WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Hacks season 4, episodes 7 & 8.

Hacks season 4, episodes 7 and 8, which were released on Thursday, May 15, 2025, exclusively on HBO Max, confirmed that Ava and Deborah had officially squashed the beef, much to the surprise of their manager, Jimmy.

The ending of Hacks season 4, episode 8, however, hints that Ava and Deborah's feud could be back on, with Deborah being more dangerous and lethal than ever. Throughout all four seasons of Hacks, Ava has been a strong progressive force for Deborah to revamp her old-school comedic style and industry sensibilities. Although she may hesitate to it it, Deborah's career resurgence, from freshening up her stand-up routine to landing an extremely coveted late-night gig, is largely due to Ava's ideas and influence. Despite their history and shared success, Ava looks genuinely scared of Deborah after what she did to Winnie.

Hacks Season 4 Episode 8's Ending Refuels Ava & Deborah's Feud Right After They Made Up

Ava Is Angry & Fearful Of Deborah After Winnie Is Shockingly Fired

The end of Hacks season 4, episode 8 suggests that Deborah and Ava's beef wasn't really squashed after all. The final shot of the episode implies that Ava won't just stand by and watch the way Deborah is treating people like Helen Hunt's Winnie while soaring on the highs of the late-night show being #1 in ratings. Deborah called Bob Lipka, the CEO of the media conglomerate that owns Deborah's late-night show and the network it airs on, to thank him for a congratulatory bottle of scotch. All it took was one rogue complaint about Winnie stressing Deborah out about a spin-off segment for Bob to swing his axe.

While Ava had no direct relationship with Winnie and likely also thought she was quite a pest, she does not like the power trip that Deborah is on after her show took the number 1 spot. Ava is certainly feeling a lot of emotions, most notably fear, during that final shot as she looks at Deborah entering her late-night stage like a maniacal empress.

Ava still has that blackmail about Deborah and Bob in her back pocket, but if she plays that card, it might be her last move in Hollywood.

If Deborah can flick Winnie out of the show like a fly on her wrist, what's stopping her from doing the same to Ava? Sure, Ava still has that blackmail about Deborah and Bob in her back pocket, but if she plays that card, it might be her last move in Hollywood.

What Ava's Reaction To Winnie's Firing Means For Deborah's Late-Night Show

Ava Will Have To Tread Lightly With Deborah On Her #1 Power Trip

Ava had to emulate Deborah's cutthroat tactics to earn back the head writer position Deborah had offered and coldly rescinded. While Ava is arguably more in the right than Deborah is, she has to what she is up against, especially now that Deborah has the power to influence Bob Lipka's decisions. As long as Deborah holds the number one spot, it appears that Bob will give her anything she wants.

Winnie is one example, but if Deborah's success turns her into a tyrant, the virtuous Ava, who has already tried to quit this season, may just walk.

A direct confrontation with Deborah will likely not work this time around. While Ava has helped Deborah evolve and grow by forcing a mirror to her face in the past, the stakes are too high for an intervention. Deborah is living out her childhood dream and thriving, which is why she's starting to become even more unforgiving. Winnie is one example, but if Deborah's success turns her into a tyrant, the virtuous Ava, who has already tried to quit this season, may just walk.

From this career vantage point, Deborah may not be as threatened by Ava's ammunition against her in the form of her one-night stand with Bob. Deborah's popularity is becoming so great that something like that may not even permanently tarnish her reputation. What's more, Deborah just had Mayor Jo on to laugh about her publicized sex scandal, which could soften the blow of her and Bob's affair getting out.

Most importantly, Ava would be ending her Hollywood career by exposing not just Deborah but Bob, who seems powerful and connected enough to run Ava out of town. Ava seems to be all out of luck and leverage for the remainder of Hacks season 4.