There is a particularly right moment to catch up on Hacks. And that moment is now. The comedy starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, after winning over audiences and critics and accumulating an impressive array of accolades, is finally available in full also in Italy. Until now Netflix had the merit of offering the first two seasons in Italy, but now HBO Max has cataloged all five seasons that comprise it. A good occasion, therefore, to discover one of the most acclaimed American comedies of recent years and which, this year as well, is among the favorites for the upcoming edition of the Emmys. But why is it really worth catching up? Here are five reasons.
5 reasons Hacks is a series you can’t miss
The plot that goes beyond mere generational conflict
The first reason is also the most evident: the plot. Created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky, the series revolves around two women from completely different generations. On one side there is Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas comedian whose professional future is being called into question. On the other there is Ava Daniels, a young, talented but complex TV writer, compelled to collaborate with Deborah. Their relationship at the start is quite stormy. Deborah is a star used to commanding and not easily accepting criticism; Ava belongs to a different generation and has no intention of always bending to her. It is precisely from this incompatibility that a hilarious duo emerges, teaching us how collaboration between two people from opposite ends can give birth to something truly special.
A brilliant and biting script
One of Hacks’ strengths is a writing that can be funny, sharp, and also surprisingly moving. The banter between Deborah and Ava is often razor-edged, but the series does not stop at humor: it builds two complex and imperfect characters, telling through their relationship themes such as ambition, success, aging and generational differences.
Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder
Needless to say, the leads Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder are immensely talented actresses. Jean Smart, in particular, constructs a Deborah who is impossible to reduce to the caricature of the aging diva. She is arrogant, demanding, ruthless and often intolerable, but she can also be vulnerable and intelligent. Einbinder holds her own with a similarly imperfect character, creating a dynamic that continuously evolves across the seasons.
Hacks has already won 13 Emmys…
If you’re looking for a guarantee of quality, Hacks’ numbers speak for themselves. The Television Academy has awarded the series 13 Emmys out of 86 total nominations. Among the most significant honors is the one earned in 2024, when Hacks won the Emmy for Best Comedy, beating shows like The Bear, Abbott Elementary and Only Murders in the Building. But the Emmy success is not limited to the series as a whole. The Television Academy has repeatedly recognized its performers as well, beginning with Jean Smart, who built with Deborah Vance one of the most important roles of her career. And in the same year, 2025, Jean Smart won Best Actress in a Comedy and Hannah Einbinder Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy.
… and it’s poised to make more history
And this brings us to why Hacks is particularly intriguing right now. The fifth season, which is also the final one, received 24 nominations for the 2026 Emmys. A huge number, but more importantly a record: the most nominations ever earned by a comedy in a single Emmy edition. The previous record belonged to The Studio and The Bear, surpassed precisely by Hacks with its 24 recognitions in the final five. The fifth season has also earned the fifth consecutive nomination for the series in the Best Comedy category. We’re ready to bet that a good portion of the 24 nominations will translate into actual wins at the Primetime Emmy 2026 ceremony, scheduled for next September 14 (in Italy on the night of September 14–15).
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