#show finale

[strawberryc4nes]

I thought Midnight mass was supposed to be a horror show why does it have me crying and sobbing in its finale and at its ending

[girl4music]

HOST: “Jen, I’d like to acknowledge that you made your directing debut this season and in an episode that I know means a lot to everyone on the stage, but also extremely relevant and painfully relevant in our business today. The ‘Quik Scribbl’ AI-themed episode. Ooft. You really hit that one out of the park. And this is one episode of many where you have tackled very serious topics - existential threats we might say. And maybe another one being the eerily prescient storyline centered on corporate meddling and Late Night TV. That’s another one. So I’d like to know Jen, what has been your guiding light and as a team but also you as you come from Late Night. This is very important to you that these topics are shedding light on things that are very very dangerous for us but still making us laugh - because these are not laughing matters but you wrapped them in such funny circumstances and by the end we feel like we learned like ‘oh, that is the direct impact of AI on a comedic career’. We walk away feeling not preached out but actually educated. So tell me about the approach in that respect.”

JEN STATSKY: “Yeah, thank you. I mean the three of us whenever we are talking about a story, we, because like you’re saying, it’s a comedy first, we always want to make sure that we can make it funny and that it makes sense for the characters to be dealing with that issue. Not just that it’s something that we want to get on our soap box about, but I think that all three of us grew up loving television, had no connection to this business, and so getting to make this show we feel is such a privilege to get to our ideas out into the world and to get to say things that we think are worth saying. So we want to make people laugh, yes, but also want to honour the amazing platform we’ve been given. And so we always challenged ourselves, I think, to make sure that it’s funny first, but that it’s also saying something. And, you know, I think it’s really interesting that that ended up being the episode that I directed. It just happened this way. But I had been honestly like very scared to direct. I’ve been a writer, producer for 15 years, but directing always scared me and I’ve seen Lucia and Paul do it so masterfully for so many years. I was like, ‘why would you bring in the B team?’ Um, but I think actually what’s interesting is like that fear and that challenge and that part of you that’s unsure of yourself -I realized through the process of directing is like that’s the important part about being an artist and that’s the important part about making things. Is that you need to doubt yourself and you need to push through that. And there’s this temptation to optimize everything, to remove the doubt for us, to remove the challenge. And we’ll actually really be cheapening the experience. Not only just cheapening the work for people to watch, but for the artist making it, we’ll be cheapening it because going through that process, feeling scared, feeling like, ‘I don’t know if I can do this’, and then challenging yourself to do it, and coming out on the other end - that’s a part of the creative process you can’t remove. It is the lifeblood of it. And so it was interesting because I think making that episode really was, in a way for me, it was the story of why we wanted to tell that story. Me directing it was the point of it in that way for us. And same with the, you know, Late Night stuff. We obviously - I started Late Night. Late Night was my first job and it’s tremendously sad what’s happening to it in this country - among other tremendously sad things in this country - and we did want to speak to it. We wish we hadn’t been so predictive. But yeah, it was always important to us with this show to take advantage of the platform that we have.”

HOST: “And you’ve done it so beautifully. Thank you.”

I had to transcript this part of the video because I felt something was really communicated that needs to be more known about Hacks and why I’ve personally fell in love with it despite it being a comedy show. Not only does it make you laugh - a lot - but it also speaks on very important subjects and really delineates why they need to be spoken about. Especially with the Season 5 AI-themed episode ‘Quik Scribbl’ - which so accurately nails down why generated AI from a content creation perspective is incredibly bad for the art/entertainment industry and economy and I’m still amazed HBO Max even allowed that one to be produced - because they’re part of the Big Tech industry that’s forcing AI on us and throwing show/film makers/artists careers in the toilet to support their wealthy executive shareholders who do have a stake in the AI business and don’t want to lose it even if it is incredibly bad for us to be using AI in a way that is rapidly making OUR jobs as creators redundant and is destroying OUR environment at the same time.

I didn’t think HBO Max would even let that episode be made, never mind make it accessible on their platform.

It shocked me that they did. I really think we need to take advantage of that. Give it as many numbers as we can to show them how many people do not approve of AI-generated content used in their streaming service.

