Picture this: Last month, I was sitting in a hotel hallway, waiting for my turn to conduct interviews with The Handmaid’s Tale spin-off, The Wills. In a nearby room, Lucy Halliday (Daisy), Chase Infiniti (Agnes), and Ann Dowd (Aunt Lydia) wait.
I’m scrolling through Instagram on my phone when I notice the post below suggested to me, posted just six minutes before I sat down.
Are my eyes deceiving me, or is Ann Dowd dressed like a blue space creature, hinting that she makes an appearance in Tips?
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I was right, like Tips episode 2 of season 5 just proved it in a hilarious way. Even before I get into the story, I’m not sure I can continue watching The Wills on Hulu and I think Aunt Lydia supports Gilead’s regime the same way.
Ann Dowd’s alien cameo in Hacks Season 5 Episode 2 is the unexpected light relief I needed this week
Hacks Season 5 | Official trailer | HBO Max – YouTube 
Look on it
As we learned in the Season 5 premiere, Deborah (Jean Smart) believes the best way to secure her comedic legacy is to headline a sold-out party at Madison Square Gardens…although the arena’s PR rep (Alanna Ubach) immediately turns that down in Episode 2.
Desperate, Deborah enlists the help of her fans – affectionately nicknamed Little Debbies – at a Vegas fan convention to help her lobby for her MSG location. However, they are all sick to the back teeth.
As Deborah signs autographs, fans complain that she is “too Hollywood,” out of touch with what fans expect of her. The constant criticism becomes too much to bear, with Deborah going out for some fresh air… only to find a blue Ann Dowd taking a smoke break.
We don’t learn much about Dowd’s character (or even whether she’s playing herself), but she does have some short but wise words of wisdom. “They show up for us, we support them. That’s the fucking problem, Mom,” she tells Deborah.
Dowd explains that being honest with her fans about what she needs will help them feel wanted and needed. “The truth will set you free, doll,” she continues.
At this point I silently wet myself. Can you imagine Aunt Lydia talking to the girls of Gilead like she was a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race? Ah, the beauty of acting.
More importantly, Dowd’s plan is working. Deborah rushes inside to tell her fans about the MSG problem, and they mobilize with frightening outrage. At the end of the episode – which is far from doxxing Ubach’s character – Deborah’s dream is confirmed.
Onward and upward, baby.
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