‘Hacks’ Finally Did It: Ava and Deborah Kiss in the Show’s Most Sapphic Episode Yet
THE Ava and Deborah kiss finally happened and honestly? Television history.
Mark
It finally happened. After five seasons of longing looks, emotional chaos, and enough tension to power all of Las Vegas, Hacks finally gave fans the moment they’ve been begging for: Ava and Deborah kissed.
And according to Hannah Einbinder, the cast knew exactly what kind of episode they were making.
“We’ve been calling it the lesbian episode, but it’s like, aren’t they all?” she said in an HBO teaser for the episode.
Hacks Season 5 – Episode 7, Hannah Einbinder, Leslie Bibb
(Photo: HBO Max)
For anyone somehow unfamiliar with the obsession, Hacks follows Ava Daniels, a young bisexual comedy writer, and Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), a legendary stand-up comic whose sharp mentorship quickly turns into something much messier, deeper, and emotionally codependent.
Over five seasons, fans have latched onto the chemistry between the two women, fueling endless fan edits, fan fiction, and pleas for the show to finally let them kiss.
Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart for ‘Hacks’
Well. Mission Accomplished.
Here’s how it all goes down: Deborah becomes determined to track down a specific outfit for her Madison Square Garden show, a white Bob Mackie two-piece famously worn by Carol Burnett during the finale of The Carol Burnett Show. The problem? The outfit belongs to Kelly Kilpatrick (Cherry Jones), a fellow comedian who absolutely cannot stand Deborah.
To get close to Kelly, Deborah heads to Montecito to cozy up to her and her wife, played by Leslie Bibb. Naturally, Ava gets dragged into pretending to be Deborah’s partner for the night.
Though Ava initially seems less than thrilled about the fake-romance setup, she quickly commits to the bit. While recounting how she and Deborah first met, Ava hilariously embellishes the details, including joking that all the fighting and tension between them helps in the bedroom.
Hacks Season 5 – Episode 7, Cherry Jones, Leslie Bibb (Photo: HBO Max)
No Fake Dating Ruse is Complete Without a Kiss
At first, the two share a quick peck. But Ava immediately pushes for more, leading to a surprisingly passionate couch smooch that instantly sent fans online into complete meltdown mode.
What makes the moment even sweeter is that Einbinder previously told fans not to get their hopes up. During an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last year, she jokingly addressed the fandom directly.
“Girls, you know that I want what you want.”
She continued:
“I have heard you, okay? And we want the same things. And I have relayed your message to the powers that be, okay?”
Still, she warned fans at the time:
“But, I don’t think it’s gonna happen.”
Well, never say never.
The sapphic powers aligned, the fake dating trope delivered, and Hacks just gave queer fans one of the most satisfying television kisses of the year.
Hacks Season 5 – Episode 7, Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder (Photo: HBO Max)
How the Story Ends
The kiss also comes during the final season of Hacks, making the moment even more emotional for longtime fans. The Emmy-winning HBO comedy will officially end with Episode 10, the series finale, airing May 28, 2026. Now that Ava and Deborah have finally kissed, fans are even more desperate to see how their story wraps up.
