WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for the Hacks season 4 finale.

The ending of Deborah and Ava's shared story will continue.

The finale episode of Hacks season 4 didn't feature any of the Hollywood self-reflexivity or add to the expansive list of guest stars seen throughout Hacks season 4. Instead, the finale returned to the series' roots, in which Deborah and Ava's personal relationship is given a spotlight over their up-and-down professional feud. After a brief catch-up with Christopher McDonald's Marty, who finally appears for the first time in Hacks season 4, Deborah tricks Ava into flying to Singapore to perform after promising her a vacation in Hawaii. Ultimately, Deborah is fueled with fury after a false TMZ obituary surfaces.

Deborah’s False TMZ Obituary & “Rewriting” Reaction Explained

The False Advance Obit Suggested Deborah Killed Late-Night TV

Hacks season 4, episode 10, ends with a fierce shot of Deborah enraged by a false TMZ obituary. She tells Ava, whom she had drunkenly sent home the night before, that the two of them have some "rewriting" to do in reference to revising the unflattering Internet comments made about Deborah's life.

Deborah's "rewriting" plan refers to new material as well as to her legacy as a live performer and comedian.

Deborah, always driven by her reputation and ego, would not allow herself to go out like that, even though Bob Lipka had her tied up with a non-compete clause in her network TV contract. Going to Singapore was an initial way for Deborah to continue performing, but now she's determined to rewrite her own story in the public eye.

Deborah explains to Ava that news outlets have accidentally run advance obituaries in the past, and some of them get leaked, which is why she's unsurprised that it happened. Ava and Jimmy were both initially terrified by the news, but the publication doesn't appear to be deliberate. This counts out the idea that Bob Lipka may have had the obituary leaked as a way to send a message to Deborah that her "career is over," which may end up being the case in Hacks season 5.

Regardless, Deborah was insulted by the introduction paragraph of the obituary, which read, "Vance's last few years have been marked by extremes. The high of becoming the first female late-night host and the low of abruptly quitting the show on-air, which led to the demise of the entire franchise." Deborah's biggest problem with the write-up is that it suggests she "killed late-night" before she "retired." Deborah's "rewriting" plan refers to new material as well as to her legacy as a live performer and comedian.

Why Deborah Drunkenly Told Ava To Leave Her In Singapore

Deborah Shoo's Ava Back To America After Getting A Reality Check

After Deborah tricked Ava into going to Singapore in the first place, Ava sticks around for a while as Deborah sells out shows and takes residency in a popular hotel casino. While the comedic pair is thousands of miles away from Las Vegas, their dynamic switched from season 4's late-night TV focus back to the series' original live stand-up performances. Things go well for a while until Ava tries looking out for Deborah, telling her she's been playing pretend in Singapore for too long, repeating the same jokes, and getting overly drunk on a daily basis.

Even after Ava and Deborah made up in Hacks season 4, episode 6, Deborah gets nasty with Ava, who was just trying to help. Deborah points out that she is the only friend that Ava has, even though she's a 29-year-old adult woman. Rather than appreciating the sacrifices that Ava has made for her over the years, Deborah punishes Ava with off-handed comments, all because Ava struck a nerve that came from a good place. Ultimately, Deborah's fake death news diverts Deborah from apologizing to Ava, like she should, in what has become an increasingly toxic workplace relationship.

How Deborah Performed Abroad With A Translator Loophole

She Claimed The Translator Was Performing, Not Her

Deborah somehow figured out that she would be able to perform outside of the United States through a translator, claiming that the translator was the one performing, not her. It's unclear exactly how Deborah discovered this loophole, since the attorney she met with at the beginning of the Hacks season 4 finale offered her no help.

It also raises the question of why Deborah couldn't perform with a translator in the U.S. or somewhere closer to home than Singapore, but it's likely that the hotel casino in Singapore was the only place willing to take on the legal risk of hosting her. It was known in the U.S., however, based on the TMZ obituary, that Deborah had relocated to Singapore.

The Demolition Of The Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel Explained

Hacks Pays Homage To A Historic Las Vegas Landmark

A brief scene involving Marcus, his family, and his ex-boyfriend was depicted in the Hacks season 4 finale, based on the actual demolition of a famous Las Vegas hotel. The Tropicana Las Vegas was a casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip that was opened in 1957 and torn down in October 2024. This also pinpoints exactly when the events of the Hacks season 4 finale take place.

The Laugh Factory was a notable comedy club in the Tropicana Las Vegas that opened in 2012, where Deborah had certainly performed before. The Tropicana is also famous for being featured in movies such as The Godfather and TV shows like Malcolm in the Middle.

What The Hacks Season 4 Finale Means For Season 5

Deborah Will Likley Make A Major Comeback In Some Capacity With Ava's Help

Hacks season 5 will see Deborah firing back with a vengeance to rewrite her legacy and eventual obituary. She will still have to face the remaining majority of the 18-month non-compete clause, unless the fifth season of Hacks jumps ahead about a year after the events of the Hacks season 4 finale. Regardless, it seems that Ava will be along for the ride despite Deborah's continued disrespect of her and more original series characters like Marcus and Kiki could be primed for more season 5 screen time if the show returns to Vegas.

Deborah may lean into the Internet and social media scene after dancing with a big network and falling out badly, or maybe even have Ava write a biopic of her life for Jimmy to produce.

The strides that Hacks season 4 made to solidify itself as a Hollywood-centric show are certainly on the fence now that Deborah's lost her late-night show. The "rewriting" aspect, in of comedic material, remains ambiguous, unless Deborah can magically find another loophole that allows her to perform on stage.

Deborah may lean into the Internet and social media scene after dancing with a big network and falling out badly, or maybe even have Ava write a biopic of her life for Jimmy to produce. No matter what, Deborah will certainly be planning a big comeback in Hacks season 5, and Ava will once again likely be a big part of her routine, whatever medium that may fall into.