Compare Hacks, Season 5 vs Colin From Accounts, Season 3

The 10-episode length gets some pushback from an early review that doubts the central story has enough material to sustain the full run.

The eight-episode final run is viewed as well judged: short enough not to overstay its welcome while still feeling fulfilled.

A handful of plot setups strain credibility, including publicity logic and contrived misunderstandings. These reaches rarely sink the comedy, but they are a recurring source of criticism.

Even at its most absurd, the show is praised for feeling relatable and true to its characters, with its messy people often compared to recognizable family and friends.

Season pacing is one of the more mixed areas: several critics praise the drive toward a final goal, while others find the middle meandering or the late swings rushed and underbuilt.

The final stretch is praised for moving through its eight episodes without overstaying its welcome.

Character consistency draws a split reaction: some see the warmer Deborah-Ava dynamic as a natural culmination, while another critic finds Deborah’s selfless turn less believable given her established ambition.

The conclusion is praised for staying true to who Gordon and Ashley have become rather than forcing them into a tidier version of themselves.

At least one video reviewer finds the aging-comedian premise and final-season execution fresh, new and original.

Opinion is more mixed here: some critics praise the fresh three-year reset and insightful relationship exploration, while others note familiar romcom machinery and formulaic structure.

Suspense is not the main draw, yet several reviews praise the season for keeping viewers guessing or on edge. One early review finds the reduced interpersonal conflict lowers the stakes.

The finale briefly turns Colin's fate into a gut-wrenching scare, showing that the show can generate real tension inside its comedy.

The final season is noticeably warmer and more sentimental than earlier years. Some reviewers welcome the lighter, more playful balance; others think it sands away the sharper conflict that once gave the show its bite.

The show is admired for balancing light and dark material, moving from laughter into heavier emotion without feeling like two different series.

Reviewers comment positively overall on character balance, with the strongest reactions reflected in the scored reviews.

Gordon and Ashley share the romantic and comic load unusually well; neither is reduced to being only the sensible or sentimental half of the pairing.

Deborah’s willingness to recognize others’ contributions is treated as meaningful growth, particularly when she gives Marcus credit rather than centering herself.

The season treats Gordon and Ashley’s relationship as a matter of choices and consequences rather than destiny, giving their reconciliation a stronger sense of responsibility.

Female friendship and queer joy remain meaningful parts of the season’s identity, treated as sources of warmth, humor and emotional connection.

The show is praised for feeling unmistakably Australian without leaning on tourist imagery, cheap caricatures or pandering to overseas expectations.

The ending leaves at least some critics wanting more time with Deborah and Ava, even while agreeing that this is a sensible point to stop.

The final season feels complete, yet one critic still says the eight episodes make you wish you could keep spending time with these characters.

The fifth-season finale is judged satisfying enough to justify the farewell, even by a review that stops short of calling it an all-time-great season ending.

The final episode is one of the strongest points of agreement, praised as controlled, moving, funny and exactly the right kind of goodbye.

The season continues to explore legacy, friendship, gender, creativity, media power and AI. Many critics find those themes resonant, while a few think the AI or industry commentary becomes didactic or self-congratulatory.

The season earns praise for its ideas about fate, choice, imperfection and deciding what kind of relationship is worth fighting for.

The romantic side plots are mostly secondary, but at least one critic finds the characters’ romantic crises genuinely funny and effective.

The central relationship remains the heart of the season. Critics largely believe Gordon and Ashley's chemistry and messy compatibility make the reunion emotionally convincing.

Deborah and Ava remain abrasive and self-involved enough to be flawed, but their care for each other keeps them rootable.

The characters are broadly loved for their messy eccentricity, though one critic notes Gordon and Ashley can still be immature and selfish.

Most reviewers find the ending satisfying, fitting or even note-perfect, with several calling it an exceptional comedy finale. A smaller group sees the last episode as overextended, abrupt or manipulative compared with the penultimate episode.

Agreement is especially strong around the ending: critics call it a perfect callback, a good last note and an earned rather than forced conclusion.

The main comeback-and-legacy arc works for most reviewers and supports strong character material. Critics who are less enthusiastic point to a softened core dynamic, thin stretches, or late-story overreach.

The overall journey is praised as worthy and deeply satisfying, though one episode recap finds the funeral subplot less engaging.

Paris and Louvre material gives the finale attractive visual texture, with reviewers specifically noting how good those scenes look.

Visual choices get selective praise, especially the vivid reunion imagery and the locked-off dinner scene that keeps attention fixed on the leads.

Direction is praised for confidently serving performances and emotional beats, with Lucia Aniello’s season-long work receiving positive notice.

The final season's directors are praised for preserving the series' seemingly effortless rhythm.

Season 5 is widely praised as very funny, from sharp dialogue and physical comedy to farce and dark jokes. A few critics find the opening or some stunts weaker, but the overall comic hit rate remains a major strength.

The final season keeps the show's comic identity intact, drawing praise for sharp banter, cringe situations, political jokes and even its raunchier punchlines.

The farewell lands emotionally for most reviewers, mixing laughter with tears, grief, friendship and mortality. Some find the death-and-illness turn manipulative, but even those reviews acknowledge the scenes can be touching or charming.

Reviewers repeatedly describe the season as poignant, heartbreaking and moving, with the finale strong enough to bring at least one critic to tears.

Callbacks, returning characters and full-circle ideas give the final season a strong sense of continuity. Reviewers often see the callbacks as rewarding rather than merely nostalgic.

Callbacks are a major strength of the ending, with the return to the vet setting and other full-circle touches making the finale feel satisfyingly connected to the beginning.

The acting remains one of the season’s safest bets, with multiple critics calling the performances exceptional, singular, or among the cast’s best work. Even mixed reviews consistently respect the execution on screen.