On the larger point being made - about making sure that important subjects that affect our everyday lives are made a topic of conversation in their comedy TV show… I’m so proud of them for that because it’s all I want and therefore it’s all I’ll ever engage in when it comes to TV art/entertainment. Storytelling to me is a means to educate above all else. Not just to entertain.

And you’ll have me and my support forever if you’re able to show me that you can incorporate the lessons in with your genre and your tone and your environment…

Because I WILL NOT watch ANYTHING less than that.

I don’t care if it’s funny. I don’t care if it’s dramatic.

I don’t care if it entertains me in that pleasurable way.

I care that it educates me in a wise and respectful way.

I want to learn and I want to expand my consciousness.

If you can provide that as well as the funny or/and the drama and character representation and development.

I will always show up for you.

I will always be loyal to you.

Hacks is a comedy show and I don’t like comedy shows.

That just goes to prove how well they succeeded in not only gaining my attention, but keeping my engagement.

So very well done to the creators/cast/crew of Hacks. They have achieved something nobody else has done.

Made me not only want to watch a comedy show.

But thoroughly enjoy it from start to finish. 👏 👏 👏

[girl4music]

Hacks: Show finale. Season 5, episode 10.

All right. Let’s talk about it. Not just the finale - which was excellent in my opinion - but the entire TV show. So when I first heard about Hacks it was through the cultural osmosis of social media. I kept seeing gif sets on Tumblr showing this significant relationship between the two female lead characters - so my interest was already piqued just from that because that is incredibly rare to find as it is. But, furthermore, I also saw Xenites talking about Hacks and making gif sets comparing the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle and Deborah and Ava. I didn’t think much of it at the time because I was like “There’s no way it’s that good” or “I bet it's not embraced as a romance” - constantly giving myself an out not to watch it by making up any excuse I could think of because I don’t like pure comedies. I don’t really like pure anything in TV art/entertainment. Any single genre. I prefer a fusion of genres. I prefer genre TV like sci-fi or supernatural/fantasy or action-adventure where the comedy and drama are well-balanced together.

Well, I was wrong about not liking Hacks because of that because while it may be a comedy (referred to as a dark comedy) it does have its serious, emotional and heartfelt moments that grounds it’s main story into something deeper and more substantial - and the majority of those moments do come from the relationship between the two lead female characters: Deborah and Ava (referred to as Avorah by the shippers). But of course - what pulled the plug out on my reluctance and denial to watching it was Renee O’Connor’s cameo in Season 5, episode 2 and the little Xena arc where Jimmy and Co meet Renee at a fan convention and pitches a Xena podcast to her - to which she gets excited about and eventually asks to be represented by Schaefer and LuSaque/LuSaque and Schaefer so she and Lucy Lawless could give it a go. And by the way, that little Xena arc lasts for a couple of episodes although you never actually see Renee again (she must have been too busy with her theatre productions). They continue to talk about the podcast as if it’s going on and it even becomes a bribe to a Xenite in the second to last episode in getting Deborah to perform at Central Park. So they weave the writing of it well into the main storyline and therefore it feels more like a tribute to Xena for being the show that got there first and gave us the blueprint and green light for this one. Although they did not go the same way with the relationship between the two lead female characters as they did with Xena and Gabrielle, for me, it was still sincere because they acknowledged it in the show itself - which is something the creators of ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ wanted to do but never could due to strict censorship besides one episode where a guest star character played by Michael Hurst asks Xena and Gabrielle what the nature of their relationship is but we never ever actually get a definitive answer on it at any point in the show. So they couldn't do it even if they wanted to and they really did want to. They hated having to walk the line between subtext and main text to the point where Rob Tapert wrote an episode where they did out them but they got flagged for it 3 days before going into production for it and were forced to change the concept by the studio through threats of advertisers pulling out and executive coercion. But they did try hard.

So in the end they remained in an ambiguous state and position because they couldn't confirm it and they didn't want to deny it.

