u/Admirable_Site_8337

Just that…..Season 4 Episode 4 is such brilliance. On first watch it was this sweet episode that finally broke a lot of the tension that had been insanely packed on, even if just for a bit. On my first rewatch it clearly went into the top five episodes for me. Going through my first full five season rewatch now and watching this again ……it might end up as my favorite episode of them all at some point.

Opening with possibly the best montage of the series, matched up to Breakthrough by Queen, and ending with an encore of Labi Sifre on this show…….just this show and its use of music is unparalleled.

A Carol Burnett cameo alone can make it a top episode for me. But having maybe the one living woman who can speak as an older mentor to Deb and setting up the “just do the show for one person” thing was amazing.

The sweet finish of Ava rushing to Deb in the hospital and finding a TV to watch the first show. “That old chestnut” is such a minor line, but easily one of my favorite lines of the show with the way Hannah delivers it.

I don’t go on for the “what’s one episode you would have someone watch to get into the show?” talk as there is only one answer……the pilot. But for a viewer of the series……..damnit this is just the show hitting hard in all areas.

I’ve start my first full watch through of all five seasons. And I just finished Season 2.

I’ve noticed when we have ranked the seasons many have season 2 kind of low, including me. But, I can’t really figure why. There is so much pure greatness in this season. As much as any other season. But it just feels like it’s missing one thing other seasons had.

I adored how they went through the process to get to the special and made it happen. Selling it the way they did was amazing.

I was thinking tonight…..maybe it’s where the season left off……Deborah letting Ava free to go climb her own mountain…..leading into the credits rolling to Goodbye Stranger. First time I seriously wondered for a bit if this show was just finished. Then I was confused…..you don’t just tear such a well formed dynamic up and hope to ever get it back again. Amazingly, they did.

Ultimately this ending to S2 was essential to where the story goes, but I wonder if I carry residual energy from how that season landed back on my first watch. Because it’s a season that does carry as much amazement as any other.

Edit: I’m not making an argument against S2 or saying no one loves it. I’m exploring my feelings with this season.

I’ve not been super active here talking about this season comparative to other seasons as I’ve just wanted to trust the process and let the final season wash over me. But, more personally, I’ve been struggling myself with “Deb’s going to die” and didn’t want to add my winching to all the similar chatter. Plus, I’ve been huffing massive amounts of copium to convince myself it will all be fine.

That changed last night. MSG was a magnificent penultimate episode all the way through. After last night I thought of some things:

1. How the creators have often said they sold the show to HBO by presenting the final scene of the show. That can’t be just straight forward at all. I’ve recognized this for five seasons.

2. Hannah’s comment about the finale having pain.

Then I put that against what we know or learned last night:

1. Ava securing the win on pitching the Who’s Making Dinner reboot as…..basically Hacks

2. Deb getting screwed on MSG, but then whipping together the free Central Park show, recognizing and appreciating all the help she has around her, and speaking to it. Then doing the huge show and getting what she was truly wanting to get back to…..the cheers and the crowd (like DJ said…..the crowd is her addiction).

I’ve known from paying too much attention that they shot in Paris. I knew this would be the finale. And I can’t see it any different than these rough strokes for the finale:

1. They go to Paris and have such an amazing time.

2. Deb reveals that she is sick.

3. The casino opens with trusted people like Marcus and Marty to secure that part of her legacy. Ava is moving on with the reboot, bringing her show and creative humor back and protecting this legacy. She will be portrayed as satisfied and at peace for the first time in….ever maybe?

4 That last scene that has always hung over this show is a post script that flashes forward to Deb being gone for a bit and Ava getting ready for the pilots release (or getting the news that it killed and the show is green lit) and has this amazingly emotional moment as she is still grieving. Or….as it just hit me, even more crushingly, Ava giving the eulogy at Deb’s funeral (calling back to when her mother would not let her write her own eulogy for her fathers funeral)

This gives that full circle ending that hammers home how this odd couple with a massive generation gap found each other and made each other better.

I’m not saying I’m gung ho. I’m saying it is what it is. I’m tired of the taste of copium. I give in to what is coming. I worried for a while that this ending won’t be handled right (not trusting the process) but was reminded last night that this is one of my all time favorite shows because the process can be trusted. It will be painful, but they will do it right. In ending the story of Ava and Deborah, and setting Debs legacy they will properly set the legacy of Hacks as well.