AceShowbiz - Nearly 12 years have passed since audiences last saw Lisa Kudrow portray the indomitable and often painfully hilarious Valerie Cherish in HBO’s dark satire The Comeback. Now, with the third and final season poised to premiere on March 22, Kudrow and series co-creator Michael Patrick King reveal that Valerie was never truly gone — she was just waiting for the right moment to reemerge.

During a screening event at SXSW, King explained how he and Kudrow maintained regular meetings over the years, discussing what Valerie might be doing in the evolving entertainment landscape. These conversations fueled the creative spark behind the latest installment, which the creators now refer to as a trilogy.

The first season introduced Valerie as a struggling actress attempting to revive her career by securing a role on a low-quality sitcom called Room & Board, all while being documented for a reality show. Season two followed Valerie’s journey as she played a semi-fictionalized version of herself on an edgy HBO dramedy about a sitcom writer’s fraught relationship with a star reminiscent of Valerie—resulting in her improbable Emmy win.

King recounted how their brainstorming sessions included whimsical ideas such as Valerie attending yoga retreats or starring on Broadway, the latter of which materializes in the new season. However, none of these concepts felt substantial enough to warrant a full comeback until one day Kudrow mentioned how amusing it would have been if Valerie had lived through the SAG and writers’ strikes. This idea evolved into setting the new season’s beginning during the strike period, then leaping forward three years to a future where Hollywood grapples with AI’s impact.

The defining narrative hook that convinced Kudrow to return is Valerie starring in the first sitcom written by artificial intelligence. King noted, "It felt like the same energy as Valerie and reality TV 20 years ago, even though it’s a bit more scary." This concept became the driving force behind the revival. He praised Kudrow’s discerning taste, stating that Valerie requires a significant and compelling premise to justify her return—and this certainly fit the bill.

The Comeback has consistently proven to be a prescient reflection of Hollywood’s shifting realities. Its debut season explored the desperation of fading celebrities turning to reality TV, a concept that was underappreciated at the time but resonates deeply today. Kudrow remarked on this evolution, observing how everyone now curates their personal reality on global digital platforms, underscoring the series’ enduring relevance.

When they presented the new season to Casey Bloys, HBO and Max’s head of content, they received an enthusiastic green light paired with urgency. Bloys emphasized the need to film promptly, as the industry’s adoption of AI was accelerating rapidly and the show needed to air before studios openly admitted to using AI technology. King described this as both exciting and frightening.

Kudrow clarified that the show’s focus remains primarily on television writers facing replacement by AI, a topic she believes will take some time before being fully embraced or acknowledged openly by the industry.

The season opens with Valerie securing a role as Roxie in a production of Chicago, which quickly succumbs to disaster, never making it past the first rehearsal. Audience members at SXSW erupted in laughter at the sight of the hilariously terrible wig Valerie wears on the promotional poster and during the rehearsal scenes, highlighting the show’s trademark blend of cringe and comedy.

Additional humor arises from Valerie’s attempts to remain apolitical, despite being drawn into activism by a cameo appearance from then-SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher. Valerie also encounters Jane Fonda at an upscale dinner, where she tries to capture the interaction for her social media, leading to more comedic moments.

The cast features returning favorites such as Damian Young as Valerie’s husband Mark, who is now a reality star on Finance Dudes, and Dan Bucatinsky as her manager Billy, perpetually scheming to benefit from Valerie’s career. The late Robert Michael Morris, who portrayed Valerie’s beloved hairdresser Mickey, passed away in 2017; his character’s role has been succeeded by Tommy, played by renowned Broadway director Jack O’Brien. Tommy, now 85, fills in as the hairdresser on I’m It! and lives at the filming location of a nursing home-based indie movie.

New additions to the cast include Andrew Scott as the network president who insists on Zoom meetings despite being in the same building, and Abbi Jacobson and John Early as the writing staff facing obsolescence due to AI. Ella Stiller, daughter of Ben Stiller, perfectly embodies Patience, Valerie’s 23-year-old social media manager, adding fresh energy to the ensemble.

King shared that when asked about the show’s stance on AI, they initially panicked but ultimately embraced a journalistic approach: to simply portray the current realities as they unfold. This includes the increasingly precarious nature of work in Hollywood, exemplified by Valerie’s documentary filmmaker Jane, played by Laura Silverman. Jane quit during Valerie’s Broadway debacle and now juggles filming with a day job at Trader Joe’s.

Silverman expressed that she always believed a third season was possible, but only if King and Kudrow developed a story they were passionate about. When she received the call to return, she kept it under wraps, not even informing her manager to avoid jinxing the opportunity. Speaking at SXSW, she described her joy at reuniting with the cast and savoring one last chance to be part of the world of The Comeback, calling it the best experience of her life.

With its mix of biting satire, heartfelt character work, and timely commentary on the entertainment industry’s evolving challenges—especially the rise of AI—The Comeback’s final season promises to deliver the same sharp wit and emotional depth fans have come to cherish, reaffirming Valerie Cherish’s place in television history.