Parents' Guide to

Hacks

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Excellent dark comedy has sexual content, cursing, drinking.

TV Max Comedy 2021
Hacks Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

  • Hacks TV Show: Practicing on stage.
  • Hacks TV Show: At a gig in a new pizza joint.
  • Hacks TV Show: Looking at some iconic pictures.
  • Hacks TV Show: Damien talks to Deborah.

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

KookyWatchesTV
KookyWatchesTV Parent of 16-year-old
April 25, 2022
age 18+

Jean Smart is worth a few uncomfortable scenes

Funny, uncomfortable at times and very touching at moments. There is a stint of very risky behaviors in this show including pills, drinking, and cocaine, plus very casual but protected sex. A character hooks up with a Postmate delivery person. No nudity or simulated sex is shown; however, a character is manually stimulating himself beneath a blanket for a moment. A character hooks up with a person they met at a casino, but that was also protected. The scene is PG, just sensual kissing and partial disrobing, but no nudity or simulated sex. There is also an off-screen suicide that is described in a pretty dark-humored way that could be difficult for some viewers who are sensitive to the topic. These things are pretty integral to establishing where a character is in her life — floundering, desperate to connect — so they are appropriate. Cannabis is consumed (gummies and a vaporizer pen) but I’m not concerned with legal herbs. If viewers are sensitive to substance abuse, they should know one that character has been through rehab and it is mentioned. Viewers who are uncomfortable with same-sex relationships should also note that this is a very progressive show and involve same-sex couples expressing affection with appropriate kissing and touching. Although there isn’t nudity or simulated sex, one scene is fairly suggestive. These relationships aren’t casual and are based upon mutual respect and love which to me is healthy. There is some pretty raunchy language and discussion about sexual preferences; however, it’s instrumental to a character’s development. Overall if my children (18 and 15) walked in, I can’t think of a moment when I’d feel the need to pause the show. (This review is current as of the conclusion of the first season.)
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What's the Story?

HACKS is a comedy series about the complicated relationship between a veteran comedian and an up-and-coming comedy writer. Legendary comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) lives in Las Vegas and is the star attraction at The Palmetto Casino. But when CEO Marty Ghilain (Christopher McDonald) wants to reduce her performance dates to make way for younger, hipper acts, Vance's manager Jimmy (Paul W. Downs) sends Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), a young, unfiltered, and thus unemployed L.A. comedy writer to help her write new material. She joins chief operating officer Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins) and personal assistant Damien (Mark Indelicato) as part of Vance's team, and sometimes finds herself dealing with D.J. (Kaitlin Olson), the comedian's troubled adult daughter. Neither Deborah nor Ava are thrilled about working with each other, but as the two butt heads, they also reveal what they have in common.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Sharp and well-written, the dark comedy series skillfully creates a story narrative in which two strong and talented women manage to successfully work together while remaining at odds. The aging Deborah Vance (who's reminiscent of the late Joan Rivers) is more committed to working and maintaining her image than she is to her craft, thanks to an exhausting career filled with successes and failures. The much younger Ava wants to remain creative and relevant, but after being blackballed for tweeting a single controversial joke, finds herself trying to write punchlines and one-liners for an entertainer who is out of touch with her generation. Their collective judgmental and unapologetically blunt personalities, combined with the overall sense of disenchantment they feel about the world, fuels their insulting exchanges. But Hacks successfully uses this dynamic to highlight the respect they have for one another. If you're looking for a good adult comedy, it's a fun and unique binge-watchable series that won't disappoint.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the role of writign in a TV comedy. In addition to strong characters and good dialogue, what other things do comedy writers have to focus on in order to make the work funny and relevant to an audience?

  • How does Hacks describe the nature of the comedy business? How do Deborah and Ava cope with things like ageism and sexism in their careers?

TV Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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