Spoilers are ahead for the Hacks season 3 finale.
Summary
- Deborah and Kathy don’t address the arson accusations, setting up potential conflict in
Hacks
season 4. - Kathy’s affair with Frank isn’t her biggest betrayal, as the arson rumor was even detrimental to Deborah’s career.
- Despite attempts to reconcile, Deborah and Kathy Vance part ways, hinting at a future clash or reunion.
In the Hacks season 3 finale, legendary comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) has one more meeting with her estranged sister, Kathy Vance (J. Smith-Cameron), but the duo don’t address one of the biggest aspects of their decades-long feud. Created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky, the hit Max comedy-drama series boasts impressive reviews for a reason: its blend of whip-smart humor and surprising heart. In Hacks‘ third outing, Deborah is riding high on the success of her tell-all, self-funded comedy special, which went all in on airing her dirty laundry.
In Hacks season 1, Deborah’s down-on-her-luck writer, Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), discovers an old Time magazine cover story regarding Deborah’s then-upcoming — but ultimately unaired — pilot for a late-night talk show. Despite being at the top of her game decades ago, a crisis in Deborah’s personal life derailed her shot at hosting a late-night show. The comedian’s then-husband, Frank, had an affair with Kathy, Deborah’s sister. Allegedly, this betrayal pushed the stand-up comedy diva to set fire to Frank’s house — a nasty rumor that cost Deborah the late-night spot.
Deborah & Kathy Don’t Discuss Deborah Vance’s Arson Accusations In Hacks Season 3
The Rumor Was The Final Nail In The Coffin For Deborah’s Late Night Bid
In Hacks season 3, episode 7, “The Deborah Vance Christmas Spectacular,” Deborah begrudgingly invites her estranged sister to her annual holiday gathering. Deborah’s daughter, DJ Vance (Kaitlin Olson), is pregnant and maintains that she wants a relationship with her Aunt Kathy. Deborah hasn’t been the best mother to DJ, so she bucks up and invites Kathy to Christmas in order to maintain the peace — to be the bigger person. Meanwhile, Deborah’s critically acclaimed stand-up special revealed the truth about Kathy and Frank to the world, laying an uncomfortable foundation for the sisters’ holiday meeting.
Kathy explains that… Frank, ever-jealous of Deborah’s impending success, revealed the cheating scandal to throw Deborah off her game.
A series of stilted conversations, the reveal that Kathy has already bought DJ a baby crib, and Kathy’s incorrect assumption that Deborah’s gingerbread house is for eating culminate in a blow-out between the sisters. Deborah laments the fact that she’s still so angry with Kathy, but admits that being civil is just too difficult. At Deborah’s request, Kathy explains that she was just 19-years-old when she and Frank had their affair, and that Frank, ever-jealous of Deborah’s impending success, revealed the cheating scandal to throw Deborah off her game. Strangely, the arson accusations don’t come up.
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Kathy’s Biggest Deborah Betrayal Wasn’t Cheating With Frank
Kathy Vance Presumably Knew Frank’s Arson Story Was A Rumor
After having a snowball fight with Deborah’s chemically made six-sided snow crystals, the sisters come to an understanding of sorts. They decide that Christmas might not be the best occasion for test-driving or renewing their relationship, and agree to meet up one-on-one at a later date. Clearly, Kathy is still guilt-ridden about what happened, though she also believes that she and Frank were a better match. The scene between the Vance sisters reiterates that one mistake doesn’t define a person — or shouldn’t, especially if they’re willing to listen and change.
Given that the former network producer confirms that the arson rumors really killed Deborah’s shot, it seems like something she would bring up…
Still, Kathy’s affair with Frank isn’t even her biggest betrayal. While it’s understandable that the then-19-year-old Kathy got swept up in her romance with the much older Frank, it’s hard to stomach the idea of Kathy going along with the arson story, which shattered Deborah’s long-held dream. The fact that the arson rumors don’t come up in any of the sisters’ conversations, nor the Hacks season 3 finale, is strange. Given that the former network producer confirms that the arson rumors really killed Deborah’s shot, it seems like something she would bring up to Kathy.
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Every Cameo & Guest Star In Hacks Season 3
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Hacks Season 4 Needs To Include More Deborah & Kathy Vance
Deborah Vance’s History With Her Sister Was One Of Season 3’s Best Elements
Although Deborah and Kathy Vance try to revive their relationship in a one-on-one setting in Hacks season 3’s ending, Deborah is distracted by her upcoming late-night show hosting gig. Even at their parents’ (alleged) burial site, Deborah can’t stay off her phone for a few minutes. The reveal that Deborah moved their parents’ remains to Las Vegas without notifying Kathy eventually sets the younger sister off. While she betrayed Deborah’s trust decades ago, Kathy recognizes that Deborah is a selfish person, and that reconnecting might not be the most healthy route.
…Deborah is about to be on Kathy’s TV on a nightly basis.
After snapping at each other in their parents’ former mausoleum, Deborah and Kathy Vance agree that they shouldn’t try to work things out between them. The Hacks sisters go their separate ways (yet again), but probably not for long. Not only do both women want to be involved in DJ’s baby’s life, but Deborah is about to be on Kathy’s TV on a nightly basis. No matter what the Vance sisters say, it seems another clash (or reunion) is inevitable. That said, Hacks season 4 must have Deborah and Kathy address the long-rumored arson story once and for all.
All three seasons of
Hacks
are now streaming on Max.
Hacks
Hacks is an HBO-created comedy-drama series that follows two women, Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels, a comedian and a writer, who team up to revitalize their careers. When Deborah Vance realizes she’s about to lose her Las Vegas residency for her comedy act, she is sent a new writer named Ava, who has been essentially blacklisted from career opportunities due to a tweet sent out in poor taste. Both desperate to make things work, the two partner up, filling the gaps in each other’s lives professionally and personally.
- Cast
- Jean Smart , Hannah Einbinder , Carl Clemons-Hopkins
- Release Date
- May 13, 2021
- Seasons
- 2
- Network
- HBO Max
- Writers
- Lucia Aniello
- Directors
- Lucia Aniello
- Showrunner
- Lucia Aniello