Yes, And

Ageist and tone deaf and unrealistic. That A-hole group at the end at the town hall? That would not be diverse, it would be a bunch of upper middle class white kids taking it upon themselves to be offended for minorities.

I do like this show, but it makes it very hard to like sometimes. I have a similar problem to it that I had with Breaking Bad, a show I loved, but throughout its whole run I was waiting for a scene when Walt responds to Hank's frequent deriding comments on his job by confronting him with the very real facts and statistics proving that the War On Drugs has actually made America's drug problem way worse, and so Hank's job was less than useless, it actually makes the problem it was meant to solve way worse.

In Hacks I've been waiting for Deborah to snap back at Ava over the antagonistic attitude of her and people like her, that it actually pushes people away from the causes she supports and makes everything way worse. This episode sadly makes me think that moment will never come. They had a good chance to do it in the Town Hall scene at the end, no spoilers, but if that had done that realistically it would've gone way different.

In the penultimate episode of HBO's "Hacks", titled "Yes, And", the show attempts to tackle cancel culture and the complexities of comedy. Unfortunately, it falls short in execution, leaving viewers with mixed feelings.

Overused Tropes: The title itself, borrowed from the improv world, promises fresh insights. However, the episode leans heavily on clichés.

We follow Deborah Vance (played by the brilliant Jean Smart) as she navigates conflicting commitments: an honorary doctorate acceptance speech, a New Yorker profile interview, and her annual Palm Springs Pride appearance.

But instead of exploring these conflicts in depth, the episode relies on predictable twists and convenient resolutions.

Character Development Stagnation: Deborah's growth throughout the series has been commendable. Yet, in "Yes, And," her character arc feels stagnant.

We witness her past offensive jokes resurface, leading to widespread protests during her honorary degree ceremony. But the fallout lacks emotional impact.

Ava (Hannah Einbinder), her assistant, also faces challenges, but her growth feels rushed and underdeveloped.

Missed Opportunities: The episode hints at cancel culture's impact on comedians, but it merely scratches the surface.

Deborah's history of offensive humor could have sparked meaningful conversations about accountability, redemption, and the evolving comedy landscape.

Instead, we get frat bros recognizing her as "mad cute" and a viral supercut of her problematic jokes. It's a missed opportunity for deeper exploration.

Lackluster Execution: The pacing feels off, and the stakes don't resonate. The tension between Deborah and Ava lacks the weight it deserves.

Meena Elahi (Shakira Barrera), the interviewer, could have been a compelling foil, but her character remains one-dimensional.

The episode's resolution feels rushed, leaving viewers wanting more substance.

In summary, "Yes, And" fails to capitalize on its promising premise. It's like a half-baked improv scene-full of potential but lacking the necessary follow-through.

I'm really tired of the idea that college students know anything. Ok 911 girl sorry your lotion gets taken, maybe have some compassion for all the actual dead. This episode pissed me off and I love this show. Let her be funny again. And if 20 year olds are offended so be it. They have no idea and she was right to not want to apologize. Maybe they should actually listen to people with life experience. This episode was the worst one to me and pride would have been way more fun. How disappointing instead she cowtowed to liberal elites instead of " living her truth" . Let's hope the finale is better and we get vance back.

This was one of those incredible episodes that truly showcased Jean Smart's extraordinary range. Through the entire series' progression, we have watched Deborah Vance slowly evolve from the monstrously callous, narcissistic diva to a more vulnerable, aging celebrity who is gradually embracing her shortcomings more and more in her quest to maintain star power in millennial-era limelight. Of course, Deborah does this begrudgingly so, which makes it all the more fun to watch her struggle to conform while the sanctimonious-yet-lovable Ava schools her on the current most-acceptable trends of political correctness.

However, in this episode, Deborah is finally getting tired. The ubiquitous sensitivities that have absorbed a younger generation that now takes offense from the Archie Bunker-like humor that amused most Boomers has finally gotten under Deborah's skin. I must admit: watching Jean Smart's angry tirade in front of Ava at the frat party was absolute gold. And to a certain degree, all of us of 40 and above can somewhat relate to the frustrations of our protagonist (I'm even saying this as a black woman). It is a rapidly changing world, and the past is finally catching up to a lot of us. We are the "woke"...and many of those past racial "taboos" simply no longer fly.

Kudos to Jean Smart for her amazing display of comedy, humility, remorse and disdain. She managed to pull it all off with equal effectiveness and credibility. Through her spiral of unanticipated losses, it's nice to see Deborah's sense of humanity finally emerging without modifying the true nature of this character. She's still a brat, of course, but her merits and successes are finally being earned (and come on...how many others cheered for her at the end?)

Alas, can't wait to see what next week's finale brings!

Jean Smart shows us what an amazing actress is in this one. I see some of the naysayers can't get past the actions of the students at the town hall. Deborah has been called out for her stark humor in the long past. I really believe that times dictate things, including humor. She used tasteless material, even with the events of 9/11. She should be taken to task for that and is. But the way her character deals with the student confrontations is quite amazing. She is not going to go down easily, but she does face the music and offer an apology. The deck was stacked against her. She is immersed in worry about the talk show, and lambasts Ava. Of course, there is now a hook and we are driven headlong into the season finale.