The Hacks creators realized that they couldn’t do it like that because it doesn't work that way anymore. They had to address the question of whether the nature of Deborah and Ava’s relationship was at all in any way, shape or form a romantic relationship. They decided that no it wasn’t. It was only platonic. It remains a platonic relationship and it’s fine with me. I have no problem with that decision because they were honest and respectful about it. Even in a comedy, they didn’t play it for laughs. They didn’t ever reduce it to a malicious joke. They didn’t queerbait at any point. They didn’t mess with their queer and queer-ally audience. They knew it was important for them to address it and unlike with Xena and Gabrielle - they decided that they didn’t want to make it romantic. It isn’t a problem for me and I’m sure many people that they didn’t because we don’t expect them to make it romantic. But we do most certainly expect them to respect us and our LGBTQ+ community. It certainly helps that one of the lead characters is queer and therefore WLW/queer representation is covered through her even though I personally could not stand Ava's on again/off again girlfriend and was much more invested in watching Deborah and Ava’s platonic relationship but representation is representation. So I appreciated it.

I’m used to the lead female character dynamic never explicitly being romantic in a TV show. Only ever a subtext or ambiguous thing and I will accept it being that provided that it’s still written well and that the relationship is strong and the heart of the show that drives the main narratives. That’s enough for me. The only thing I don’t accept is queerbaiting because it’s exploitation and - despite what people say - it is never a good thing to do that. It’s not good to lead your queer and queer-ally audience on like that. It's better to address it for what it is because unless you’re under strict censorship like the creators of Xena were, there is no reason or excuse not to. There is no reason to play hot potato with it in the sense of when it’s getting too much - to back out and when it’s not enough - to keep playing it up. I will only ever accept that under the stipulation that the TV show itself will literally not survive if you make it happen. That all financial and moral support for it will pull out and it will get cancelled immediately. That was the stipulation with 'Xena: Warrior Princess' and yet somehow they still achieved an incredibly deep, strong and romantic lead dynamic by showing you all the love and devotion in it without ever having to state and confirm exactly what the nature of that relationship was. Without having to explicitly state it as a gay or queer relationship at any point.

Deborah and Ava are like that too but the striking difference is that they do confirm that the nature of their relationship isn’t romantic They had to. They had to because it’s what they believed was best for them and the audience would have never accepted it any other way. I know I certainly wouldn't have because - as I said - there's no excuse. Ambiguity doesn't work anymore because there's no censorship now. If creators choose to keep it ambiguous, they're exploiting their fans. They have no respect for their queer and queer-ally fans whatsoever. The creators of Hacks are allies to their queer community and some may even be queer themselves. They will not exploit their audience and it makes a colossal difference to creators who will still choose to. The fact they acknowledge and address it in the TV show itself even if they have decided not to make it romantic is phenomenal respect. It shows us that they don't just want to use us for sales and publicity. So many others have done so and it's something I will never ever forgive.

So now let’s get on to the finale. In a nut shell it’s the relationship between them that makes this finale so excellent. But the question has to be asked - why did they lead us down the death route only to rug pull last minute? Well, it’s because Deborah being sick wasn’t the point of it. Deborah potentially dying in the end wasn’t the point. But they needed those high stakes anyway for there to be something to wrap the narrative around. It's as I keep saying about this - you wrap the narrative around the characters and their relationship and not the other way around. The reason you do this is for that relationship to have its push and pull moments where character representation and development is the whole point of it. Showing where that relationship was in the beginning and what it becomes in the end. To bookend it, basically. To both show how nothing has changed and yet everything has changed. At the end of the day that relationship is so solid and foundational that it can withstand the high stakes of sickness, injury and death. It’s devastating to do it like that, yes, but the point always is the evolution of the characters regardless of which way it's done. No matter whether the lead on is life and the rug pull is death or if it's the opposite way around. Ultimately it doesn’t matter because the whole point you are trying to get across to your audience is how those two lead female characters react to and then learn from each other. The creators did that with Deborah and Ava in the show and especially in the final episode. They brought in the strong themes and high stakes of sickness, death and even suicide throughout the whole season just to tell an exceptional story of deep love between the two lead female characters that care about each other through those strong themes and high stakes. That get upset at each other over it but don't give up on each other. That respect and support each other's agency. That listen to and involve each other even when they don't want to. That have to do what’s best and right for each other when it's painful. It’s that storytelling between them that makes their relationship and that ultimately makes the show all it is. So no, I’m not upset by the lead on then rug pull because I understand it. I understand why they did that. In fact it was the opposite way around in Xena's case and I was still okay with them doing that. Did it play with my emotions? Yes. Did it hurt to go through that? Yes. But does it successfully make the point it tries to make between those characters? YES. What is that point? That point is how the characters initially react to each other because of it and then how they eventually learn from each other because of it. It is much more important to get across the storytelling of that at their endgame than it is to only represent the happy and peaceful times because character and character dynamic writing has to really feel grounded in the ups and downs of a relationship. All the fights, the conflicts, the sacrifices and often, unfortunately, the losses. I’m just grateful that this time the lead on was death and the rug pull was life. 

