‘Hacks’ Spinoff Will Never Happen, Paul W. Downs Says: ‘We Feel So Happy With How It Ended’

After the fifth and final season of “Hacks” broke the record for most-nominated comedy series at the Emmys, it’d be natural to hope for more of the beloved show in the future. But speaking with Variety this morning after nominations were announced, co-creator and star Paul W. Downs explained why a Jimmy and Kayla spinoff with Megan Stalter is “not going to happen.”

“The reason is that the story has been very important to us; we pitched its ending from the beginning,” Downs said. “Because we were able to end it in the way that we did, it feels like something we do not want to change in any way. We want it to exist the way it did.”

Downs continued, “We feel so happy with how it ended, and we are so happy with how people have reacted to the finale of the show. For that reason, it’s something that we want to leave [as is]. I’ve never definitively said that, but I’m definitively saying that. I’m not being coy, I’m telling you the truth. It’s not happening.”

The “Hacks” team, led by showrunners Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky, has previously discussed being open to more, telling Variety at the show’s series finale event in April: “We would never say never. We love these characters, we love this world, we love everybody in the ensemble. Right now we feel good about going out without overstaying our welcome — but you won’t have to twist my arm.”

The emotional series finale aired back in May, and the creative team has spoken openly about how when they pitched the show back in 2019, they knew exactly how it was going to end. Now with five seasons of “Hacks” complete, and many Emmy awards along the way, the team is ready to move on and are actively writing their next project for HBO.

Among the show’s record-breaking 24 nods this year, Stalter received her first nomination for playing Kayla, and Downs was recognized for playing Jimmy.