Falling

This is the tale of two shows:

1. When Jean Smart is on screen as aging comedian Deborah Vance. She's wicked, scathing, unrelenting,. Relentless, and extremely funny.

2. Hannah Einbinder is on screen playing unfunny "comedy" writer Ava Daniels. She lost her TV deal because of an ill-timed tweet about a senator's son. Daniels ends up working for Vance as a writer, among other things.

After two hilarious episodes to launch the series, we got two Very Special After School Specials. Now here we are in Ep 5. Vance is still funny as ever but she's only on screen for a couple of scenes. Way too much of the show is chewed up by the depressingly unfunny Ava.

I can't imagine how anybody would keep tuning in week after week to endure a pie-faced ginger scold.

This week featured a romp through the Vegas nightlife with some rando depressive that concludes with a cringey confrontation of sorts with Vance.

And with that, I am off to seek out better television shows on my Firestick.

Given the nature of most of this episode (and I do credit the forthrightness of its handling) I was doubly delighted to note the knife sharp on-the-noseness of the sweet tinkling melody floating over the blood and brain matter implicit in the closing credits: the show's own subtle keyboard rendition of 'Creep' by Radiohead.

These guys have got it goin' on.

Every great show has an episode that you'll never forget. This was the episode for me. I can't wait to ask my friends if they've seen the Vegas episode. Great job!

I just love a special stand out episode of an excellent smart series. The story of Ava and George is perfection. It doesn't have to relate to anything else but what it is.

Right from the beginning of Hacks there were hints of darkness but they were subtle and we didn't know much about the characters so couldn't predict what kind of stories would be told. With this episode, incidents from the past are revealed -- some quite traumatic. And something happens that shocks but if you re-watch you catch the hints that are dropped in a look on an actors face or the tone of voice. And yet the laughs keep coming in this black comedy. My new favorite show.