The Comeback’s final season proves Lisa Kudrow’s best role isn’t Phoebe in Friends

by

Lisa Kudrow stars in one of the greatest sitcoms ever made, and I’m not talking about Friends.

Friends was a great show, and Lisa Kudrow was fantastic as Phoebe – her performance earned six Emmy nominations, which speaks for itself. And let’s be honest, ‘Smelly Cat’ is still a classic! However, Kudrow deserves to be remembered for another role she played, one that also received Emmy recognition.

After her success with Friends, Lisa Kudrow collaborated with Michael Patrick King, the creator of Sex and the City, to create a new comedy series. The show, called The Comeback, was based on a character Kudrow had developed during her improv days in Los Angeles. Kudrow played Valerie Cherish, a determined actress desperate to reignite her career, willing to do anything – make any sacrifice – to get back in the spotlight and, more importantly, feel appreciated.

The first season of the show didn’t initially get much attention, which often happens with innovative series. Even though Lisa Kudrow was already a well-known comedic actress, her character, Valerie Cherish, felt like an underdog both within the show’s storyline and in real life when the series was unexpectedly cancelled after only one season in 2005.

Even though critics didn’t love the show and it received low ratings, it unexpectedly found a second life nine years later thanks to positive recommendations and its release on DVD.

Want to see this content?

This page uses a security feature called Google reCAPTCHA. We need your permission to load it because reCAPTCHA might use cookies and similar technologies. If you want to see the content, please select ‘Accept and continue’ to enable reCAPTCHA.

The first season of the show dealt with Cherish’s difficult experiences with reality TV, showing her struggle to regain her public image. The second season took a creative turn: Cherish starred as a character based on herself in an HBO series that explored the issues she faced in season one.

The show The Comeback has always been self-aware, both in how it tells its story and the ideas it explores. It cleverly used a famously insecure actress to examine anxieties within Hollywood. Now, after twelve years, the third and final season takes on a new challenge: the growing impact of artificial intelligence, which could be the biggest threat the industry has ever faced.

Valerie is working hard to stay in the public eye with her social media presence and podcast, ‘Cherish the Time.’ Things get complicated when she’s offered the lead role in a new sitcom—one that was actually written by artificial intelligence.

The artificial intelligence in the show, initially helpful to Valerie, quickly becomes a source of frustratingly stale humor, churning out jokes that feel decades old. Luckily, the show itself doesn’t suffer from this – the comedy still lands, even with the AI involved.

You’ll be captivated from the very first episode, alternating between laughter and shocked disbelief – you might even lose your voice! It’s a natural reaction when you see Kudrow playfully protesting alongside others fighting to save their profession.

The second episode really raises the stakes, introducing a strong candidate for the show’s funniest moment yet—and that’s high praise, considering how popular Valerie’s “Well, I got it” GIF has become! As for the ending, I can honestly say I’ve never laughed so hard watching someone drive a car.

I love The Comeback just as much as Valerie Cherish loves her disastrous TV show, Mrs. Hatt – which almost no one saw because it aired on Epix. It’s remarkable how Lisa Kudrow and Michael Patrick King consistently create a show that’s both hilarious and still speaks to us, even after a decade between seasons, and it’s something worth analyzing.

The show’s strength lies in its clever writing. By focusing on artificial intelligence, it offers both humorous and satirical moments, and subtly highlights the idea that imperfections and emotional depth are what truly make art – whether it’s a traditional show or a show about a fictional show – resonate with audiences.

But there’s something extra special about the broken, beautiful soul at the centre of it all.

Valerie Cherish is a uniquely funny and eccentric character with a strong desire for attention. Though she’s often self-absorbed and unpredictable, Kudrow’s performance gives her a surprising vulnerability, making her more than just a one-dimensional, exaggerated personality.

We stick with Valerie through thick and thin, even when we’re not sure we should. This season, that’s especially true, as a recent heartbreaking loss affects both the story and everyone involved in making the show.

Robert Michael Morris, who played Valerie’s close friend and stylist Mickey Deane on the first two seasons of The Comeback, passed away in 2017. The show’s third season pays tribute to him, particularly in episode three, which features Valerie deciding where to scatter his ashes.

Valerie is constantly aware of being watched and carefully controls her public image. While she tries to appear strong, moments with Mickey reveal the hurt she’s hiding, and those brief glimpses of vulnerability are far more painful to witness than if she were to openly fall apart.

It was truly exceptional, particularly one small, heartbroken cry that expressed more emotion than many award-winning performances throughout an entire show season.

Kudrow brilliantly portrays the contrast between Valerie’s hidden vulnerability and the composed exterior she presents to the world, all day long. The show’s direction emphasizes this too, with the camera often holding on her face, allowing subtle shifts in her emotions to become powerfully visible and sometimes even unsettling.

What really struck me about this character’s arc is how her vulnerability actually built her strength. It’s like she’s finally starting to feel genuinely confident, mirroring the facade of self-assurance her character, Valerie, always projects. It’s a beautiful shift – what began as a desperate attempt to appear strong is blossoming into something that feels a lot like true self-respect, and it’s incredibly compelling to watch.

Despite facing ongoing disrespect due to her age in this industry, Valerie’s determination has allowed her to demonstrate her talent and rightfully earn respect.

Valerie stood up for herself after a disagreement with the costume designer for Benito Skinner, especially since it happened on her own show. He was dismissive and wouldn’t take her suggestions, so she firmly asserted her position.

Cherish clarifies that the issue isn’t an actor giving wardrobe advice, but rather an executive producer directing the costumer.

Valerie’s relentless drive and determination to succeed are finally starting to get her the recognition she deserves after years of hard work in the entertainment industry. As one character observes, she has an incredible knowledge of sitcoms, earned through years of dedication. She’s consistently put in the effort, outlasting many fleeting trends and talents.

And the same is true of Kudrow herself.

Similar to how Cherish became known for her role in the ’80s sitcom I’m It!, Lisa Kudrow could have easily maintained a successful career simply through Friends. The show was incredibly popular and made her very well-known, after all.

Kudrow truly shines in this often-overlooked show, which is actually better than many realize. In fact, her role on The Comeback feels like a natural progression from Phoebe Buffay – it’s that groundbreaking.

It feels especially perfect that Valerie’s new sitcom within the show is filmed on the same soundstage as Friends. This third and final season of The Comeback is a real triumph for Kudrow, potentially earning her a long-deserved Emmy and solidifying Valerie’s place as an all-time great comedic character.

Even if Kudrow doesn’t receive every award, and even if the show doesn’t become a huge hit with viewers, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for it.

You can watch The Comeback on Sky Comedy and NOW. New customers can find deals on Sky Stream.

Don’t miss The Comeback! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app today for daily TV suggestions, exclusive features, and more.

Authors

David OpieFreelance Writer

David Opie is a freelance journalist who covers TV and film for various online publications like TopMob, Indiewire, and Empire. He’s a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ representation, often speaking on panels about queer stories in media, and always looks for ways to promote LGBTQ+ storytelling. Beyond that, he loves comics, animation, and horror – and he’s dreaming of a ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’-themed musical challenge on RuPaul’s Drag Race! Before becoming a freelancer, he worked as a Deputy TV Editor at Digital Spy and holds a degree in Psychology.

Read More

2026-03-23 19:06