TikTok, AI sitcoms, and the humiliations of modern celebrity: How Hacks and The Comeback nail the pressures of staying relevant
The final seasons of Hacks and The Comeback offer a scathing critique of the modern celebrity landscape, where the pressure to stay relevant and the demands of the algorithm reign supreme. These shows, set in the world of late-night talk shows and sitcoms, highlight the plight of aging stars who find themselves in a constant cycle of reinvention, chasing the next viral moment or award.
In Hacks, Jean Smart's Deborah Vance, a legendary comedian, faces a crisis of identity after a controversial exit from her late-night talk show. Barred from performing new material due to a non-compete clause, she sets her sights on a grand comeback show at Madison Square Garden. The show mocks the commercial demands of the network, forcing Deborah to engage in TikToks, social clips, and handshakes, all while neglecting her comedic genius.
Similarly, The Comeback's Lisa Kudrow as Valerie Cherish, a high-cringe sitcom star, finds herself in a similar predicament. Given a career lifeline with a lead role in a new sitcom, the catch is that the script is written by AI, and Valerie is forbidden from sharing this secret. The show satirizes the indignities of fame in the algorithm era, where even iconic stars are forced to chase relevance and clicks.
Both shows illuminate a cultural habit of projecting 'comeback' narratives onto women who feel societal pressure to reinvent themselves. They mock the demands of the attention economy, where staying relevant means producing more content, even if it means sacrificing one's craft. The protagonists, once cornerstones of old-school celebrity, are now judged by the same metrics as reality stars and influencers.
In The Comeback, Valerie attempts to master a 'Real Housewives' version of Chicago on Broadway and goes viral on The Traitors for being useless. Her social intern, Patience, constantly records clips, highlighting the relentless pursuit of content. The show's premise is Valerie's attempt to cling to her cultural value through reality TV and AI, but her true desire is to be taken seriously as a comedy actor.
Deborah, in Hacks, also obsesses over achieving the elusive Egot (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) status, recording a music album in Spanish. Her legacy, however, is defined by her comedy, as Ava reminds her. The shows reveal the extreme lengths these women go to for a perfect comeback, but the question remains: should they have to?
These sitcoms offer a scathing critique of the modern celebrity landscape, where the pressure to stay relevant and the demands of the algorithm reign supreme. They highlight the plight of aging stars who find themselves in a constant cycle of reinvention, chasing the next viral moment or award. It's a bleak and funny portrayal of the indignities of fame in the digital age.
