The comedy diva you know and love is still standin'.
Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels are reuniting once more for the third season of the Max original series "Hacks". Max confirmed that the Emmy-winning comedy series is set to make its way back to the small screen this year on May 2.
That marks two years since the comedy duo's antics graced our screens, but the wait is nearly over, with just a couple of months standing in the way of bringing Deb and Ava back to the streaming platform with new adventures.
Season 3 will play out across nine episodes, with the first two debuting on May 2. The rest of the season will be released two episodes at a time each week until the season finale on May 30.
In addition to confirming the season 3 premiere date, Max also dropped a new trailer to give viewers a sneak peek of what's on its way, and it looks just like what we'd expect from the comedian of a certain age and her plucky millennial writer.
Diving into the 'Hacks' season 3 trailer
In the minute-long teaser clip, which picks up from the end of the last episode of the second season, Deborah is seen living it up, set to Elton John's "I'm Still Standing" — an apt choice for the comedian's career.
Ava, however, isn't doing so hot. Deborah had previously fired her — obviously not a great choice — but Ava manages to sneak herself into the same hotel the comedian is staying in. It's unclear whether she's gotten her job back or if she's simply trying to do some damage control for Deb, but she makes an attempt to help by calling out the star's "more problematic material" that's "gaining traction."
“Which minority group is upset?” a pained Deborah asked, proving she still is more than a little out of touch with the world.
“What are they called?” Deborah shouts, to which Ava tells her not to say "they."
"I thought everybody was they now!" Deborah yells, a little too loudly as Ava struggles to help her mentor understand what's going on.
What is 'Hacks' about?
"Hacks" is about Deborah (Smart), a stand-up comedian from Las Vegas who needs to inject some new life into her comedy act. If she can't get some fresh material that skews younger, she could lose it all, including her residency at the Palmetto Casino.
She's not quite sure what to do until she crosses paths with 25-year-old Ava (Hannah Einbinder), a comedy writer who's been looking for work but failing ever since she found herself canceled for sending an off-color tweet. Thanks to that indiscretion and a personality that doesn't click well with corporate life (and arrogance beyond her years), Ava needs work.
When Ava's agent finds her a new role as Deborah's head writer, it's the boost the comedian needs to change up her act — as well as the inspiration to get a bit more open-minded and riskier with her comedy. And with that fateful assignment, a friendship is soon born, one that benefits both women in ways they didn't see coming. And a dark mentorship is ultimately born.
But of course, the show is more laughs-per-minute than lessons learned at the end of each episode. Both the first and second seasons are currently sitting at 100% Rotten Tomatoes scores, which should be an indication of the show's lasting quality — it's clear it's a popular pick among both critics and audiences alike.
If you haven't already started watching "Hacks", it's a good time to go ahead and get into it. With a whole new slate of episodes around the corner, it may well be the quick injection of comedy we all need during these, shall we say, bleak times?
