What To Watch on TV: Hacks, Last One Laughing, The Testaments, The Miniature Wife, Malcolm In The Middle

Hacks

Friday, streaming on Stan

I’m all for ending things on a high. But there’s something truly bittersweet about saying goodbye to the characters from Hacks, which begins its fifth and final season this week.

This is one of those rare shows that actually gets better over the years, and we’re bereft at the thought of saying farewell to ageing comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and her frenemy protege Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) — it feels like we’re losing our two close personal friends!

Showrunner Paul W. Downs (who also plays Jimmy on the show) said he and co-creators Jen Statsky and Lucia Aniello always intended to end things after five seasons, noting they’ve had the final scene in their heads since 2015. Last year Einbinder told reporters she felt the time was also right to wrap things up.

“It’s nice to do something as many times as it should be done,” she said.

“(To) not overstay your welcome. Rip it and do it and laugh and cry.”

This season begins with Deborah returning to her Las Vegas home. Gossip site TMZ has falsely reported her death, and she arrives back to find a makeshift shrine at her doorstep.

What follows is Deborah and Ava working to cement Deborah’s comedic legacy after she was famously cancelled last season and left languishing in Singapore after a non-compete clause saw her banned from performing material in the States.

This show has cemented itself as a modern comedy classic, launching the careers of breakout stars Einbinder, Megan Stalter, and cementing Downs as a comedy force both in front of, and behind, the cameras.

We have no doubts this show will end on a high, though we can’t guarantee we won’t be sobbing as we farewell Deborah and Ava one last time.

LOL: Last One Laughing

Streaming now on Prime Video

The premise is simple: lock 10 of the best comedians in a room for six hours, get them to interact with one another, tell jokes, perform skits and just generally be their hilarious selves, and task them with NOT laughing. Yep, that’s it: you laugh, you lose. This year’s contestants, which include Alan Carr, Bob Mortimer, David Mitchell and Diane Morgan, are beyond incredible. I can’t remember the last time I laughed this much at a show.

The Testaments

Wednesday, streaming on Disney Plus

Based on Margaret Atwood’s follow-up novel, this superb 10-part series focuses on June’s daughter Hannah (Chase Infiniti), picking up five years on from The Handmaid’s Tale. She’s come of age at a school for Commanders’ daughters, which is being overseen by Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd). If you’ve read the book, you’ll know what’s ahead, though this series only tells part of that story. It’s still incredibly satisfying, and here’s hoping more seasons are on the way, detailing Gilead’s eventual downfall. Five stars for this incredible series.

The Miniature Wife

Thursday, streaming on Stan

Described as a “sci-fi dramedy,” this 10-episode series sees Succession’s Matthew Macfadyen star as a scientist who accidentally shrinks his wife Lindy (Elizabeth Banks) to a minuscule six inches tall. While this might sound like a Honey I Shrunk The Kids-style caper, there’s something much more nuanced and interesting afoot. Supporting stars include Fleabag’s Sian Clifford, O-T Fagbenle (The Handmaid’s Tale) and Aussie comedian Ronny Chieng.

Malcolm In The Middle

Friday, streaming on Disney Plus

The Wilkerson family are back — 20 years after they last appeared on screens. Unfortunately no previews were made available (never a good sign), but we are travelling hopefully, mostly because original stars Bryan Cranston (Hal), Jane Kaczmarek (Lois), Frankie Muniz (Malcolm) and Christopher Masterson (Francis) are returning to reprise their roles and they’re all hilarious — the show’s original creator is also onboard. Cross your fingers.