Merrill Markoe, the Emmy-winning head writer behind David Letterman's talk shows in the 1980s, has written a guest column for Deadline recounting how she came to consult on HBO Max's Hacks and later appeared as a fictionalised version of herself in the show's writers' room. She was recruited in April 2023 for a "blue sky room" ahead of Season 4, in which Jean Smart's character Deborah Vance finally lands her own late-night show, a storyline Markoe found strikingly close to her own real-life experiences.

Markoe details her background running three separate Letterman-era talk shows in the 1980s, including the short-lived Leave It to Dave pilot and the 18-week Late Night predecessor The David Letterman Show, before Late Night with David Letterman itself launched. She says this history made her an ideal creative resource for Hacks' writers, and she felt a strong personal connection to both Deborah and Hannah Einbinder's character Ava as they navigated a male-dominated industry. Hacks is currently up for a record-breaking 25 Emmy nominations in its fifth and final season.