| "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. Her work includes both comedy and drama, and her accolades include six Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and nominations for a Tony Award and a Grammy Award.
Eye Candy is an American thriller television series that premiered on MTV on January 12, 2015. The series was developed by Christian Taylor, and is based on the 2004 novel of the same name by R. L. Stine. Eye Candy stars Victoria Justice as Lindy Sampson, a tech genius who goes on the hunt for a serial killer in New York while searching for her lost sister Sara. On February 11, 2014, Eye Candy was picked up for a 10-episode first season. Justice revealed on April 18, 2015, that the series had been cancelled.
Paul W. Downs is an American actor, writer, director, and producer. He is the co-creator, co-showrunner and one of the stars of the critically acclaimed HBO Max series Hacks, for which he has received a Golden Globe, Peabody Award, and three Primetime Emmy Awards, among others. Downs first gained attention 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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A Black Lady Sketch Show is an American sketch comedy television series created by Robin Thede for HBO. The show consists of comedy sketches performed by a main cast of Black women, consisting of producer and creator Thede, Gabrielle Dennis, and Skye Townsend. Alumni cast members include Quinta Brunson, Laci Mosley, and Ashley Nicole Black. The show has featured guest stars such as Issa Rae, Vanessa Williams, Angela Bassett, Laverne Cox, Nicole Byer, Amber Riley, Miguel, Omarion, Raven-Symoné, Kelly Rowland, Tia Mowry, Tahj Mowry, Gabrielle Union, Kyla Pratt, Wanda Sykes, Yvette Nicole Brown and Patti LaBelle.
Johnny Sibilly is an American actor and producer. His work includes roles in Pose, The Deuce, Hacks and the Queer as Folk reboot on Peacock.
I Hate Suzie is a British dark comedy-drama television series created by Lucy Prebble and Billie Piper. It was produced by Bad Wolf in association with Sky Studios. All episodes were written by Prebble and most were directed by Georgi Banks-Davies while the second season was directed by Dawn Shadforth.
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 comedian. 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, which premiered on May 2, 2024. In May 2024, the series was renewed for a fourth season.
Hannah Einbinder is an American comedian, actress, and writer known for starring in the Max series Hacks, for which she received nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.
Carl Clemons-Hopkins is an American actor, best known for portraying Marcus on the 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.
"There Is No Line" is the pilot episode of the American comedy-drama television series Hacks. It was directed by Lucia Aniello and co-written with Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky. The episode establishes the plot of the series, which centers on comediennes from different generations who are thrust into a working relationship after separate circumstances threaten their careers. The episode premiered on streaming network HBO Max on May 13, 2021 with an approximate running time of 29 minutes.
"1.69 Million" is the eighth episode of the first season of HBO Max comedy-drama series Hacks. It was directed by Paul W. Downs and written by Pat Regan. The plot follows Deborah Vance's stand-up appearance at a legendary Sacramento nightclub where she cut her teeth in her early career and Ava's dismay at the casual sexism that Deborah experienced but never challenged. The episode guest stars Anna Maria Horsford as another veteran comedian. It was released on June 3, 2021, and has an approximate runtime of 31 minutes.
"Kill the Messenger" is the sixth episode of the fifth season of the American Neo-Western television series Justified. It is the 58th overall episode of the series and was written by co-producer Ingrid Escajeda and directed by executive producer Don Kurt. It originally aired on FX on February 11, 2014.
"Weight" is the tenth episode of the fifth season of the American Neo-Western television series Justified. It is the 62nd overall episode of the series and was written by co-executive producer Taylor Elmore and Keith Schreier and directed by John Dahl. It originally aired on FX on March 18, 2014.
"The Trash and the Snake" is the fourth episode of the sixth season of the American Neo-Western television series Justified. It is the 69th overall episode of the series and was written by co-executive producer Chris Provenzano and supervising producer Ingrid Escajeda and directed by Adam Arkin. It originally aired on FX on February 10, 2015.
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.
"The Click" is the sixth episode of the second season of American comedy-drama television series Hacks and the sixteenth overall. It was co-written by Aisha Muharrar and Joe Mande and directed by series co-creator Paul W. Downs. In the episode, Deborah has a one night stand with a much younger man that helps her perfect her new stand-up show. "The Click" was released on May 26, 2022 on HBO Max and has an approximate running time of 34 minutes.
