When Will ‘Hacks’ Season 2 Premiere on HBO Max?

Hacks Season 1 ends on a cliffhanger for Ava (Hannah Einbinder)’s relationship with the great Deborah Vance (Jean Smart). While it seems the two women have formed a deep bond, Ava’s actions earlier in the episode threaten to blow that up. A drunk and angry Ava sent Deborah’s deepest secrets to a pair of writers bent on telling the story of a crazy and unhinged woman in power. Ava realizes this has happened just as she’s about to set off with Deborah on a tour to hone the older comic’s new, confessional act.

So what happens next? Is that really how Hacks ends? Will there be a Hacks Season 2 on HBO Max? Here’s everything we know about a possible second season for HBO Max’s Hacks...

Will There Be a Hacks Season 2 on HBO Max?

Yes! HBO Max renewed the hit Jean Smart comedy for a second season on Tuesday, June 8. According to HBO Max, Hacks has been a “top performer on the platform since its debut, consistently ranking in the top ten most viewed titles out of all available content.”

So, yes, there will definitely be a Hacks Season 2 on HBO Max!

When Will Hacks Season 2 Premiere on HBO Max?

That’s the question! When Decider spoke to Hacks creators Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky this week, they joked that HBO Max had already been sending them calendars for Season 2 pre-production and production.

“I will say calendars have been set,” Paul W. Downs said.

“That’s honestly…that’s the first way we’ve kind of found out,” Lucia Aniello said. “Somebody said, ‘Hey, we’re sending you a calendar,’ and we’re like, ‘Okay.’ So that was our first indication [Hacks had been renewed for Season 2].”

The team got their official notice that the renewal was happening on Monday, June 7.

Given Hacks was originally announced in May 2020 and production took place over Winter/Spring 2020/2021, Hacks Season 2 could premiere on HBO Max as early as late 2021. However, a safer bet might be Spring 2022.

What Will Hacks Season 2 Be About?

Hacks Season 2 will likely pick up where Hacks Season 1 left off, with Ava joining Deborah on the road to test her new material. However, the Hacks Season 1 finale ended with a stark twist. A drunk and angry Ava emailed the British writers of The Bitter End (played by Chris Geere and Kirby Howell-Baptiste in Episode 9) some explosive secrets about working with Deborah. How will this affect the women’s newfound friendship? And what will it be like watching Deborah on the road?

“[Going on the road] a completely different world of comedy than someone who has a Vegas residency or plays a club in New York or LA,” Downs told Decider. “It’s also going to be interesting to see the way in which someone like Deborah Vance tours, because I don’t think it’s the exact same way a lot of ‘Road Dog’ comedians tour, which means she’s getting home anytime she can, She’s getting into that Whirlpool bath.”

Hacks creators were obviously mum on what will happen next, but they teased that they have thought of revisiting Drew, the misogynistic comic Deborah pays off to never step foot on stage again in Hacks Episode 8…

“You know, I don’t know that we have a specific plan although we have talked about it [because] a lot of people like Drew wouldn’t accept the money or who would accept the money thinking they could skirt it and still do comedy,” Downs said. “So can you imagine what Deborah Vance would do if she finds out he actually has? The litigation alone is worth an episode!”

“But I think the litigation, she would love it,” Jen Statsky said.

“Oh, she would love it,” Downs said. “It’s not outside the realm of possibility at all. In fact, we have talked a little bit about what his future might be like…”

Where to stream Hacks