Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder return for a second season of “Hacks” on HBO Max. Their characters, Deborah Vance and Ava, respectively, are refining their relationship. While Ava has issues with anger and alcohol, she respects Deborah. And Deborah has issues with Ava, yet deep down, she really likes her. So how does this season pan out for the two of them?

At the end of season one, Ava sent a vitriolic email to a TV show berating Deborah. Will Ava get the sack once Deborah finds out? Should Ava come clean and tell Deborah? As Jimmy (Paul W. Downs) tries to stop the email from being used as fodder for a script, he gets entangled with his boss and secretary. This won’t end well for him. … Or will it?

Deborah’s latest flop on stage has her returning to the road, to hone a new act. Being on the road has its own challenges. And then when she is booked on a gay cruise, well, things really hit the fan.

In the meantime, Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins) is devastated by his breakup and turns to the dark side. Deborah shows her compassionate side with both Marcus and Ava. Deep down, this hard-edged woman is really a softie — but she won’t let people know that. And when it comes to her daughter DJ (Kaitlin Olson) her soft spot can occasionally bubble to the surface.

There are plenty of interpersonal relationships playing out this season, and at the heart of them all? Deborah.

Smart admitted that the cast gets to improvise at times, a new experience for her. “It’s so different from doing, say, a film or a TV show where you don’t have an audience. Because if you’re doing a play or you’re a stand-up and you have an audience, they are part of your performance, and so it’s always going to be better or worse depending on the audience reaction.”

A long-time actor in television and film, Smart may be most recognizable for her time on the 1986-1991 series “Designing Women.” She will also have viewers flashing back to films from the early 2000s — like “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Garden State” — or tv shows across all genres.

Einbinder is a comedian by trade jumping into traditional acting for the first time. She is a natural in front of the camera, and the chemistry between her and Smart is electric. This is a show that brings viewers in from the beginning, and the second season expands on the characters as they all try to muddle through their lives, one day at a time.

“Hacks” returned to HBO Max on May 12.

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