Jean Smart Wants to Know How “Hacks” Plays Out Next Season After 'Wicked' Move from Hannah Einbinder's Character

'Hacks' season 3 concluded with a dramatic finale on May 30, and the series was quickly greenlit for a fourth season

This post contains spoilers from the Thursday, May 30 episode of Hacks.

Jean Smart is just as excited for season 4 of Hacks as every fan.

During a Hacks FYC panel in Los Angeles on May 30, Smart, 72, expressed anticipation for the comedy series’ return. The fourth season will see the Emmy-winning actress take her character, comedian Deborah Vance, onto late-night television after battling all season for the coveted gig.

The Designing Women star said the idea of Deborah’s talk show “tickles” her “to death.” However, she’s most intrigued by the new power dynamic between Deborah and Ava, played by Hannah Einbinder.

“I'm very curious to see how this is going to play out in that situation where [Deborah and Ava are] working together very closely every day with that wicked, wicked thing [Ava] did,” Smart said on the panel, which also featured costars Einbinder, Paul W. Downs, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Kaitlin Olson, J. Smith-Cameron and Christopher Lloyd, as well as creators Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky.

In the dramatic May 30 finale to the show’s third season, Deborah arranges the logistics of her late-night talk show. Out of fear any minor risk could jeopardize her job, she blindsides Ava by offering — then rescinding — the head writer position on her show. After an emotional confrontation that ends with both in tears, Ava decides to stay on Deborah’s writing team.

However, in the episode’s final minutes, Ava flips the script by weaponizing one of Deborah’s secrets, persuading her mentor to hand over the job. She threatens to leak that the comedienne slept with the head of the network in charge of her late-night spot, leading to a tense cliffhanger that sets up the next season’s conflict.

Related: Deidre Hall Dishes on Her 'Dreamy' Hacks Role and Why She Still 'Desperately' Wants a Scene with Jean Smart (Exclusive)

Of the unexpected power play, Smart said on the panel that Deborah is both “outraged” and impressed by Ava’s move.

“[In the finale] there was a look on [Ava’s] face,” the Frasier actress recalled. “Came up to [Hannah], I said, ‘You wouldn’t.’ And I took a step toward her, and there was this moment of terror before she pulled together and said, ‘I would.’”

Hacks stars Smart as legendary comedian Deborah Vance, who is forced to hire up-and-coming writer Ava Daniels to help reinvent her aging act. Per the season 3 logline, Deborah “is riding high off the success of her stand-up special while Ava pursues new opportunities back in Los Angeles.”

Season 3 of the hit comedy also capitalized off its acclaimed first two seasons, booking big-name guest stars like Smith-Cameron, Lloyd, Helen Hunt, Tony Goldwyn and Christina Hendricks. The Max series was renewed for a fourth season on the same day the season 3 finale premiered.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Hacks is streaming in full on Max.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.