| "New Eyes" | |
|---|---|
| Hacks episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 6 |
| Directed by | Lucia Aniello |
| Written by | Lucia Aniello Paul W. Downs Jen Statsky |
| Featured music | Carlos Rafael Rivera |
| Cinematography by | Adam Bricker |
| Editing by | Jessica Brunetto |
| Original release date | May 27, 2021 |
| Running time | 32 minutes |
"New Eyes" is the sixth episode of the first season of HBO Max comedy-drama series Hacks . It was directed by Lucia Aniello and co-written with Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky. The story follows Ava (Hannah Einbinder) and Deborah (Jean Smart) working on new stand-up material at the luxury spa where Deborah recuperates after an eye lift. The episode has an approximate running time of 32 minutes and was released on May 27, 2021.
For the episode, Carl Clemons-Hopkins was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Deborah brings Ava with her to Seven Graces Surgical Center and Luxury Aftercare for her semi-regular eye lift so they can prepare material for her new stand-up show. While Deborah sleeps after the procedure, Ava anxiously tries to break into Deborah's phone to delete the voicemail she left last night while high on cocaine, in which she cursed Deborah out and quit her job. However, the phone requires Face ID to unlock, and Deborah's puffy, bandaged face isn't recognized by the iPhone. Taking Kiki's advice, Ava drives to the Vegas Madame Tussauds and finds Deborah's wax figure there. She uses it to unlock the phone and delete the voicemail.
While Marcus's mother and her friend throw a party at his house, he stays by himself at Deborah's home. He turns on the sprinklers and makes an anonymous tip about the usage to the city, prompting a visit by the usual water inspector, Wilson. The two have a sexual encounter.
Later, Deborah and Ava spend time together in Deborah's suite working on the new show, and take edibles together. They are enjoying each other's company and play a prank on the overly-chipper nurse, Perla, that ends badly. Ava confesses she's upset by the suicide of George, her recent one night-stand (from episode 5, "Falling"). Deborah comforts Ava and confesses that she never burned her husband's house down. She says that her husband made it up to hurt her reputation due to professional jealousy. Deborah goes on to share several outlandish events that took place after her show was cancelled. Ava insists she include these stories in her new show.
Ava suddenly experiences intense pelvic pain and is rushed to the hospital. After initially being invalidated by a male ER doctor, Deborah demands he take Ava's pain seriously. Ava has emergency surgery to address a ruptured ovarian cyst. Afterward, Deborah visits her in the hospital and agrees to put more honest material in her new show.
In the episode, Ava visits a wax museum to find a figure of Deborah; Jean Smart posed as the wax figurine and had to stand perfectly still in the scene. The production team used visual effects and makeup to give her face a waxy appearance. [1]
The episode was written by series creators, Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky, the second of two episodes they co-wrote in Hacks ' first season. [1]
"New Eyes" was released on HBO Max on May 27, 2021.
The episode received critical acclaim. Marcus Jones described "New Eyes" in EW as "both brilliantly madcap and surprisingly emotional in how it brings the two stars closer together." [2] The writer also attributed Jean Smart's Emmy win in part to her performance as a wax figurine in one of the episode's key scenes. [2] Joshua Rivera of Polygon praised the depiction of sexism in healthcare settings: "But shows like Hacks can, with a single scene, let its writers push back without making it the central focus of the episode. A scene highlighting and resisting doctors’ longstanding dismissal of women is just there, part of the texture of the story." [3] Kristin Reid noted the importance of the plot in Paste: "This episode is a defining moment in the season, allowing the two to finally find common ground and set the tone for the final four episodes where their bond is developed even further." [4] Libby Hill of IndieWire referred to the emotional disclosure shared between the lead characters as "a deeply humane moment in a series that could have made every moment a punchline — a testament to the care and craft dedicated to building a connection audiences could relate to." [5]
Carl Clemons-Hopkins was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. [6]
Jean Elizabeth Smart is an American actress. After beginning her career in regional theater in the Pacific Northwest, she appeared on Broadway in 1981 as Marlene Dietrich in the biographical play Piaf. Smart was later cast in a leading role as Charlene Frazier Stillfield on the CBS sitcom Designing Women, in which she starred from 1986 to 1991.
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Paul W. Downs is an American actor, writer, director, and producer. He is the co-creator, co-showrunner and star of the critically-acclaimed HBO Max series Hacks, for which he has received a Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, and Peabody Award, among others. Downs first gained notoriety for his role in the Comedy Central series Broad City, which ran for five seasons and for which he was also a writer, director and executive producer.
Jen Statsky is an American television writer and comedian known for her work on Hacks, The Good Place, Parks and Recreation, and Broad City. She is the co-creator and co-showrunner of the critically-acclaimed HBO Max series Hacks, for which she has received a Primetime Emmy, Peabody Award, and multiple WGA Awards, among others.
Lucia Aniello is an Italian-born American director, writer, and producer best known for her work on Hacks, for which she won multiple Emmy Awards, and Broad City. She has directed and written episodes of both shows, as well as the miniseries Time Traveling Bong and the 2017 film Rough Night.
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Hacks is an American comedy-drama television series created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky that premiered on May 13, 2021, on HBO Max. Starring Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, and Carl Clemons-Hopkins, the series centers on the professional relationship between a young comedy writer and a legendary stand-up comedienne. The series received critical acclaim and won accolades including Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing, Outstanding Directing, and for Smart, Outstanding Lead Actress, as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. In June 2021, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on May 12, 2022. In June 2022, the series was renewed for a third season.
Hannah Marie Einbinder is an American comedian, actress, and writer known for starring in the HBO Max series Hacks, for which she received nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe Award.
Carl Clemons-Hopkins is an American actor, best known for portraying Marcus on the HBO Max comedy-drama series Hacks (2021–present). They were nominated for the 2021 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for the role.
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The first season of American comedy-drama streaming series Hacks debuted on May 13, 2021, on HBO Max. The series was co-created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky. Starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, the season follows two comedians from different generations who forge a working relationship. Season one received critical acclaim and earned accolades including Primetime Emmy Awards for directing, writing, and acting.
The second season of the HBO Max streaming comedy-drama television series Hacks debuted on May 12, 2022, and concluded on June 2, 2022. It consists of eight episodes, each with approximate runtime of 30–35 minutes. The season centers Deborah Vance perfecting material for her new stand-up show, in which she shares previously unrevealed information about her personal life. In an effort to become a better person, Ava gets a "dumb phone" and swears off alcohol. The season received critical acclaim. Jean Smart won her second successive Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.