Lisa Kudrow has definitively stated that the upcoming third season of The Comeback will serve as the series' concluding chapter, bringing an end to the story of fading sitcom star Valerie Cherish. The actress, aged 62, confirmed this decision in a recent interview, emphasising her desire to provide closure for both the audience and the character.
Kudrow's Final Bow as Valerie Cherish
Kudrow, renowned for her role in Friends, will return to her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Cherish when the new season premieres later this week. This revival arrives more than a decade after the second season aired in 2014 and over twenty years since the show's initial debut in 2005. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the premiere, Kudrow declared season three as the "third and final" instalment.
"I don't know if I'll want to do it again in 10 years," she admitted candidly. "So let's be done, that way no one is asking what's next or whether we will even want to do more. The most respectful thing we can do for the audience and for the character is make it a three-part story. It's a trilogy, and this is the end."
Reflections on the Show's Turbulent History
When The Comeback first premiered in 2005, it faced low ratings and mixed critical reviews, leading to an early cancellation. Series co-creator Michael Patrick King recalled the disappointment, telling the outlet, "We were hit with such a wave of disbelief and confusion because what we had done connected with us in such a strong way. We were so thrown by the fact that it wasn't connecting with others. We didn't know how that could have happened. We should have been given a second season. I don't know why it didn't happen, but it was definitely a disconnect from how we felt about what we had produced, which we thought was hilarious and unique and well made."
Kudrow remembered receiving the cancellation news from King, stating she "didn't feel bad" at the time. "I felt really great about what we had done and knew that we couldn't have done better," the Romy and Michele's High School Reunion actor explained. "Someone is making a mistake, and I knew it wasn't ours. I just thought, 'Well, I'll do other things and maybe someday they'll change their mind.' Ten years later, they did."
Plot Details and Cast for the Final Season
The forthcoming season will follow Cherish as she takes on a new role in a television show entirely written by artificial intelligence, adding a contemporary twist to the narrative. Kudrow's portrayal has previously earned her two Outstanding Lead Actress Emmy nominations, highlighting the critical acclaim for her performance.
Returning cast members include Dan Bucatinsky, Laura Silverman, Damian Young, and Tim Bagley. They will be joined by a roster of series newcomers, such as Matt Cook, Jack O'Brien, Ella Stiller, John Early, Barry Shabaka Henley, Abbi Jacobson, Tony Macht, Brittany O'Grady, Zane Phillips, Kudrow's son Julian Stern, and Andrew Scott.
Release Schedule and Conclusion
Season three of The Comeback is set to premiere on March 22 on HBO Max. New episodes will be released on a weekly basis thereafter, with the series finale scheduled to drop on May 10. This structured rollout allows fans to savour the final episodes of Valerie Cherish's journey, marking the end of a beloved cult series that has persevered through initial setbacks to achieve a proper conclusion.
