What to Watch Thursday: The ‘Hacks’ season finale and an Erin Brockovich special
Hacks (HBO Max) - The final two episodes of this extraordinary series are available to stream today. I can’t say enough about the brilliance of this show, which stars Jean Smart as a legendary stand-up comedian working a Las Vegas residency, and Hannah Einbinder as a 25-year-old comedy writer who has been “canceled” and run out of Los Angeles because of inappropriate tweets. Smart, as Deborah Vance, plays reluctant mentor to Einbinder’s even more reluctant mentee, Ava Daniels. If you haven’t watched yet, it’s time to binge. And yes, thank heavens, this show has been renewed.
The Real Rebel: The Erin Brockovich Story (8 p.m., ABC) - Just before the two-hour finale of “Rebel” (which has been canceled), “20/20” airs this special featuring Erin Brockovich’s return to Hinkley, Calif., 25 years after her monumental legal case that connected the town’s groundwater contamination to the energy company Pacific Gas & Electric. During tonight’s special, cameras follow Brockovich as she visits Hinkley for the first time in 10 years. She reveals how the town is still reeling from the groundwater contamination and reunites with residents she first met when working on the case, most of whom moved away to escape exposure to the tainted water supply. The special event dives into Brockovich’s little-known backstory as she opens up about the challenges she overcame while growing up in small-town Kansas, life as a single mom, being thrust into spotlight — first portrayed by Julia Roberts in the Oscar-winning film and now as the inspiration for the ABC series “Rebel” — and her life today as an environmental activist.
Rebel (9 p.m., ABC) - The dramatic series based on the life of Erin Brockovich ends tonight, after just one season. In the first hour, Rebel’s personal life becomes headline news and she begrudgingly distances herself from the Stonemore Medical trial. At 10, Rebel, Cruz, Lana and Ziggy round up an army of support to bring the Stonemore Medical case to a close.
Manifest (9 p.m., NBC) - In the two-hour Season 3 finale, Michaela struggles to help the passengers avoid a deadly threat, while Ben and Saanvi undertake a treacherous mission to save someone they love. Also, Jared and Vance team up, but their partnership reveals secrets that could upend their lives. This bubble show has not been canceled or renewed yet by NBC. We should learn its fate soon.
The Greatest Race (Peacock) - This new documentary recounts the historic swim relay featuring Team USA’s Michael Phelps, Cullen Jones (an NC State University Wolfpack Elite team swimmer), Garret Weber-Gale and Jason Lezak, at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Starstruck (HBO Max) - As “Hacks” ends (for now), the new original series “Starstruck” will begin. This series follows Jessie (Rose Matafeo), a millennial living in East London juggling two dead end jobs and navigating the awkward morning-after-the-night-before when she discovers the complications of accidentally sleeping with famous movie star Tom (Nikesh Patel). What she thought would become an amusing anecdote soon turns into something more, as the couple realize they can’t keep away from each other. The ensemble cast also includes Sindhu Vee, Emma Sidi and Minnie Driver.
Some programming descriptions are provided by networks.
