| No.overall | No. inseason | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 28 | 1 | "Big, Brave Girl" | Lucia Aniello | Lucia Aniello & Paul W. Downs & Jen Statsky | April 10, 2025 (2025-04-10) |
| Immediately following Ava's blackmail, Deborah retaliates and the tension between the two escalates, jeopardizing their professional partnership. At the show's first press conference, Deborah refuses to use Ava's material, resulting in poor responses to questions about ageism and sexism in the industry. Meanwhile, Marcus resigns due to conflicts between Deborah's QVC partnership and the new show. During a party at Bob Lipka's home, Ava confronts Deborah, threatening to leak Deborah's affair with Bob to The New Yorker if she doesn't admit Ava has "won." Jimmy intervenes, trying to manage their public dispute. To counter the negative reaction from the press conference, publicist Cece and exec Winnie arrange for a New York Times Magazine cover story. At the shoot, Deborah tells Ava she has won and broken her heart, and after the show ends, she will never speak to her again. Ava responds that Deborah broke Ava's heart first. |
| 29 | 2 | "Cover Girls" | Lucia Aniello | Samantha Riley | April 10, 2025 (2025-04-10) |
| Following nightmares and a small animal carcass on her doorstep, Deborah hires her psychic, Diana, as a producer on the show. Deborah and Ava clash over who to hire as writers: Ava favors young, up-and-coming comedians while Deborah insists on experienced writers. During an argument while out scouting for talent, Ava accuses Deborah of disagreeing with her out of ego, but Deborah explains that Ava's comedy is too niche for a late-night audience of "mechanics and housewives". Jimmy struggles to maintain civility between the two, while Kayla hires assistant Randi and sells her first show. Meanwhile, Marcus inks an impressive deal for the sale of Deborah Vance Industries. Deborah and Ava go to dinner at Winnie's, who confronts the two about their working relationship and its effect on the show. She impresses on the two of the immense pressure they're facing from the network. Deborah ultimately compromises on the writers, and she and Ava call a truce for the sake of the show. |
| 30 | 3 | "What Happens in Vegas" | Lucia Aniello | Ariel Karlin | April 17, 2025 (2025-04-17) |
| Deborah takes the writers to Vegas for a team building retreat. She and Ava quickly learn that their approaches are different: Deborah rushes into the work while Ava wants to take it slower so the writers can bond with each other. After some failed attempts to write the opening segment, Deborah concedes and lets the writers enjoy Vegas and bond, with race cars, a trip to the casino, and later a strip club after doing drugs provided by Deborah. Later that night, Deborah and Ava are pulled over by Vegas police for speeding. Deborah calls Mayor Jo, who saves them from being arrested if Deborah agrees to do a gig for a mayoral fundraising event. Back in L.A., Deborah and Ava receive multiple HR reports from the writers over the retreat, resulting in the network assigning HR chaperone Stacey to supervise the two. |
| 31 | 4 | "I Love L.A." | Paul W. Downs | Pat Regan | April 24, 2025 (2025-04-24) |
| At the dress rehearsal for the premiere, Deborah has a panic attack. Insulted by suggestions of stage fright, she cruelly blames Ava's writing. Winnie sends Deborah to the cardiologist, where she meets Carol Burnett, and the two have an inspiring conversation. During the opening monologue of the premiere, Deborah gets over her panic by focusing on Ava. Jimmy tries to make plans with Deborah and Ava after the show's premiere, but they both blow him off: Deborah wants to mingle with guests and network execs, while Ava wants to support the writers. However, guest Randy Newman and Winnie decline Deborah's dinner invites, as do the writers to Ava. Deborah hits the town with Damien, who takes her to a gay bar, where she hits her head on a go-go cage after "non-consensually" taking poppers. Meanwhile, during a tow truck mix-up, Ava meets married couple Emily and Dev who ask her out. Soon after, she gets a call and meets Deborah at the hospital, where the two watch the premiere live in the lobby. |
| 32 | 5 | "Clickable Face" | Paul W. Downs | Aisha Muharrar | May 1, 2025 (2025-05-01) |
| Despite initially good ratings, the show needs to boost its appeal to women 25–45, notably mothers. Deborah attempts to book Kristen Bell, who is already booked for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, but is stopped by Kimmel, who reveals the lengths he's taken to get good bookings. Kayla suggests bringing in TikTok star Dance Mom. Later, Deborah crashes a date Ava is on with Emily and Dev, where she learns Ava has been badmouthing the show. Deborah and Ava clash on the direction of the show: Ava wants to lean into a unique identity while Deborah is spooked by feedback from focus groups. When Ava adds a joke to the monologue that Deborah has expressly denied, the two clash in the studio, culminating in a last-minute, desperate choice to bring out Dance Mom to save the evening. |
| 33 | 6 | "Mrs. Table" | Paul W. Downs | Carolyn Lipka | May 8, 2025 (2025-05-08) |
