Kaitlin Olson Reflects on Heartfelt Exit from HBO’s ‘Hacks’ After Iconic Final Season

As Hacks prepares to conclude its five-season run this spring, HBO Max’s critically acclaimed comedy delivered a poignant send-off for Kaitlin Olson’s character, DJ—Deborah Vance’s headstrong yet endearing daughter.

Olson described the farewell as “bittersweet,” emphasizing the show’s rare blend of humor and emotional depth. “It’s hard to find a show that has such a beautiful, seamless blend of comedy and true emotion and connection, relationships,” she told TheWrap. “This is a really special show, and it’s also just a really incredible cast and crew.”

Olson praised the creator trio—Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky—for ending the series on their own terms. “I’m so proud of them for being able to end their series in their own way—not very many people get to do that,” she said. “While it’s sad, I think it’s the right move.”

DJ’s Emotional Goodbye and ‘The Amazing Race’ Crossover

In Season 5, Episode 5, DJ receives her own heartfelt farewell, culminating in a long-anticipated crossover with CBS’s The Amazing Race. The episode, years in the making, sees DJ convince Deborah (played by Jean Smart) to compete in a fictional celebrity season of the reality competition.

Deborah agrees, hoping it’ll promote her upcoming Madison Square Garden show. The mother-daughter duo faces off against Property Brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott, Jordan Firstman (star of I Love LA), social media personality Trisha Paytas, and Phil Keoghan, host of The Amazing Race.

Olson, a fan of the show herself, embraced the physical comedy and chaotic energy of the crossover. “I love doing anything physical—I love screaming and yelling at people,” she said. “The idea of having DJ do this with Deborah … I mean, it’s just a perfect combination of thrusting two people together who neither one of them are very good at it. What a gift.”

Filming immersed Olson and Smart in the world of The Amazing Race, with crews from the CBS series guiding them. “Everyone wanted to make that very authentic, so there were certain things that we were and were not allowed to do,” Olson explained. “We were also out in the middle of nowhere. It was like 95 degrees.”