LOS ANGELES, May 6, 2026, 06:09 PDT
“Hacks” returns for a fresh two-episode release on HBO Max, the show’s last season circling a central concern: what kind of legacy Deborah Vance leaves when the curtain finally falls. Episodes 6 and 7 drop Thursday, May 7, at 9 p.m. ET. That sets up five more before the series finale hits on May 28. TechRadar
The timing here means last week’s “D’Amazing Race” wasn’t just a throwaway stunt. Instead, the episode brought in a crossover with CBS’ “The Amazing Race,” putting Jean Smart’s Deborah against Kaitlin Olson’s DJ—her daughter onscreen—right before the series leans into legacy and goodbye.
Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed that the fifth and last season of “Hacks” will feature 10 episodes, with two episodes dropping on both April 30 and May 7. The April lineup for HBO Max puts “Hacks” next to “Euphoria” Season 3 and the limited run of “Half Man,” a move that signals the company’s push to spotlight the comedy as it aims to hold subscriber focus on its returning scripted franchises. Pressroom
On the April 30 episode, Deborah and DJ landed spots on a celebrity “The Amazing Race”—honoring Deborah’s promise to her daughter that she’d go on if the chance ever came up. According to Vulture’s recap, Deborah also eyed the show as a way to drum up buzz for her Madison Square Garden event. Meanwhile, Ava targeted rights in her own lane, chasing a reboot of “Who’s Making Dinner?,” the fictional 1970s sitcom connected to Deborah. Vulture
With that, the last season landed a neat commercial hook—and an emotional one. Deborah’s pursuit of respect hasn’t let up. DJ keeps angling for attention from her mother. As for Ava (Hannah Einbinder), she’s digging into Deborah’s forgotten TV history, hoping to build something new out of it.
Speaking to TV Insider, Olson said the race succeeded because the mother-daughter duo had no choice but to “cooperate and work together.” Smart described the setup as a “hilarious idea”—but admitted concerns about keeping pace after her knee surgery. TV Insider
Deborah and DJ were the first to go, knocked out after the clown-dance challenge—though the show paused for a subdued airport moment with the pair before their exit. The Hollywood Reporter called the doubleheader an “emotional punch,” adding that the “Amazing Race” crossover brought Deborah and DJ closer as the final season zeroed in on legacy. The Hollywood Reporter
The April 30 episode, “Who’s Making Dinner?,” could prove even more significant to Deborah’s long-term story. According to Autostraddle, the show leans on Deborah’s flashbacks to the invented sitcom, plus a PaleyFest-style industry tribute, to highlight how her legacy is still bound up with Frank Vance—the ex-husband who, despite their collaboration, ended up with sole creator credit. Autostraddle
That turn also leaves Ava’s next move uncertain. Kathy—Deborah’s estranged sister—holds the sitcom rights, so Ava’s running into a family rift, not just a typical industry negotiation. In “Hacks,” business tends to drag old scars with it.
It’s the tone that trips things up. According to Autostraddle, “D’Amazing Race” leans harder on goofiness, and the cut from the reality-TV antics to Deborah and DJ’s soft airport moment doesn’t quite have the clean handoff seen in the show’s best episodes. That’s the risk with a late-season crossover: even if it lands an emotional punch, it can still come off as a sidestep. Autostraddle
Lucia Aniello, who co-runs the series, told Vogue that the ending was baked into their original pitch—the last scene was clear from the start, and the team always pictured the season as coming “full-circle.” That’s relevant now, with the final episodes less about tying up storylines and more about locking in what actually counts as Deborah’s story within the show. Vogue
“Hacks” has never shied from the cost of making people laugh out loud. HBO Max, this week, tests if last week’s jab at reality TV was just a breather before the end—or if that’s when Deborah Vance begins letting others in, passing out parts of her show to those waiting in the wings.
