Max Renews Emmy-Winning Comedy ‘Hacks’ for Fifth Season, Making It Its Longest-Running Live-Action Series

The comedy series ‘Hacks’ has been officially renewed for a fifth season on the streaming platform Max, marking it as the longest-running live-action show in the service’s history. The announcement was made by series creators and showrunners Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky during an Emmy FYC screening in Los Angeles, just two days before the season four finale aired. ‘Hacks’ premiered in May 2021 when Max was still branded as HBO Max, and it will continue to stream on the platform as it transitions back to the HBO Max name. The show follows Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), a comedian who achieves her dream of hosting a late-night talk show with Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) as her head writer. The renewal highlights the show’s critical acclaim and popularity, with Universal Television producing and a strong ensemble cast including Megan Stalter, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, and others. Max’s head of original programming, Sarah Aubrey, and Universal TV president Erin Underhill praised the series for its boldness and iconic status. Season four featured notable recurring and new cast members, further enriching the show’s dynamic. The continued success of ‘Hacks’ underscores Max’s commitment to original comedy content and solidifies the series’ place in streaming history.