I thought it was an exceptionally well done finale, season and show. To me, it was well-written and well-executed. Often you only get one or the other. So I’m very impressed with it and with the TV show overall because even if it stayed platonic when I wanted it to be romantic, the relationship between the two lead female characters was the entire focus all throughout. It was the whole heart of the show. That's why the finale works as well as it does in my opinion. It’s because they built this incredible, often contentious, relationship from the ground up and wove it so carefully and well into the themes and narratives of each individual episode so that you could really learn something from it that applies to real life experience. For me, that is the main reason why I even care about TV art/entertainment in the first place. I had that in Xena and I had it in Hacks even though the TV shows are nothing like each other in terms of genre, environment and setting. Xena is a very campy fantasy action show. Hacks is known as a dark comedy show. But they’re both similar in terms of the themes and characterizations in that the heart of both shows is the cross-generational relationship between the two respective lead female characters that gives both TV shows something to latch on to in real life. It's the human condition. How do we explore and navigate both the pleasures and pains of being human? Especially when it comes to our loved ones. Our relationships.

That's always worth watching in my opinion, even if, nay, especially when, it hurts, because it wouldn't do that if you're not invested in it.

Likewise - you wouldn't be invested if it wasn't exceptional and successful storytelling because the characters are the narrative.

It is incredibly rare and hard to get that level of character storytelling between lead female characters because creators usually don't care.

So even if you didn't like the finale, please take into consideration the point isn't what they use as subject material. That is only the vehicle. The point is THEM and how they navigate THEIR loving relationship because of the subject material and what could possibly be learned out of exploring those strong themes and high stakes to ultimately redeem and evolve them as characters individually and as a dynamic.

That is exceptional show writing because it's all about the characters.

Is it really that strange to have that as a show finale? I don't think so.

[adalynn]

Time for the finale of the entire show… time to probably be disappointed.

[theeternalsteelangel]

Literally just finished watching the Letterkenny season 12 season finale and let me tell you;

This show y’all.

It got me through some of the hardest parts of my life. It gave me laughter like I’ve never known. It gave me hope and joy to know I could find good people in this world still. Knowing it doesn’t matter if people don’t like you; those who love you will never let you down.

That sometimes you need to get your ass kicked to learn your lesson. To talk shit to people who can’t even comprehend your levels. To always stand up and FIGHT for what’s right.

To be a GOOD man, treat your ladies right, do right by your community, and never forget;

When a friend asks for help? You help em’.

Thank you Letterkenny. You gave us over 10 years ago your problems on the internet, and now your stories have touched millions around the world on being Human through your sheer perseverance of raw talent, professionalism, and standards.

I am so greatful to say that I’ve wholeheartedly enjoyed getting to know these characters.

This show is unmatched, and there will never be one like it.

It gave us Shorsey. It gave us Wayne. True Alpha Males leading by example, because;

“You gotta set the tone.”

Thank you to Jared Keeso, Jacob Tierney, Michelle Mylett, And literally, COUNTLESS others who brought this show and town to life.

You’ve left such a TRUE Legacy.

[tumbleringismycopingmechanism]

I'm honestly surprised how fascinating this interpretation of the Bojack Horseman ending is. Now I'm kinda torn which one I like better: that he survived and finally had to deal with the consequences of his behaviour instead of getting the absolution of death or this one - that the last episode is his view from halfway down, seeing how his life could have been but having no chance to make it a reality anymore, because he dies

[letsperaltiago]

What a perfect episode, you guys. We couldn’t have asked for more, gosh, I’m just… speechless. I don’t even know what to say. During the final scenes I was crying and laughing at the same time which is why I love this show so much ❤️ I’m sad but the finale was so good and also leaves me on a happy note for these characters and their future - even though we won’t witness it but will have to form it in our imagination. Thank you so much, b99, for the perfect goodbye 💛💛💛