The Comeback Season 3 Review: Lisa Kudrow Returns in a Humorless Industry Satire
Lisa Kudrow has reprised her role as Valerie Cherish in the third season of The Comeback, but this long-awaited return fails to deliver the comedic punch that fans might have hoped for. After a hiatus of nearly a decade, the show attempts to tackle modern entertainment trends, including artificial intelligence and social media, but ends up feeling woefully unfunny and disconnected from its satirical roots.
A Legacy of Satire and Character Evolution
Originally debuting in 2005, The Comeback introduced audiences to Valerie Cherish, a self-absorbed television star clinging to past glories. Co-created by Kudrow and Michael Patrick King, the show quickly established itself as a sharp industry satire, spoofing both studio sitcoms and reality TV. Over the years, Cherish has evolved from a narcissistic has-been into a more reformed character, but this transformation has come at the cost of the show's biting humor.
In this new season, Valerie is enjoying semi-retirement in her luxurious condo, dabbling in podcasting and navigating the world of social media. Her brief stint on The Traitors turned her into a viral meme, adding a layer of modern relevance to her story. However, when she is offered the lead role in a new sitcom called How's That?, the opportunity reveals a darker side of the entertainment industry.
AI and the Erosion of Human Creativity
The central plot of season three revolves around the use of artificial intelligence in scriptwriting. How's That? is secretly penned by a large language model, a premise that directly addresses the concerns raised during the 2023 US writers' strikes. While the AI occasionally falters—such as randomly relocating the sitcom's setting to a prison—it generally produces competent, albeit generic, comedy.
Rather than critiquing the laziness of AI-generated content, The Comeback takes an unexpected turn by framing it as a threat to human employment. The show argues that AI's real crime is not producing derivative jokes but preventing humans from doing so, highlighting apocalyptic levels of unemployment in Los Angeles. This shift in focus results in a love letter to traditional, multi-camera sitcoms, but one that feels overly sentimental and lacking in comedic edge.
Structural Flaws and Diminishing Returns
The show's signature mockumentary style, which once provided naturalistic character study and conceptual clarity, now feels forced and unjustified. The premise of a reality show following a middle-aged sitcom actor seems outdated in today's media landscape, and the narrative frequently switches in and out of this mode without clear purpose.
Moreover, Valerie Cherish's character has lost much of her original sharpness. Once a divisive figure akin to Alan Partridge, she is now universally praised by everyone she meets. Her perpetual smile and verbal tics, such as excessive use of "you know" and "right," have replaced compelling dialogue, making her interactions feel trite and sentimental.
A Toothless Satire on Modern Entertainment
Ultimately, The Comeback season three struggles to balance its meditation on comedy with actual humor. The satire feels toothless, and the protagonist's lack of monstrosity undermines the show's earlier edge. While it aims to be a heartfelt tribute to an art form battered by modernity, it fails to inspire confidence in the future of television comedy.
This season aired on Sky Comedy in the UK and is available on Now and HBO Max in Australia, but it may leave viewers wondering if the show has lost its way. Without the laughs and sharp critique that defined its earlier seasons, The Comeback feels like a missed opportunity to meaningfully engage with the evolving entertainment industry.
