Watching Mabel connect with Charles and Oliver gives Only Murders in the Building a sense of warmth that would be missing if the show was only about Mabel or her older neighbours. Hacks takes a similar approach to intergenerational storytelling by having Hannah Einbinder's Ava reluctantly write jokes for Jean Smart's ageing comedian Deborah Vance. The two women often clash and misunderstand each other, but even though their relationship is far more contentious than the Only Murders trio, it's still a fascinating look at what happens when younger and older generations collide.