A few lucky Hacks fans will have one last chance to see Jean Smart as Deborah Vance, Hannah Einbinder as Ava, along with other memorable characters from the acclaimed HBO Max comedy, when they take the stage for Deborah Vance & Friends & Enemies Live!, an FYC event, Friday night.
The sold-out production set inside the world of HBO Hacks, which is designed to support the show’s record 24 Emmy nominations, may be the last extension in the Hacks universe.
Chatter about potential spinoffs got loud around the launch of the comedy’s fifth and final season, with a Jimmy (Paul W. Downs) and Kayla (Megan Stalter) offshoot getting a lot of buzz. Talk has now subsided, with HBO Max said to be opting to keep the show’s legacy focused on the award-winning mothership series and end the characters’ stories with its finale.
Hacks creators Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky are moving on too, shifting their attention to new projects.
Coinciding with the beginning of Emmy Phase 2 voting, Deborah Vance & Friends & Enemies Live! will be held at The Fonda Theatre in L.A. with additional cast set to make surprise appearances alongside Smart and Einbinder. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.and the live show will run for about an hour and a-half starting at 7:30 p.m. Drinks and soft pretzels, pizza, and popcorn will be served for fans beforehand.
Hacks recently landed 24 Emmy nominations for its final season, the most ever for a comedy series in a single year. That eclipses the previous record of 23 set by FX’s The Bear in 2024 and matched by Apple TV’s The Studio in 2025.
The comedy starring Smart has been consistent throughout its run, landing 15 Emmy nominations for Season 1, 17 for Season 2, 16 in Season 3 and 14 for Season 4. Hacks blew past that in Season 5, almost doubling its 2025 tally this year, including fifth consecutive ones for Outstanding Comedy Series and Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Smart).
Denise Petski contributed to this report.
