‘Hacks’ Stars Hannah Einbinder and Paul W. Downs on the Legacy of ‘Hacks’ and Which Character Needs a Spinoff First
What's happening
Hannah Einbinder and Paul W. Downs are reflecting on the legacy of their HBO series 'Hacks' as it concludes, with Einbinder crediting her work on a new film alongside Gillian Anderson for reshaping how she views the show's ending.
Who's involved
Hannah Einbinder and Paul W. Downs are the stars of 'Hacks,' an HBO series about a legendary stand-up comedian and her young writer. Gillian Anderson is an acclaimed actress best known for her role as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully on 'The X-Files,' which aired from 1993 to 2002 and spawned multiple revival seasons and films.
Why it matters
As 'Hacks' comes to an end, the cast's reflections on the show's impact and legacy offer insight into how the series will be remembered. The discussion of potential spinoffs also hints at the commercial viability and cultural resonance of the show's universe, potentially influencing future HBO decisions on franchise extensions.
The story
Hannah Einbinder is finding unexpected clarity about the end of 'Hacks' through her work on an entirely different project. While promoting the film 'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' alongside Gillian Anderson, Einbinder has gained a fresh perspective on how her acclaimed HBO series will be remembered. The experience of doing press junkets with Anderson, who regularly discusses her own iconic television legacy, has given Einbinder new insight into what the conclusion of 'Hacks' means for the show's place in television history.
Anderson's career offers an instructive parallel. The actress achieved international fame for her role as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in 'The X-Files,' the science fiction mystery series that aired on Fox from 1993 to 2002 and spanning nine seasons with 202 episodes. The show's cultural impact proved so durable that it spawned two feature films and multiple revival seasons—a tenth season of six episodes that ran from January to February 2016, followed by an eleventh season of ten episodes from January to March 2018. Anderson won a Golden Globe Award for her performance and has maintained a distinct connection to the show across her subsequent career.
For Einbinder and co-star Paul W. Downs, the conversation around 'Hacks' appears to be turning toward similar questions about legacy and potential future extensions. According to Variety, the two discussed which character might be best suited for a spinoff, suggesting that the creators and network are already contemplating how the 'Hacks' universe might extend beyond the original series' conclusion. The speculation reflects the show's success and the appetite among producers and networks to capitalize on well-developed fictional universes.
Einbinder's observation about Anderson's persistent connection to 'The X-Files'—how the actress continues to discuss and engage with that series even decades after its original run—may also serve as a cautionary tale or inspiration about how a show shapes an actor's career trajectory. For cast members of a acclaimed series, the weight of that legacy becomes something they carry forward, shaping how they are perceived and what opportunities come their way.
With 'Hacks' now concluding, the question of spinoffs and character extensions has become a natural point of conversation. As networks increasingly look to extend successful properties rather than develop entirely new ones, the characters and world that Einbinder and Downs have helped build may have a future that extends well beyond the original series' final episode.