Surprise, it’s me! I just couldn’t stay away any longer. It takes a year and a half hiatus for you to realize you can’t really leave whole pieces of yourself behind. I’m a writer. I always have been. And I miss having a spot to snark and speculate. So I’m back, refreshed, and ready to take on some new writing challenges here at HBOWatch. And who is more challenging than Deborah Vance?!
The icon, brought to the screen by Jean Smart, brings us a whole new season of crazy gaffs with tagalong writer Ava Daniels, played by Hannah Einbinder. We’ve seen the ups and downs of their relationship over two seasons so far and I’m incredibly excited to dig into this juicy third season. Deb’s back in a big way and looking to set her cap at new sights. But will she make it? And who might get screwed over in the process?
Season 3 Premiere: “Just for Laughs”
It’s one year later. Ava’s happily in love with Ruby (Lorenza Izzo) and working on a new show. She’s weirdly important. It’s unsettling. Deb’s reeling from the special still with audiences guffawing over her every word, annoyingly so. Deb’s on top but what or rather who is surrounding her up there? Kissasses who fawn all over her and won’t even tell her the truth about a truly hideous dress. And is that who you want around you? People you can’t really trust? People who would rather tell you what you want to hear than be honest? Real talk: adult relationships mean hard conversations. It means saying things you don’t want to say. It means owning up to choices and responsibilities. Sadly, late half-measures are just that…late.
Episode #2: “Better Late”
Paul W. Downs & Megan Stalter
Well, ok, fine. Maybe some things are allowed to be late. It’s clear the two of them need each other so coconut cake be damned. Sh*t, I’m hungry now. Anyway, Jimmy’s still involved with both and not afraid to get brutal, especially with Deb. I admire your chutzpah, Jimmy (Paul W. Downs). It could bite you in the ass, but it’s good you’re getting out of your shell. And Kayla continues to be Kayla. What brilliant acting from Megan Stalter. Such a weird yet redeemable sweetheart who truly means well and is so damn funny. Less amusingly, Ava’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. Career vs. relationship. Tale as old as time, but a girl’s gotta work and eat and ultimately, the two decide to take a little break. Bye, Iceland. Deb wants a late-night gig so, it’s time to get to work. Shoes off, please.
Episode #3: “The Roast of Deborah Vance”
Everyone loves a good roast. Comedians and family being mean to each other for laughs. It’s like a holiday with my family, just without the comedians. Kidding, kidding. We usually go to my fiancé’s family for the holidays. But as I said with family, DJ (Kaitlin Olson) is involved and she’s clearly got her ax to grind with mommy dearest. Oddly, even though she’s poised to tank, DJ does rather well and comes to realize something deeper. They’re both addicts. DJ used drugs literally but her mother is addicted to laughs. She’s not wrong and it bears the question: much like a drug addict turning to prostitution or stealing, what could Deb do to get what she wants most? Who needs therapy when you can go to your mother’s roast?
Episode #4: “Join the Club”
Helen Hunt
Deb’s trying to get to the top execs with the other guy (Luke Cook) already schmoozing. Even though it’s go-mode, Deb is insisting that Ava continue working on her own writing projects and I really appreciated that. When you’re using your creative efforts for someone else, it’s always appreciated when there’s respect given to your own craft. Ava’s lucky Deb gets that. Even if Deb is difficult in a thousand different ways.
Ava gets out with Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins) for trivia leading to more than one downfall. Well, one lost trivia game and one officially cooked relationship. It’s the final straw with the Ring-cam and genuinely, I’m Team-Ava-got-a-little-screwed-over-here. She’s getting notifications for the door. And yes, she probably should have turned it off but she’s not without reason answering and trying to help. And speaking of helping, we can’t forget Jimmy leveraging pickleball with Winnie the executive (Helen Hunt). Since it’s similar enough to tennis, it’s not surprising that though he’s been duped, he picks it up easily and the wagers begin. Jimmy’s getting quite good at this whole business thing.
But the best plot of the episode is Deb and some stolen toilet paper. Walk with me here…say you had a group of men you idolized for their wit and humor, and though you’ve never been invited to the club before, you somehow find yourself invited now… You can’t believe it. You don’t even know what to wear! But it’s not so very long into the evening that the men’s minds reveal themselves to be rather small indeed and instead of wasting any further time of the evening, you exit quickly to return home. Given the men are all preparing for colonoscopies, it only makes good sense to take all the toilet paper with you. And some men will say women can’t be funny!
Episode #5: “One Day”
Marcus is in go mode like always, but now he’s being head-hunted by QVC. They know good talent when they see it. But will he consider it?? The girls get away for a while to ground themselves and get through the writer’s block. Ava suggests a nature hike and I truly can’t believe Deb said yes. I mean, of course, they were going to get lost. But throughout the whole thing, you see old school vs. new school. For Ava, she’s young. This is the time to make mistakes. To take the trip. To quit the job. To start over. When you’re young, all you get is time. Once you get to be Deb’s age, you have to take the shots you get because there might never be another chance. Time is running out for her. She has to go full force. Leaving me to scream, “Why are you doing this to me? I don’t even know you!”
