AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTYou have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.‘Hacks’ and the Case for Age-Gap FriendshipIn an era of weakened social connections, experts say, bonding with an older or younger friend offers unique benefits.Hannah Einbinder (left) and Jean Smart play unlikely friends on the HBO Max show “Hacks.”Credit...Courtesy of HBO MaxMay 29, 2026, 9:40 a.m. ETThis article includes spoilers for the final episode of “Hacks.”For five seasons, the HBO Max comedy “Hacks” has explored the ups and downs of May-December love.Except the relationship at its center has been a platonic one — the friendship between 70-something trailblazing comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and her 20-something writing partner Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder).Their connection — though turbulent and frequently dysfunctional — has also been a celebration of cross-generational friendship, exploring the many ways it can stretch and challenge those who become pals with people who aren’t their immediate peers.“I love that they can learn from each other,” said Jaimie Krems, director of the UCLA Center for Friendship Research. Their friendship is evidence “that people can change, people can grow and people can see other points of view,” she added.That kind of growth is what can make cross-generational connection so uniquely rewarding, according to Dr. Krems and others who study friendship — yet American society makes those ties difficult to find.The Benefits of a Friendship Age GapPerhaps the biggest reward of intergenerational friendship is how it challenges a person’s point of view, several friendship experts pointed out. Older friends often offer wisdom, Dr. Krems said.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENT