This series is still fresh off its several big wins at the 2025 Emmy Awards, which were just held a few weeks ago before the Kimmel controversy took off. The acclaimed comedy, which still retains its 99% Rotten Tomatoes score, took home 3 Emmys on the night, bringing its total number of wins to an impressive 12 after four seasons.
Jimmy Kimmel Had A Late-Night Feud With Deborah Vance In Hacks Season 4
Jimmy Kimmel talking in the parking lot with Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) in Hacks Season 4 Ep 5
Image via Max
Jimmy Kimmel’s recent controversy makes his appearance in Hacks season 4 even more notable. Kimmel appeared in Hacks season 4, episode 5, joining the long list of Hacks season 4 guest stars after Deborah Vance, played by 7-time Emmy winner Jean Smart, lands her lifelong dream job of being a late-night talk show host.
Kimmel’s cameo features him trying to intimidate Deborah on her first day on the job in a Hollywood studio parking lot. Kimmel reminds her that he’s the king of late-night in Los Angeles and encourages her to cancel her first show booking with Kristen Bell, who also appears in the episode, because everyone knows that “ever since Conan died,” he has dibs on “KB.“
The scene is hilarious and adds to the real-world showbiz vibe of the celebrated series, legitimizing Deborah as a legit late-night host. At the time Hacks season 4 was released back in April, the thought of Kimmel’s show getting canceled was literally laughable, as demonstrated in the HBO series.
Hacks Season 5 Is In A Rare Position To Dramatize Recent Late-Night Events
If you haven’t seen the end of Hacks season 4 by now, then be aware we are now entering spoiler territory.
After Deborah walked away from her late-night gig at the end of season 4, all signs looked like season 5 would be heading back to Deborah’s old stomping grounds in Las Vegas. However, given the developing circumstances, it seems like audiences need Deborah back behind the late-night desk more than ever, especially considering what’s already happened to Stephen Colbert.
The unprecedented current events may inspire the Hacks creators to put Deborah back in the late-night fictional spotlight with the intention of using her character to make a real-world statement. Interestingly, Deborah had a fallout of her own with her media executive boss over differing opinions of the show’s direction, which has an uncanny resemblance to Colbert and Kimmel’s predicaments.
Hacks never gets overly political, but it does carry a sense of activism in every episode, especially in season 4, pertaining to the historical role of women on television and in the entertainment industry. Deborah is seen as a trailblazer in that regard, even though she is a fictional character.
Hacks season 5 has no obligation to use itself as a platform for social and political change, but since it has already been a voice for progress in the past, it has a rare opportunity to not only dramatize but also clarify and offer commentary on the Kimmel late-night scenario.
Release Date
2021 – 2026-00-00
Network
HBO Max, Max
Showrunner
Lucia Aniello
Directors
Desiree Akhavan
Writers
Pat Regan, Ariel Karlin, Carol Leifer, Joe Mande, Guy Branum, Andrew Law, Samantha Riley
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