#Jean smart

[hacksarmchairquarterback1]

SMH. Genius. This show, I swear. The very best.

the entire presentation of deborah as a character is based on these wide shots that represent in one way or another some kind of off-kilter symmetry. there is just this abundance of wide space on the right side of the screen because she has no equal and no challenge, so she’s stuck. you know that that’s the conflict of her character, there’s just something missing from her life.

when she’s performing and killing it she’s center frame, and that’s why she can’t stop performing, that’s why she chases after the tourist bus when she has an unexpected afternoon off, because when she is the center of attention and when she’s in front of an audience she can feel in control of what happens and she LOVES it. in episode one, the music turns and the joke feels stale, so the stage becomes one more space she feels lonely in, but in the intro, until she takes that hair piece off she is in control of her life (also, significantly, when deborah first appears on screen you can’t see her face, which means you’re not seeing the real her, you’re seeing the costume she puts on, with a focus on the hair and the glitter and the earrings and the shoes. the first time you see her face is when the empty space is introduced).

(two mirrors because like here’s you and here’s who people see you as and here’s what you see yourself as and none of these are the same perspective, have fun with that)

all that only serves to highlight the loneliness everywhere in her private life. you dig a little deeper and you realise that at the core of her character there’s this complete lack of balance that make her seem so alone, and no one in her life can fill that space, not even DJ or marcus. the MOMENT ava enters her house though she’s right in the middle of the frame, and when they start talking they’re matched shot for shot.

once they start talking and challenging each other they exist in the same frame and they can’t escape one another. the camera focuses back and forth but doesn’t drop either of them, just switches from ava’s perspective to deborah’s, but they’re going toe to toe and neither of them is going to back down.

which is why deborah doesn’t let her leave!!! how many people in her life genuinely stand up to her!! and this is just episode one!!!

[taivans]

I told you, you're just like me. HACKS (2021— )

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

[whichcouldmeanothing]

HACKS (2021–) 1x07 | 3x06

[nervouspearl]

[obcrack]

Agatha’s coven holds auditions for a Green With —

MAJOR edit featuring ALL the Golden Globe nominated actresses in the TV comedy category.

[i-heart-scully]

Jean and Hannah do a role-reversed table read of The Email scene

[warningsine]

[gaygnocchi]

aren’t you a big brave girl

[shesnake]

Succession season 2 episode 10 "This Is Not for Tears" (2019) dir. Mark Mylod // Hacks season 3 episode 9 "Bulletproof" (2024) dir. Lucia Aniello

[echofades]

Jean Smart & Hannah Einbinder | Hacks S3 Premiere @ SXSW (x)

[gilliandersons]

HACKS | 3.07 "The Deborah Vance Christmas Spectacular"

bonus:

[taivans]

It's called a human relationship and, sorry, but we have one. HACKS (2021— ) S01E10 | S03E09

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

[whichcouldmeanothing]

Deborah & Ava + season finales Hacks (2021–)

[nervouspearl]