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I<\/span>The fifth and final season of the sitcom “Hacks” finds legendary comedian Deborah Vance once again in crisis. After leaving America’s No. 1 late-night talk show amidst controversy, a revengeful non-compete clause prevents her from performing new music. Season 4 of the Emmy-winning comedy ended on a cliffhanger with TMZ incorrectly reporting that Deborah (Jean Smart) had died. The prodigal mother of comedy, who just returned for Season 5, worries that her untimely late-night exit will define her life’s work. To secure her legacy, she aims to stage a huge comeback show at Madison Square Garden. And we will do whatever it takes to make that happen.<\/p>\n Not coincidentally, The Comeback’s final season begins on a similar note of despair. Valerie Cherish \u2013 a deeply unpleasant sitcom star played by redheaded Lisa Kudrow \u2013 is handed a career lifeline when she wins the lead role in a new sitcom. There’s just one catch. The script is written by an AI, a secret that Valerie is forbidden to share. It’s a toe-curling scenario that could only be produced by Kudrow and her collaborator Michael Patrick King, who is back on form after terrorizing the world with And Just Like That.<\/p>\n There’s a satisfying symmetry to these shows. Two HBO sitcoms starring women over 60, ostensibly about the painstaking process of making people laugh, are airing their final seasons simultaneously. Both shows highlight the cultural habit of projecting a “comeback” narrative onto women who feel society’s pressure to constantly reinvent themselves in order to be celebrated for their greatness. And they also mock the humiliation of fame today. There, even the most iconic stars seem forced to chase relevance and clicks. In these shows, the demands of fame in the age of algorithms are the darkest and funniest punchlines.<\/p>\n