Hacks "1.69 million" is a masterclass in audience priming.
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This year has been a banner year for HBO original series with perhaps the most popular White Lotus season to date, even if the critical response cooled as the season went on, the final season of The Righteous Gemstones and the return of the Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder for the fourth season of Hacks. All shows that I had not seen until the last year or so, including Hacks' barn-burning eighth episode titled "1.69 million." Now heaping praise on this particular episode is old hat at this point, hell Jean Smart got an Emmy for this episode specifically, but what I wanted to highlight is the episode structure and how it primes the audience for the episode's supremely satisfying pay off.
The Episode
The episode opens with Deborah Vance being told by Marty, the owner of the casino where Deborah has been performing for years, that she's being bought out of her contract. Which prompts Deborah to rattle her hired writer Ava awake for an intensive two week process to concot a new, more personal, hour of material. To test the new material, Deb and Ava head to Sacremento to perform at a famous comedy club where Deborah worked years ago. But the set doesn't go as expected, as Deb decides she's finally had enough of the comedy world's boy's club nonsense...
An analysis of this episode could quickly devolve into a breakdown of all the awful things that happen to women in the comedy world, but honestly I think the episode does a better job of highlighting all of these issues within the episode while also structurally priming the audience for Deb's supremely satisfying takedown.
But first, we need a misdirection (at least plot-wise). After about a season of back and forths, Deborah's worst nightmare has come to fruition and she's officially losing her spot at Marty's casino. Which means Deb and Ava are now scrambling to put together the new set they've been working on, a more personal set that reclaims many of the lies told about Deb, at a ludicrous pace (ask any working comic how long it usually takes to develop an hour of material).
We're not going to see this set. But the three important things to note are:
We're not going to see this set. But the three important things to note are:
- Deb and Ava are getting along really well. To the point that Deb is flabbergasted that she agrees with a silly jokey statement makes about the state capitals.
- Deb is committing to a more authentic version of herself onstage.
- This is uncharted territory that could abandon Deborah' core audience (a point Marcus makes to Ava)
So now we head to Sacremento because as Deb says "if it'll work there, it'll work anywhere."
Initially this seems like a fun trip down memory lane for Deb as she sees a photo of herself on the "Wall of Fame" and she reminisces about how nervous and polished she felt she had to be. And there's some slight discomfort and little barbs traded between Deb and her opener, a comedian who reads very "bro," and seems mad that Deb bumped him from the headliner slot. Not important now, will be important later.
Initially this seems like a fun trip down memory lane for Deb as she sees a photo of herself on the "Wall of Fame" and she reminisces about how nervous and polished she felt she had to be. And there's some slight discomfort and little barbs traded between Deb and her opener, a comedian who reads very "bro," and seems mad that Deb bumped him from the headliner slot. Not important now, will be important later.
But the tone and focus of the episode pivots on a dime as soon as Deb's old friend, and former opener, Frenchie arrives. While they're having a good time telling Ava how they met, Deb and Frenchie quickly begin reminiscing about the asshole who used to own the club they're sitting in, fella named Ira, who recently died. Deb and Frenchie are laughing but Ava is shaken by what Deb and Frenchie experienced.
That's the first primer. We now know, as we could probably expect, that Deb dealt with ungodly amounts of sexual harassment and abuse from male club owners and fellow comics, so coming back here isn't the fun stroll down memory lane. It's likely what she was trying to escape with her stability in Vegas.
That's the first primer. We now know, as we could probably expect, that Deb dealt with ungodly amounts of sexual harassment and abuse from male club owners and fellow comics, so coming back here isn't the fun stroll down memory lane. It's likely what she was trying to escape with her stability in Vegas.
After some date night awkwardness with Marcus, we cut back to Deb who is prepping in the green room and trying to decide on her closer. But Ava isn't thinking about the set. She's really upset on Deb's behalf, especially after hearing about Deb's rocky road from road comic to Vegas headliner. Deb plays it off, but true to her character Ava won't let it go as she asks Deb why she never took the club owner or any of those other jerks to task once she had her current level of fame, money, and influence. Which, as you'd expect, infuriates Deb who castigates Ava for implying she didn't do enough to help female comedians and tells Ava to leave.
That's primer two. Because now we've planted the idea that Deb could do more, while at the same time reinforcing the gap/distance between Deb and Ava.
And while we didn't need it, we get a third primer as Deb watches a female comic come off stage (sounds like she did well) who is then greeted by sexual harassment from...Deb's embittered opener. I love how the camera lingers on Jean Smart here because you can tell she's reliving all of the awful shit she's had to deal with from men like that guy and hearing Ava's voice in her head as she watches the young woman (in a lovely little moment from Anna Garcia) shrink. Think of how many women quit comedy because of that.
The fuse is lit, and all we need now is a match.
Enter our opener Drew Higgins (played to douchey perfection by Adam Ray) who introduces Deb. It's a bad intro. His jokes are old sucky stereotypes about women. He has no respect or reverence for Deb. He's throwing in not subtle jabs at her. Would've been better off just saying her name and letting her walk out.
By now the audience can feel what Deb is about to do. She's about to take a flamethrower to this guy.
For her, for the years of bullshit she put up with and tried to escape, for the young comic who got harassed right in front of her. Because she's not vulnerable anymore. Because she's established enough to control her own narrative. Because she's been priming to set the record straight for two weeks.
For Deb and the audience, this is a purging fire that we've been waiting for all episode, and it's supremely satisfying to watch at least one jackass' career go up in smoke.
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