Warning: This article contains spoilers for Hacks season 3.
Hacks season 3 has landed, and it continues the show’s awesome tradition of filling the soundtrack of each episode with great songs from a wide range of genres. Picking up a year after Deborah fired Ava in the season 2 finale, Hacks season 3 sees the two rekindling their friendship. After bumping into each other at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, they start texting each other again, then start working on new jokes together, and eventually put aside their differences and reconcile their working relationship with the goal of taking over a popular late-night show.
From Deborah’s newfound fame to Ava’s troubled relationship with Ruby, Hacks season 3 has a lot of emotional developments to underscore with music – and the producers picked the perfect musical accompaniment for each scene. Hacks’ season 3 soundtrack features songs by such iconic artists as The Temptations, The 5th Dimension, and Electric Light Orchestra. Almost every scene transition in a given episode is punctuated by a recognizable riff from a classic soul track or a rock ‘n’ roll ballad. A great show needs a great soundtrack, and Hacks season 3 has a great soundtrack.
“Evil Woman” by Electric Light Orchestra – Hacks season 3, episode 1, “Just for Laughs,” opens with what looks like Deborah arriving at a casino in Las Vegas and being shown to a stage on the casino floor. Initially, it seems like maybe her career has taken a step backward. However, the subject of the tracking shot is revealed to be a drag queen dressed like Deborah, who has been hired to appear at the unveiling of a Deborah Vance-themed slot machine at the casino. It turns out Deborah’s career hasn’t taken a step backward; quite the opposite. She’s so popular and successful that she has her own Vegas impersonators. Fittingly, Electric Light Orchestra’s “Evil Woman” plays on the soundtrack to introduce Deborah.
“Famous” by Parcels – When the real Deborah is introduced, walking along a red carpet and being questioned by paparazzi, “Famous” by Parcels plays. This is, of course, an appropriate song choice, since the purpose of the scene is to show how famous Deborah has become since releasing her standup special.
“Born to Be Alive (Mix 79)” by Patrick Hernandez – As Deborah grows bored with the outfits she’s been sent by designers who want her to wear her clothes at red-carpet events, she decides to get some of her own clothes out of her “wardrobe.” Patrick Hernandez’s “Born to Be Alive (Mix 79)” kicks in on the soundtrack as Deborah and her team drive out to her wardrobe – a giant warehouse full of clothes in the middle of the desert – to pick out an outfit.
“The Story” by Brandi Carlile – Ava initially refuses to help Deborah with the wording of a punchline, because she still resents her for the firing. However, after thinking about it for a bit, Ava sends Deborah a text helping her with the joke. As the text comes through, Brandi Carlile’s “The Story” plays on the soundtrack. The song carries through as Deborah goes to Ava’s hotel room to give her the Tom Cruise coconut cake, but finds that she’s already checked out.
“Plastic Soul” by Mondo Cozmo – Hacks season 3, episode 2, “Better Late,” opens with a montage of Deborah and Ava rekindling their friendship over text. They zone out of their own personal lives as they stay glued to their phones, sending each other messages. Mondo Cozmo’s “Plastic Soul” plays over this texting montage.
“Love is Not a Stranger Anymore” by John Henry – John Henry’s “Love is Not a Stranger Anymore” plays over the scene transition from Deborah shooting a commercial for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce to Ava and Ruby having sex in the shower.
“Waitin’ for the Rain” by The Fantastic Johnny C – As the scene of Ava and Ruby in the shower cuts to Deborah signing autographs for fans, “Waitin’ for the Rain” by The Fantastic Johnny C plays on the soundtrack.
“Miss Hot Stuff” by Clarence Reid – Deborah’s rage over her discovery of an Etsy store full of unauthorized merchandise using her likeness is underscored by Clarence Reid’s “Miss Hot Stuff.”
“Feelin’ Alright?” by The 5th Dimension – When Ava finds Ruby’s Wolf Girl ring and mistakes it for an engagement ring, then tries on the ring and starts thinking about marriage, “Feelin’ Alright?” by The 5th Dimension plays on the soundtrack. This moment of elation hilariously sets up the cringe-inducing payoff when Ava tries to propose to Ruby with a prop from her TV show.
“Evolution” by Magnum – The Magnum song “Evolution” plays as Ava interrupts Ruby’s workout with a personal trainer and awkwardly suggests buying some new silverware.
“Give Me Some More of Your Funky Good Lovin’” by The Soul Brothers Six – The Soul Brothers Six’s “Give Me Some More of Your Funky Good Lovin’” plays as Deborah starts preparing to make her late-night hosting debut. She was originally booked as a guest, but got bumped up to guest host when the full-time host, Danny Collins, suddenly took ill with a bad case of salmonella.
“You Can’t Even Walk in the Park” by Johnny Pate – The montage of Deborah and her team getting a late-night show together at the last minute is scored with “You Can’t Even Walk in the Park” by Johnny Pate.
“Get Ready” by The Temptations – The Temptations’ classic “Get Ready” plays on the soundtrack during the montage of Deborah killing on the late-night show. It was Deborah’s lifelong dream to host a late-night show, and this montage shows that dream finally coming true. She was initially worried she couldn’t even do well as a guest, but she proves herself to be a complete natural in the host’s chair.
“Dirty Work” by King Princess – A cover version of Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work” by King Princess plays on the soundtrack at the end of Hacks season 3, episode 2, as Ava drives down to Vegas to work with Deborah again. The lyrics are appropriate, because, in many ways, Ava is a fool to do Deborah’s dirty work, but Deborah knows she’ll be around.
“Symphony No. 94 In G Major, Hob. I: 94 Surprise: I. Adagio. Vivace assai” by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Stefan Sanderling – This classical piece plays over the opening scene of Hacks season 3, episode 3, “The Roast of Deborah Vance.” While Ava is trying to meditate, Deborah barges into her room to get notes on a joke. The scene then cuts to Deborah’s gardening staff hard at work.
“Afrikaan Beat” by Bert Kaempfert – This song plays as Ava arrives in the dressing room of the P.T.A. fashion show. She reconvenes with Deborah’s former blackjack dealer, Kiki, who’s now a model.
“Shining Star” by Earth, Wind & Fire – This progressive soul classic plays over the montage of Deborah being roasted by Mario Cantone, Natasha Leggero, Patton Oswalt, Andy Kindler, Steph Tolev, and Naomi Ekperigin.