Episodic Reactions: Hacks Season Two, Week Two
Moments of brilliance, but the overall vision for the season remains far afloat
I laughed a lot watching this week’s episodes of Hacks: Laurie Metcalf has a fun two-episode arc as tour manager “Weed,” they brought back Marcus’ mother’s obsession with professional wrestling, and the lesbian cruise was a great example of a well-chosen situation for the show’s brand of comedy. And within those stories, there were really touching moments for Deborah and Ava, whether it’s bonding over dumpster diving for ashes, discussing the nuances of sexuality, or Deborah belting out “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” for a crowd of cheering lesbians.
And yet, I’m still a little perplexed by the discombobulated storytelling that’s driving all of this. The lawsuit naturally plays a significant role in “Trust the Process,” as Deborah does everything she can to make Ava uncomfortable: she gets the smallest bunk on the bus, a chest of drawers ends up blocking much of it, and she has no space for her things or her kombucha. And while the loss of her father’s ashes do…