The ensemble is consistently praised as dialed-in, magnetic and hard to look away from, especially when the central pair share the screen.

Deborah and Ava’s chemistry is the season’s defining asset, whether critics prefer their newfound warmth or miss the old hostility. The best-reviewed episodes turn that bond into both comedy and emotional payoff.

Brammall and Dyer's chemistry is repeatedly singled out as the show's secret sauce, making Gordon and Ashley's messy bond feel magnetic and believable.

Writing receives broad praise for sharp jokes, meaningful callbacks and long-term character payoffs. Reservations focus more on softened conflict and late plot choices than on the line-by-line craft.

Writing is one of the clearest strengths across the coverage: critics praise the scripts, dialogue, comic construction, character work and emotionally honest ending.

The final season pays off years of growth, especially Deborah and Ava moving from combative codependence toward a more mature partnership. Supporting characters also get meaningful progress without losing their eccentricity.

The time jump and scripts give the characters room to change in surprising ways while preserving the dynamics that made them recognizable.

Dialogue remains quick, witty and rooted in the characters’ comic voices. The final joke-writing exchange is repeatedly treated as a strong reminder of what makes Deborah and Ava work.

The dialogue stands out for its easy flow, overlapping banter, awkward asides and sharp cringe-comedy rhythm.

The season leans more seriously into drama than some earlier outings, but reviewers generally find the heavier material effective because the comedy never disappears.

The show can pivot from comedy into sadness and drama without losing its footing, giving the relationship stakes real emotional weight.

Standout episodes are praised for strong construction, especially the farcical Montecito story that pairs classic misunderstandings with deeper emotional stakes.

The finale earns praise for bringing its loose threads together neatly rather than leaving major story material dangling.

As a comedy-drama, the season is largely viewed as a strong example of its genre, keeping jokes central while allowing heavier emotion to matter.

As a romantic comedy, the series finishes very strongly, with multiple critics placing it among especially charming television romcoms.

The series finale earns some of the strongest praise in the coverage, including descriptions such as note-perfect and among the best recent comedy finales, though other finale-focused reviews are more mixed.

The series ending lands exceptionally well across the coverage, repeatedly described as perfect, earned, heartfelt and satisfying.

The farewell is clearly designed to reward longtime fans with callbacks, cameos and relationship closure. Even skeptical critics often admit the celebration is enjoyable.

The show's oddball characters and distinctly Australian voice are described as connecting strongly with viewers both locally and internationally.

The show keeps a polished visual identity that captures show-business glamour while leaving room for absurdity and intimacy.

The reunion sequence gets praise for its vivid visual framing, even though the critic says the emotional connection matters more than the shot itself.

The ensemble remains strong, with Robby Hoffman, Megan Stalter, Kaitlin Olson, Jane Adams and other returning players frequently singled out. Some side material is uneven, but the supporting cast adds much of the season’s comic energy and closure.

The supporting ensemble is treated as a major asset, described as affable, dialed-in and still firing on all cylinders.

The lead work is consistently acclaimed, especially the balance of comedy, vulnerability and dramatic weight in the Deborah-Ava pairing.

Brammall and Dyer are repeatedly described as magnetic together, with standout scenes showing their strengths as both performers and scene partners.

Even reviews with structural complaints still describe the season as highly entertaining, buoyed by the cast, jokes and farewell atmosphere.

Season 3 is described as comfort-food viewing overall, while even a more mixed episode recap still calls its episode pretty good.

Running jokes and small character details reward repeat viewing, and the finale itself is explicitly recommended for another watch.

Rewatch prospects are strong: one critic suggests the show may be even better revisited, while another expects its compact episodes to age well.

The ending is widely treated as a smart choice made while the show was still strong, with critics approving of the decision not to overstay its welcome.

The cast is viewed as a major strength, with the ensemble described as affable, dialed-in and consistently strong.

The roughly 30-minute installments are praised as compact and classy, helping the series feel easy to revisit.

Episode-level pacing is mostly lively, but at least one critic finds the penultimate climax rushed.

The creators describe their approach to taboo subjects as gentle and warm rather than merely provocative.

The season’s media-industry conflict is appreciated for confronting reputation management, corporate control and the pressures surrounding public figures. The satire is generally effective, though not every critic finds it as biting as earlier seasons.

The season's political jokes are praised for producing genuine laugh-out-loud moments rather than feeling tacked on.

The original pilot still resonates strongly enough that one critic cites it as the moment the series first won them over.

Late turns and reversals keep the season unpredictable for many viewers, with several critics highlighting surprises that land well.

The weekly Australian rollout is described as a drawn-out farewell, but the critic ultimately treats that slower pace as a fitting way to be weaned off the show.

The scripts are praised as brilliant, hilarious and especially effective at giving the characters room to develop without losing the show's comic voice.

At least one raunchy sexual joke is explicitly praised as funny, suggesting the adult material works for the critic rather than overwhelming the comedy.

AI works as a recognizable antagonist in the entertainment-industry story, though one critic finds another series more incisive on the same subject.

The wardrobe remains part of the show’s comic identity, with Deborah’s brooch-heavy styling and deliberately tight Jimmy outfits drawing enthusiastic notice.

The production remains polished, though one critic judges the series visually less refined than some peers.

The show’s accumulated world is strong enough that critics describe fans as having fallen in love with it, making the farewell-tour callbacks and returns feel meaningful.

Critical appeal is extremely high in the supplied coverage, including snapshots of a perfect Rotten Tomatoes season score. Roundups still record a minority of reservations about softness and sentimentality.

Reviewers comment positively overall on educational value, with the strongest reactions reflected in the scored reviews.

The finale’s musical needle drop is singled out as an ideal fit for the closing emotional beat.