First Look: Hacks
Jean Smart stars in this upcoming HBO Max comedy series about a middle aged stand-up comic who begrudgingly hires a feisty young comedy writer to salvage her waning career and again make her relevant. Initially, neither is excited about working with the other, each believing the other to be a hack. (Hence the title.)
Smart, who currently appears in the HBO limited series Mare of Easttown, says she was excited to lead a series of her own and has always wanted to do stand-up. Despite a string of serious standout performances in Watchmen, Fargo and 24, Smart is also known for her comedy, most notably as office manager Charlene in the TV series Designing Women.
Show producers say it was a real challenge to find someone who could keep up with Smart, but that they were astounded with how relative newcomer Hannah Einbinder, daughter of SNL alum Laraine Newman, could hold her own. From the trailer, it looks like the makings of a hit:
Hacks debuts with two episodes on HBO Max on May 13th, with two new episodes each Thursday up through its finale on June 10.