Interview: Paul W. Downs on why ‘The Slippery Slope’ is his favorite episode of ‘Hacks’ and how the Industry Strikes inspired Season 4.

For the past four years, Hacks has continually been one of the most talked about and beloved comedies on tv. I have been an avid supporter of the series from the very beginning and truthfully believe it to be one of smartest, funniest, and most brutally honest comedies that we’ve ever seen on television in decades.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to sit down with Hacks showrunner, star, writer, and director, Paul W. Downs, to dissect the fourth season with him. Prior to this interview, I was watching the episodes on a week to week basis because I enjoy it so much that I didn’t want to binge all the episodes all at once. However, to prepare for the interview, I did end up binging the last five episodes and let’s just say this season delivers.

So much so that Paul W. Downs and I seem to agree that Hacks Season 4 Episode 9 titled “The Slippery Slope” could very well be the best episode of Hacks to date. Paul shares a lot of juicy details about that episode as well as the rest of the season including how He, Lucia, and Jen decided to change the tone of the show this season, how the SAG-AFTRA and WGA Strikes served as inspiration for certain scenes in season four, and how Julianne Nicholson was selected for the role of Dance Mom.

You can watch my full interview with Paul W. Downs below and don’t forget to check out the Hacks season finale when it airs exclusively on HBO MAX on Thursday, May 29, 2025.