The return of Hacks season 3 is a hit on Max, which is a great reminder to watch another acclaimed comedy show that the series’ creators previously worked on. Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder lead the cast of Hacks season 3 in another acclaimed outing, with the latest entries earning a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes after seasons 1 and 2 both received coveted 100% scores. With an overall score of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes and four Emmy wins already secured from the first two seasons, Hacks season 3 gives its creators an incredible run in the realm of comedy television.

Of course, Hacks’ continued success with critics and audiences throughout its first three seasons shouldn’t be a surprise. The hit Max-streaming show was co-created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs (who also stars in Hacks as Jimmy), and Jen Statsky, who each boast impressive resumes that include a previous collaboration on another popular comedy show from the 2010s. Not only did this TV show bring together Aniello, Downs, and Statsky for another incredible comedy series, but it also amazingly enjoys the same overall Rotten Tomatoes score of 99% for its five seasons.

Hacks’ Co-Creators Also Worked On The Hit Comedy Show Broad City

Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky previously collaborated on Broad City

Before Hacks, the show’s co-creators worked on the critically acclaimed sitcom Broad City, which ran for five seasons on Comedy Central between 2014 and 2019. Co-created and starring Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, the show was inspired by the two leads’ friendship and lives in New York City. After five years on Comedy Central, Broad City ended with season 5 while still receiving glowing reviews, though the last outing saw a notable drop in ratings from previous installments. Continuing to hold a 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Broad City is still considered one of the greatest TV shows of the 2010s and a revolutionary entry in the sitcom genre.

Hacks’ Jimmy actor and co-creator Paul W. Downs appeared on Broad City as the actor for Trey Pucker, Abbi’s boss at an athletic club. In addition to his recurring on-screen role, Downs also served as a writer and executive producer on all five seasons of Broad City. Hacks co-creator Lucia Aniello similarly took on three roles for Broad City, serving as an executive producer, writer, and director on the sitcom. Hacks’ other co-creator Jen Statsky joined the Broad City team for season 2 and beyond, where she would serve as a writer and producer alongside Downs and Aniello.

With so much success for their work on Broad City, it was quite remarkable that the group quickly followed up the show with the multi-Emmy-winning series Hacks in 2021. Despite widespread critical acclaim for all five seasons of the show, Broad City shockingly never received a major Primetime Emmy Award nomination. However, it did win a juried Outstanding Motion Design Emmy in 2018. The history of their past show being largely overlooked by the Emmys made it all the more amazing to see Aniello, Downs, and Statsky’s Hacks win multiple times during the show’s first season, with the second outing following suit.

Hacks’ Success Sets Up 2 Huge Broad City Cameos In Future Seasons

Ilana Glazer & Abbi Jacobson would be perfect cameos for Hacks

Considering Downs and Aniello were involved in Broad City from the time of its television origins in 2014, it would be fitting for the duo to recruit their former collaborators for roles on Hacks. With Hacks season 3’s guest stars and cameos already including plenty of big names like Helen Hunt, Carrot Top, and comedian George Wallace, it seems like the Max show should eventually be able to bring on Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer for cameos in the future. So far, there hasn’t been much overlap in the cast members of Broad City and Hacks, but cameos by the former show’s two stars would be an exciting way to change this.

In the years since Broad City’s ending, Jacobson and Glazer have continued to utilize their comedy chops, which could make an appearance on Hacks more seamless. Jacobson’s recent TV pursuits have primarily been contained to voice roles in shows like Disenchanted and The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy, as the comic’s live-action series A League of Their Own was canceled in 2023. Glazer has followed a similar trajectory since Broad City, having largely appeared in voice roles on animated shows like BoJack Horseman and Green Eggs and Ham in addition to a memorable stint on Apple TV+’s The Afterparty season 1.

Why Hacks & Broad City Both Have Such High Rotten Tomatoes Scores

Both comedy shows have overall scores of 99% on RT

For multi-season TV shows, it’s incredible that both Hacks and Broad City maintain an overall Rotten Tomatoes score of 99% from critics. For Hacks, the consistent praise for the show remarks its lead performances, sharp and witty writing, balance with emotional storylines and heart, as well as its remarkable ability to adapt and reinvent itself each season. Broad City’s high Rotten Tomatoes score is a reflection of similar merits, with plenty of celebration of the sitcom’s chemistry between its leads, authenticity in its humor and the characters’ struggles, and top-tier comedic writing.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes