Paul W Downs Rules Out Jimmy & Kayla Spinoff From 'Hacks'

'Hacks' will not be getting a spinoff focused on Jimmy and Kayla, according to co-creator Paul W Downs.

The 43-year-old, who serves as star, co-creator, writer, and executive producer on the HBO Max comedy, made the announcement while discussing the show's record-breaking Emmy nominations. The series wrapped its fifth and final season earlier this year, earning 25 comedy series nominations at the 2026 Emmy Awards—the most ever in a single season. Both Downs and his co-star Megan Stalter, who plays Kayla, received individual nods.

When asked about spinoff possibilities, Downs was unambiguous in his response. "The reason is that the story has been very important to us; we pitched its ending from the beginning," he told Variety. "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."

He 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 creative team's commitment to preserving the show's conclusion reflects their vision from the project's inception, with the finale landing exactly as originally envisioned.