While Hacks has already hurled Jean Smart, as Deborah Vance, into absolute chaos only to watch how viciously she claws her way back, season five has wasted no time doing what it does best by stirring trouble, tension, and delicious unpredictability. However, the loudest twist so far is the romance storm around Smart and Christopher Briney as Nico Hayes, whose bold episode three pairing has swiftly seized the conversation. And as the Emmy-winning HBO Max giant marches through its final chapter after premiering on April 9, Smart’s revelation of one major “Oh God” moment behind the match-up suggests the farewell season may be racing toward its most headline-grabbing turn yet.

And if this latest chaos keeps burning, Hacks may turn its last run into the most talked-about chapter of them all.

Speaking to Deadline about her romance storyline with Christopher Briney, Jean Smart admitted she had one immediate fear that the younger star might be cringing and thinking he wanted the show, but not this particular twist. The 74-year-old actress and the 28-year-old The Summer I Turned Pretty breakout share a 46-year age gap, a detail that has only intensified conversation around the pairing. However, Smart said Briney quickly erased those worries by making her feel comfortable, and the two ultimately had real fun filming the romance.

“I did think, oh god, I hope he isn’t just cringing, He’s thinking, ‘Oh, I’d really like to be on that show, but oh damn, really?’ But he made me feel very comfortable and we had fun,” Smart told Deadline.

Meanwhile, the razor-edged chaos of Hacks has now stormed into its final season, picking up directly after Deborah’s Singapore escape and hurling viewers straight back into the fallout. So far, three episodes have landed from a ten-episode farewell run, with the series continuing to reign over HBO Max as one of the platform’s two most-watched titles. The last chapter has also arrived in blistering form, holding a perfect 100% critics score, and is currently the #2 most-watched show on Max in the U.S, holding steady just behind The Pitt.

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As the final season is yet to fully unleash its chaos, Hacks season four still casts a towering shadow of its own.

Hacks season four became the show’s biggest triumph, airing from April 10 to May 29, 2025. Across ten episodes, it picked up straight after season three and exploded into a ruthless war between Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels after Ava forced her way onto the head-writer throne of Deborah’s late-night show. Viewers devoured the chaos, pushing the series to the No. 1 spot on the Whip U.S. Streaming Originals chart throughout much of April and May.

Critics matched the frenzy, handing the season a fierce 97% Rotten Tomatoes score, while a stacked guest roster added more firepower. Helen Hunt, Julianne Nicholson, Michaela Watkins, and Jake Shane joined the storm, alongside sharp cameos from Carol Burnett, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Rogen, Kaia Gerber, and Katie Couric.

Meanwhile, as Smart reflects on the romance twist already ignited by episode three, the bigger question now is what further chaos Hacks still has left to unleash before its final curtain falls.

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What are your thoughts on Jean Smart and Christopher Briney’s bold romance twist in Hacks? Let us know in the comments.