| The show books Ava's ex-girlfriend Ruby Rojas as a guest. Deborah accuses Ava of not being up to the task of refining a segment before taping, so she scraps the bit and uses the extra time to grill Ruby on Ava's mishap with the ring, humiliating Ava. That night, Emily and Dev break up with Ava, accusing her of refusing to open up. In the writers' room, when Ava realizes the writers are taking advantage of her (which Deborah had warned her about), she snaps and angrily quits. That night, Deborah attends a network-sponsored awards ceremony where she bumps into Rosie O'Donnell, who invigorates her about her show. Afterward, one of Deborah's corgis is non-fatally attacked by a coyote, which she perceives as a bad omen. Deborah, Jimmy, and Kayla realize Ava is missing. Deborah tracks her to the beach, going so far as to run into the ocean to save a woman she initially mistakes for Ava. The two make up, and Deborah concedes they need to take the show in a fresh direction. |
| 34 | 7 | "D'Christening" | Doron Max Hagay | Joe Mande | May 15, 2025 (2025-05-15) |
| With the show slowly moving up the ratings, Dance Mom nabs a brand ambassadorship with Old Navy and the show gets higher-profile bookings. At AJ's christening, DJ asks Ava to be baby AJ's godmother, while Deborah mocks the Catholicism. An enraged DJ threatens to cut contact, causing Deborah to want to maintain good relationships with her family. Jimmy and Kayla struggle to keep Dance Mom under control as she spirals deeper into a partying lifestyle. When Old Navy threatens to revoke their deal, Dance Mom reveals she is not a mother. Despite the network's focus on booking high-profile guests, Deborah scouts an up-and-coming standup comic for the show. |
| 35 | 8 | "Witch of the Week" | Lucia Aniello | Andrew Law | May 15, 2025 (2025-05-15) |
| Jimmy secretly arranges to have lunch with both Deborah in Ava to get them to make up, but he is both shocked and hurt to learn they already have and didn't tell him. Ava's mom comes to visit and pressures Ava about having children. Deborah is under pressure from Winnie to come up with a spin-off the network can capitalize on. Mayor Jo is arrested for having an orgy on a Zamboni, and Deborah visits her to convince her to appear on the show and revitalize her image. One of Jimmy's biggest clients, Clive, is poached by Latitude. In order to promote teaser clips, the network agrees to tape each show a day early, forgoing topical comedy for more strategic guests with viral potential. The show hits in ratings, but Deborah is frustrated by Winnie's focus on a spin-off and calls Bob to complain. As a result, Bob fires Winnie. |
| 36 | 9 | "A Slippery Slope" | Lucia Aniello | Lucia Aniello & Paul W. Downs & Jen Statsky | May 22, 2025 (2025-05-22) |
| In exchange for Bob firing Winnie, Deborah agrees to have movie star Ethan Sommers on as a guest. This deeply upsets Ava, who protests due to his many allegations of domestic violence and sexual misconduct. Jimmy and Kayla discover Dance Mom in nearly critical condition, ultimately feeding her excessive amounts of cocaine so she can perform, causing Jimmy to hit a breaking point. Ava runs into her former boss Lewis at a bar, where she vents her frustrations about the Ethan Sommers booking. Soon after, Deborah and Ava learn that Lewis' show is doing a hit piece on the network, alleging they have been covering up Sommers' behavior to protect their interests. Ava admits to Deborah she leaked the story. When the two seek out Jimmy, Kayla harshly scolds them both for always taking advantage of him. Deborah visits Jimmy at home and apologizes. Bob reveals to Deborah he knows it was Ava who leaked the story and insists she is fired. At the evening's show taping, Deborah sends Ava off to do a location piece, but it is simply to get Ava as far away from the studio as she can. During her opening monologue, Deborah reveals that the network is participating in a "slippery slope" of behavior. Instead of agreeing to problematic capitalistic systems trying to navigate the intersection between art and commerce, she quits on the air. Ava finally makes it back to the studio, and the two tearfully leave together. In the parking lot, Bob stops them, threatening to sue Deborah if she defies her 18-month non-compete contract. |
| 37 | 10 | "Heaven" | Lucia Aniello | Lucia Aniello & Paul W. Downs & Jen Statsky | May 29, 2025 (2025-05-29) |
| Forced to accept the limitations of her non-compete contract and the sale of Deborah Vance Industries, Deborah struggles with the lack of fulfillment in her life. Marty convinces Deborah to go on a vacation, and she flies to Singapore with an unsuspecting Ava. At the local resort casino, Deborah reveals she can perform through a translator, exploiting a loophole in her non-compete. Deborah's shows go well enough that she begins a months-long residency, and though she initially spends time bonding with Ava, she quickly succumbs to the casino lifestyle: partying, drinking heavily, and neglecting her comedy writing. When Ava confronts her, an intoxicated Deborah insults Ava's meandering career and lack of friends. Ava decides to leave. The next morning, Ava discovers that tabloids have falsely reported that Deborah has died. Furious that her obituary states she is retired and that she killed the entire late night comedy genre, Deborah states that they are going to set their careers back on track. |
