How wickedly ironic--and delicious--that Lisa Kudrow's single season of The Comeback provided the talented actress with enough meat for her to be nominated for an Emmy--after the show was canceled by HBO. Kudrow went for the Anti-Phoebe role after the demise of Friends, demonstrating her spectacular acting chops and range of comic abilities. The show centered on Kudrow's playing an actress, once the ing??nue of the moment, trying ever more desperately to get back into the limelight. The vehicle of choice: a reality "series" that follows Kudrow's Valerie Cherish into scenarios with the deck more than stacked against her. Kudrow's acid delivery and willingness to show Valerie's raw pain, ambition, and obsequiousness make for engrossing and poignant, if squirm-inducing, viewing. Valerie's fond memory of being on Leno: when a fellow guest's monkey unexpectedly relieves himself on her head. "It was a real water-cooler moment," she says, desperately spinning. "And you know, this was Leno's first year. So it was a real important show for him too!" The boxed set includes all 13 episodes and some yummy extras, including a new "interview" with Valerie Cherish, an appearance by Valerie backstage at Dancing with the Stars, and backstage dish with series creators Kudrow and Michael Patrick King. The series, though short-lived demonstrates why Kudrow is one of our most talented actresses; here's hoping for a succession of more Comebacks. --A.T. Hurley

i only got this because of the reviews, and because of Lisa Kudrow.

soooooooooooo bouring................ what a waste of a huge talent!

i have cancelled viewing Part 2! and have fast forwarded most of Part 1, sorry Lisa, i luv ya, but u are worth so much more.

I bought The Comeback as soon as the DVD came out and after catching a couple of episodes on Living TV. This show is so good. All the cast are fantastic, especially Lisa Kudrow and the comedy is spot on. I really can't understand why this show didn't get a second series. It combines great comic acting with the crazy world of reality tv. Cherish Valerie as she tries to normalise some very embarrassing situations like having her part in a sitcom totally rewritten and told that instead of one of four sexy singles sharing an apartment, she has been recast as the Auntie who lives upstairs and wears a jogging suit from hell!!
This show is quite knowing and although Valerie is a self-conscious embarrassment, you can't help having a soft spot for her, in her desperation.
Some nice extras too, with Valerie caught backstage at Dancing with the Stars and there are also some live commentaries with Lisa and some of the show's creators. Buy it, you won't regret it!!!

True, this comedy is completely different to that of Friends, but Lisa Kudrow shows real versatility as an actress by playing a character that is completely different to Phoebe, and she was rewarded with the first major award nomination (for an Emmy) of all Friends cast members since Friends ended. It's not hard to see why.

What makes this show funny isn't what is said, it's not the jokes, it's the way it's acted and the things that happen, and the expressions on people's faces. It reminded me of "The Office" in a way, but instead of mocking the sad character of office manager David Brent, it's has-been Valerie Cherish.

This is a very clever and entertaining show.

In "The Comeback" Lisa Kudrow plays Valerie Cherish, a Z-List ex-Sitcom star who is desperate to resuscitate her flagging career. She lands a role on a tacky new sitcom (although her 'lead' role quickly descends into a recurring cameo), but only under the proviso she also star in a low-rent Reality series documenting her return to the spotlight. "The Comeback" is comprised of scenes presented as 'raw' footage from the fictional reality show that the programme is based around. Much of the show's humour comes from the idea that we are watching un-edited, raw footage of an over-the-hill actress and her constant attempts to regain dignity, which always fail.

First to be applauded for this marvellous series is Kudrow who puts in the flawless performance only ever hinted at on the sterile apartment sets of "Friends". The comparisons between Kudrow and the character she plays in this series are obvious, and add greatly to the overall appeal of the programme. Kudrow's decision to knowingly mock herself is both self-assured and inspired. In "The Comeback", Kudrow is at her best; subtle, with impeccable timing and always completely hilarious. The way in which she constructs her characters gradual unravelling as she's faced with a variety of embarrassing situations is fascinating and presents a masterclass in how comedy acting should be done. Valerie Cherish will make you cringe, laugh and, here's what makes Kudrow's performance really superb, you'll also feel desperately sorry for her.

Along with Kudrow, the camera style of "The Comeback" is what makes it so funny and entertaining. There's something continually funny about seeing the reality show's Producer dip in and out of frame and ask Valerie pressing questions off camera; as she's stitching poor Valerie up like a kipper whilst making her a laughing stock. The constant parodies of current American Reality shows are great, especially because they expose the entire premise of Reality TV to be complete garbage. The world of network sitcom is also taunted throughout the series. Even the fake sitcom's name - 'Room and Bored' - is so awful that you can imagine seeing it pop up in next week's TV Guide.

If you're a Film or Television producer, you'll find endless humour at the sight of camera crew's bashing through doors and falling down stairs to keep up with the 'star'. There is definitely a perverse pleasure to be had, for those in the business, to see a crew struggle with those irritating logistical problems that you've faced before and will no doubt face again on the next shoot. Laura Silverman, by the way, is excellent as the mild-mannered, but totally ruthless, Reality Show Producer who you'll want to work on your next production! She's completely believable.

"The Comeback" is an outstanding comedy series that ended well before it's time. For those in Film and Television, especially, it offers an entire new level of humour that has rarely been shown before. The writing is great, the performances stellar, and the idea actually very novel; although it might not seem so at first glance. Without a doubt, this is a must-see series that I can't recommend highly enough.

The Comeback is absolutely fantastic. The humour is very dry, and it doesn't have any of that awful background laughter. It is fresh, funny and it is a fantastic new character that Kudrow plays so very well.

It is completely different to any tv show out there, and Kudrow's character is unlike any she has played before.
Excellent!! I would recommend!