of “The Hux.”
Early in the episode, it seemed like fans’ fears about Deborah were coming true when she told Eva (Hannah Einbinder) that she had a cancerous mass that had metastasized.
To make matters worse, Deborah refused to receive treatment.
As expected, Eva didn’t take the news well, but Deborah remained determined and asked Eva to accompany her to the assisted suicide facility in Switzerland where she wanted to die.
It took some time for Eva to reluctantly agree to the “suicide mission” of her friend and mentor.
They first stopped in Paris, where they went shopping, toured the Louvre (while mocking the Mona Lisa), and went dancing in a club.
However, once the fun wore off, Eva confronted Deborah again about her decision to die.
After a brief departure in the final season, Einbinder gave an outstanding, Emmy-worthy performance in which Eva tearfully begs Deborah, “Please, don’t leave me.”
“I’m sorry,” Deborah replied cruelly.
True to her nature, Eva accepted Deborah’s wishes and withdrew.
When Eva arrives at the train station preparing to leave for Switzerland, she is relieved by Deborah’s decision, but it is Deborah who changes her mind after the two of them brainstorm ideas for jokes about Deborah’s death.
“I don’t have 30 years, but I think I have an hour left,” Deborah tells Eva, who agrees to help Deborah write a death joke.
In the show’s final moments, Eva and Deborah, who agreed to undergo treatment, strolled through Las Vegas, the place where their special bond began.
Jimmy (Paul W. Downs) and Kayla (Meg Stalter) also expose Kayla’s father Michael Schaefer’s illegal activities at his talent agency Latitude, bringing the story to a celebratory conclusion.
Michael steps down and hands over the reins of the company to the dynamic duo, who unite and inspire employees during Jimmy’s incredible keynote speech.
In a typical Kayla move, she refuses to take the biggest office at the company and gives it to her assistant, Randy (Robbie Hoffman), so she can sit closer to Jimmy.
The finale of “The Hux” wasn’t perfect. There were little to no big flashy moments, Deborah’s enthusiasm was limited, and some of the supporting characters, such as Damian (Mark Indelicato) and Josefina (Rose Abdou), were underutilized.
But the ending still hit the nail on the head, as Deborah and Eva’s relationship has been the magic of the show all along.
When the show first aired in 2021, they were introduced as opposite women from different generations who had one thing in common: a love of comedy.
After five seasons, Deborah and Eva, and we as viewers, have realized that the comedy just doesn’t matter. Their love for each other was certainly there. It was also a timeless love story.
All five seasons of “The Hux” are available to stream on HBO Max.
