Hacks – Season 3 Episode 2 “Better Late” Recap & Review

Better Late

Episode 2 of Hacks season 3 begins with Ava and Deborah resuming their texting banter. They catch up on their lives, what they’re up to, and their future plans. However, Deborah hasn’t yet invited Ava to come write for her again. The next morning, during an ad shoot, Jimmy informs Deborah that the booker for a late-night show has called again, requesting her appearance.

This isn’t the first time they’ve asked—there have been four more times—but Deborah has declined each time. Jimmy, Deborah’s manager, sees this as a great PR opportunity and asks her to accept. Despite Deborah’s refusal, Jimmy decides to accept on her behalf.

Being invited to a late-night show is a big deal, so why is Deborah reluctant to do it? In reality, after her successful comedy special, Deborah had hoped to become the host of a late-night show herself, but she was overlooked for the opportunity. Now, she’s avoiding going on the show to spare herself the embarrassment of facing that rejection.

As the episode goes on, Deborah discovers that sellers on Etsy are profiting from her name and likeness. She takes the matter to Marcus, asking him to track down the sellers and shut them down. Marcus agrees to look into it. On the same day, Marcus confronts Ezekiel, known as “Debbie Too Tah” on Etsy, about his store selling unauthorized merchandise using Deborah’s name.

Ezekiel seems unbothered and welcomes the idea of being sued by Deborah, considering it an honor. Marcus gives Ezekiel 48 hours to fulfill his orders and close the site, which Ezekiel agrees to do. However, Ezekiel points out that if he stops, someone else will take his place.

This gives Marcus an idea, and he suggests to Deborah that instead of fighting these sellers, they could work with them and turn a profit. Deborah seems impressed by the idea. Meanwhile, Ava, while looking for her passport, finds a ring and gets an idea that Ruby is planning to propose. 

Deborah arrives at Television City for the late show, only to find out that it has to be canceled because the host ate a bad salmon. Jimmy, her manager, suggests that Deborah could host the show, giving Deborah the chance to fulfill her lifelong dream. Excited but underprepared, Deborah asks her writers for some ideas, but they all seem pretty bad.

One suggestion is guessing the sex positions of celebrities, another involves discussing favorite colors, and there’s even a hat trick, but Deborah isn’t impressed by any of them. Feeling desperate, Deborah decides to call Ava for help, and Ava comes up with some great ideas.

This makes Deborah realize how much she misses Ava, so she asks her to come to the show, and Ava agrees. The show begins, and Deborah kills it with her jokes. Everyone loves her performance, including the audience, the producer, Marcus, and every single person in the room.

At night, Deborah receives a call from Danny Collins, the original host of the late-night show, who congratulates her on how well she carried the show tonight. He accidentally lets slip that his contract will soon end, and he might not host the show next year. This gives Deborah an idea to pitch, taking over the show once Danny is gone, and she asks Ava to write for her again.

Ava discusses this with Ruby, who is clearly annoyed that Ava is considering working for Deborah again. Ruby questions Ava’s commitment to their relationship, and Ava reassures her that she is more committed than ever. It is also revealed that Ruby wasn’t planning on proposing to Ava, and the ring Ava found in the cupboard was just a prop ring from Ruby’s show.

Ruby is against Ava working with Deborah because Deborah was borderline abusive and horrible to Ava. However, when Ruby realizes that Ava has made up her mind, she decides to take some time off from their relationship.

The Episode Review

So, it finally happened—Deborah has asked Ava to come back and write for her again. Now, all that’s left to see is whether it’s a short-term gig or a long-term partnership. The last time they worked together, Deborah skyrocketed to stardom, but her success went to her head, and she became abusive, even going as far as slapping Ava.

Despite this, Ava continued working with her, perhaps out of a strange fondness for the chaos. Will history repeat itself? It seems unlikely. Both Ava and Deborah have grown and matured since then, so it’s safe to assume that Deborah won’t make the same mistakes again.

However, the real question mark hangs over Ava’s relationship with Ruby, which has hit a rough patch due to Ava’s decision to return to work with Deborah.