Episode 6: “Par for the Course”
Hannah Einbinder, Jean Smart, Christina Hendricks
Network affiliates are congregated for golf and Deb’s in the thick of it. Ava’s attitudes get Deb a little riled up. Though Ava might often advocate for the working class, she does little to think of how her own actions affect them. Not uncommon, sadly, for people to preach to others without first thinking of their own choices. Golf seems to be going well and Deb’s schmoozing the big guy, played by Tony Goldwyn. Leave it to Deb to round the wrong corner at just the right time to see devastating news. Doesn’t stop her from her own methodologies. But in the end, that’s not the woman she ever wanted to be. She never wanted to do to anyone what was done to her. So what does that mean now that it’s done? And how much further would she go if she kept going? Meanwhile, Ava has an interesting sexual encounter with a Republican (Christina Hendricks) and DJ insists on Aunt Kathy (J. Cameron Smith) getting invited to Christmas. Buckle up Deb, it’s going to be a rough road this holiday season.
Episode 7: “The Deborah Vance Christmas Spectacular”
To be read a la “Jingle Bells” style:
Dashing through fake snow, of course, there’s Ava’s mom.
O’er the chemical mounds, there’s awkward sister hugs.
Two ladies trying their best, but it’s just not enough.
The gingerbread was doomed to fail, and have you heard about Priya?
Oh, Christmas sucks. Christmas sucks.
Your sister hurt your heart.
She was 19, he was the creep.
Let’s go back to the start. Hey!
Jean Smart
That adorable reunion “snow” fight was perfect and J. Cameron Smith is a personal favorite of mine. Especially her time on Succession. Seeing these two powerhouses together was brilliant. But also, Deb. You gotta cut her some slack. She was practically still a kid. This was not nearly as much her fault as it seemed. In the background, Jimmy and Kayla are making moves. Gotta love a good cameo from Christopher Lloyd! Ava’s mom’s (Jane Adams) obsession with her roommate seems odd and a little creepy at first, but in reality she’s expanding her mind and learning more about a culture outside herself and when is that ever a bad thing? Shouldn’t we be actively encouraging people to learn more about cultures outside themselves? But also, could Deb actually make her way to the late-night chair?
Episode 8: “Yes, And”
Hannah Einbinder, Jean Smart
Deb gets double booked and it could be the final straw for Marcus. She skips a business event and then a Pride event to deal with the college situation and he’s not happy about it. She’s supposed to be getting honored when old, questionable footage emerges. Not unlike some folks in recent times, her past came back to haunt her. She figures she can goodwill her way out of it at a frat party. But when that falls through, she does something else. She actually acknowledges and listens. Considering a huge profile is being written, it’s fairly helpful to have a growth moment now. But even more important, the last episode’s behind-the-scenes work of Jimmy and Kayla paid off. It’s the big leagues now.
Season 3 Finale: “Bulletproof”
Turns out the sisters can’t really vibe. They try but it’s just not really working. And maybe that’s okay. Sometimes, you have to acknowledge when to step away from something. But not like Kayla. She actually stepped up first, landing a huge client lunch (Katheryn Newton). But when the reality of the absolute sh*t personality is sitting across from them, it’s clear Kayla deserves better. And even if she won’t stand up for herself, Jimmy will. To Kayla’s credit, I get it. She wants to be taken seriously. She knows she could be replaced by someone who would do the job better. But that’s not what Jimmy needs… The plane reunion was peak comedy. I could not stop laughing over Jimmy needing to tell everyone they weren’t involved.
As Deb’s show rolls forward, Ava still stays a step behind. Deb says she needs to be bulletproof. Keeping the old talent on will keep good graces. She’s not wrong. But you have to admit, you misled Ava just a little bit. Ava walked away from a huge opportunity for this, expecting the top and getting second. Jimmy might have convinced her to stay, but it was Deborah who taught her how the game is played. She doesn’t want to push for Ava? Ava will push for her now. “You only think you’re lonely when you open a bottle of champagne.” She learned from the best. You can’t really be mad, Deb. You taught her all she knows…
I’m ecstatic to see what’s ahead. It’s already confirmed for next season so now we must only wait. But given the two will likely start next season at odds, I’m even more hooked to continue the journey. Something is endearing about two people of vastly different ages becoming friends and learning about life together. Ava learns how to better navigate an often ruthless field, and Deb learns a little humility and reflection. It’s mutually beneficial and I love it. But like I said, they’re probably going to hate each other next season at least for a little while and given those two actresses, I am here for it.
