The Comeback (TV series)
Updated: 12/11/2025, 6:10:26 PM Wikipedia source
The Comeback is an American sitcom produced by HBO. The series stars Lisa Kudrow as sitcom actress Valerie Cherish in modern-day Los Angeles, and was created by Kudrow herself in collaboration with Michael Patrick King, a former executive producer of Sex and the City. Kudrow and King additionally serve as screenwriters and executive producers of the series, with King also having directed several episodes. The series originally aired for a single season of 13 episodes from June 5 to September 4, 2005, before being canceled. Nine years later, The Comeback was revived for a second season of eight episodes that aired from November 9 to December 28, 2014. The Comeback is a satirical and comedic look inside the entertainment television industry. It was shot by a two-camera crew. The first season is presented as found footage shot for the fictional reality show within the series, also called The Comeback. The second season is presented as found footage shot by a camera crew originally commissioned by Valerie to pitch a pilot to noted reality TV producer Andy Cohen, later repurposed as behind the scenes web content, and then into a full-scale documentary. In June 2025, the series was renewed for a third and final season to premiere in 2026.
Infobox
Tables
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 13 | June 5, 2005 (2005-06-05) | September 4, 2005 (2005-09-04) | |
| 2 | 8 | November 9, 2014 (2014-11-09) | December 28, 2014 (2014-12-28) | |
| Season | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| Season 1 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Lisa Kudrow | Nominated |
| Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series | Michael Patrick King for "Valerie Does Another Classic Leno" | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series | Meg LibermanCamille H. PattonElizabeth Barnes | Nominated | ||
| Artios Awards | Best Comedy Pilot Casting | Meg LibermanCamille H. Patton | Nominated | |
| Gracie Awards | Outstanding Female Lead – Comedy Series | Lisa Kudrow | Won | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Actress in a Series, Musical or Comedy | Lisa Kudrow | Nominated | |
| Season 2 | Dorian Awards | TV Comedy of the Year | Nominated | |
| TV Performance of the Year – Actress | Lisa Kudrow | Won | ||
| Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Actress in a Comedy Series | Lisa Kudrow | Nominated | |
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Lisa Kudrow | Nominated |
References
- Except for the last quarter of the season 2 finale's runtime, where the series breaks its mockumentary format as it tran
- Except for the last quarter of finale's runtime, where the series breaks its mockumentary format as it transitions to a
- Timehttps://entertainment.time.com/2013/05/13/discomfort-zone-10-great-cringe-comedies/slide/the-comeback/
- "HBO confirms November 9 Premieres for 'The Newsroom', 'The Comeback' & 'Getting On'"https://web.archive.org/web/20140910195930/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/09/09/hbo-confirms-november-9-premieres-for-the-newsroom-the-comeback-getting-on/301246/
- Deadlinehttps://deadline.com/2025/06/the-comeback-third-final-season-hbo-lisa-kudrow-1236444327/
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/jun/15/lisa-kudrow-on-the-comeback-satire
- Rotten Tomatoeshttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_comeback/s01
- Metacritichttps://www.metacritic.com/tv/the-comeback/season-1/
- Entertainment Weeklyhttps://ew.com/gallery/10-best-tv-shows-decade/
- "25 Best Cult TV Shows from the Past 25 Years." Entertainment Weekly. August 3, 2012, p. 39.
- "The EW Office Poll: Lisa Kudrow Dishes It Out," Entertainment Weekly 1026 (December 19, 2008): 12.
- The New York Timeshttps://tv.nytimes.com/2005/06/03/arts/television/03tvwk.html
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/may/10/your-next-box-set-comeback
- Rotten Tomatoeshttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the-comeback/s02/?popup=false
- Metacritichttps://www.metacritic.com/tv/the-comeback/season-2
- Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-lisa-kudrow-hbo-comeback-review-20141107-column.html
- The A.V. Clubhttps://www.avclub.com/review/hbos-reality-parody-comeback-returns-somehow-darke-211444
- "Lisa Kudrow's 'The Comeback' returns to HBO, offering more cringeworthy moments (review)"http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/index.ssf/2014/11/lisa_kudrows_the_comeback_retu.html
- TV Clubhttps://www.avclub.com/the-comeback-valerie-gets-what-she-really-wants-1798182305
- The New York Observerhttps://observer.com/2014/12/the-comeback-season-finale-recap-hollywood-ending/
- Forbeshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenkilloran/2014/12/29/the-comeback-season-2-valerie-cherish-wins-and-television-history-is-made/
- BuzzFeedhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/kateaurthur/the-comeback-finale-was-the-best-i-am-crying
- E! Onlinehttps://www.eonline.com/news/608966/lisa-kudrow-on-the-comeback-s-highly-emotional-finale-why-she-got-sick-and-whether-we-ll-get-season-three
- Playbillhttps://www.playbill.com/article/lisa-kudrow-and-cast-and-creators-of-the-comeback-join-stars-in-the-house-july-21/