How ‘Hacks’ Turned A Cow Giving Birth Into Something Deeply Profound

Deborah Vance performing at a state fair in "Retired," the fifth episode of Season Two of "Hacks." HBO Max The other main topic they wanted to explore was how, “in doing creative work, it’s interesting when you encounter someone who hasn’t continued to do it” ― particularly for Deborah’s generation of comedians, “when there was really only one spot for one woman,” Downs said. HBO Max According to Aniello, in building the dynamic between Deborah and Susan, the show’s writers were thinking about people in their own lives who quit comedy for various reasons, “and wondering who made the right choices, and made the wrong choices.” “It does beg the question of, ‘Am I happy with how things turned out for me?’ I don’t think for everybody, having success, or professional success or commercial success or whatever, necessarily equates to ‘Oh, I’m happy now,’” Aniello said. Here’s how I feel about it.’ Everybody had a perspective.” When Deborah asks Susan if she ever misses comedy, Susan says she occasionally thinks about it ― like when one of their peers has a guest spot as the patient of the week on “Grey’s Anatomy.” “I think, ‘Well, I could have been funnier than that,’” Susan says. Ava’s remark is “something that, to me, is really personal, and that I relate to a lot, and I’m sure people will relate to, whether they’re in comedy or any other creative industry,” Downs said.