Hacks’ fifth season leans into visual comedy as Deborah Vance and Ava chase a spoof of the famous race reality format. The wardrobe team uses the chaos of a traveling competition to dial up the laughs, while keeping the characters’ core personalities centered in every beat.
Costume designer Kathleen Felix-Hager has steered this show since its earliest days, including the COVID era. In Season 5 she helps the duo move across locations and even dip into past eras, letting the clothes tell a story as much as the dialogue does. The outfits become part of the joke, not just background material.
Clown costumes that sell the gag
For the recent race‑style challenge, the team produced an array of clown looks that are as original as the performances they accompany. Felix-Hager notes that several outfits began as a fabric sketch, then evolved into fully realized costumes with printed fabrics to expand the range. The costumes were built by Hargate Costumes, translating a vivid idea into tangible form.
Deborah, played by Jean Smart, remains magnetically funny even when public performances are off limits to her. The show uses the clown getup to amplify her persona while keeping the character grounded in each scene, whether she’s in full makeup or merely navigating a chaotic set of instructions and missteps.
Another layer of this worldbuilding comes in flashbacks to Deborah’s show-within-the-show, Who’s Making Dinner?, where a 1970s aesthetic comes to life. The design team fleshes out a vibrant memory—jumpsuit, apron, and all—as a museum display beside a Paley Center exhibit. Extra period formalwear and careful blocking create a convincing snapshot of that era, down to the backstage moments and the Emmys vibe of 1975.
Meanwhile, Ava’s wardrobe keeps maturing. From Season 1’s playful tees and bomber jackets, her style has grown into sharper, more confident pieces—ties with shirts, leather jackets, and a polished silhouette. The evolution reflects the character’s growth and, as Hannah Einbinder notes, what she and the show’s creators want Ava to convey on screen.
Felix-Hager also points to the show’s real-world parallels: Ava’s evolving look aligns with the showrunners—Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky—who co-create Hacks with Paul W. Downs. As Ava gains more resources, her wardrobe mirrors that newfound confidence and professional polish.
Hacks’ Season 5 is currently streaming on HBO Max, with the clown‑themed sequences serving as a standout example of the series’ willingness to push visual comedy while preserving character truth.
Source: Original article
