HoldenSpark
You feel bored at first. You're kind of embarrassed for Lisa Kudrew at first. Don't we all feel on some level that she's somebody we already know and love and sort of our friend because we've all had that great experience watching her as an equal and vital part of "Friends"?At first you kind of just feel weird about "The Comeback". And there's all this kind of stuff that isn't exactly groundbreaking, and the first episode you see, regardless of which of the first 12 episodes you happen to watch as the initial episode that you watch will probably leave you thinking, why in the world would I (me, now, this guy who's writing all for you to read) tell you that any episode you pick up first will leave you feeling bored. Thats not a very good way to start a review, is it? And yet..., and yet...I missed the original airing of this series and happened across all 13 being offered "on demand" on HBO cable his past weekend (april 2007) and never having heard of it noticed it had Lisa K. and thought I'd watch it just cause of that. I watched episode six first. And was kinda bored. And just though, oh, uh, whatever. So, watched something else next that day. But, then it was a slow TV day and it was cold outside and I flipped around and nothing else was one so I came back to this and just jumped ahead to the last one, #13 thinking that, well, even if it was boring at least I'd know what a happened, as it did kinda make me wonder, as boring as it was....Then I watched the last episode (#13) as the second one in this series I watched. And I was drawn in a little more, cause there are some really awful feelings that come out during the episode which I felt really strangely and really deeply cause I didn't know what was going on. But I kinda sorta did. And I felt kind of embarrassed for them all. But I couldn't help noticing how deeply this stored bored into me in that episode, on a level that was unusual, especially given its (still, to me) tepid nature. Albeit episode #13 did give a decent payoff.So, I decided to watch another episode and thought I'd better just watch the episode before episode #13, in case they were all boring and this was the best it was going to get. So I watched #12. And was stunned to find myself being drawn in a little more. And so I kind of wanted to watch #11 by then as I decided I'd just count down backwards.And, as I did, I began to "get it". And I began to understand what they were doing, and how incredible Lisa Kudrow was actually being, in this remarkable achievement. And each time I dropped back an episode I became more and more increduleious at how they had and were and did and were still doing, turning all this boring stuff into something incredible. And as the episodes rolled backwards I actually changed over from being bored to being totally engrossed and I began to laugh out loud once I began to "get it". And I started to actually tear up a little, and I begin to understand that somehow, show how, from the seemingly dull and boring and slow and kind of mindless they were being more than just the obviously wickedness they were also being after you got past the idea it was boring, and I realized they were creating something much much more, they looked into this woman's soul and they had found not only her, the characters humanity, but all of the cast were actually being all they could be in these roles and building a platform upon which Lisa Kudrow stood and then she delivered something worthy of all the effort it took to hold her up there, she did them, the cast holding her up there, justice, and she did us, the audience, justice, and she did her own self justice, and she did the character justice, and she did justice even to her old cast mates in Friends, and she brought honor even upon her own family, for this is something they could be proud of from her in a way that is universal. For, in fact, she brought humanity to this woman, the real humanity of exactly how this woman would live in our world as it is today. Lisa portrayed, in this character, life as it really is. No matter who you are or what you do, most people, when it comes down to it, deep inside have the same fears and hopes and dreams and ways of getting along in the world but still wanting what ever it is you want.By the time I'd come to the end I was enormously sad that this was all there would ever be of this series and that I would never again be able to have the joy of seeing it all for the first time. And I'm so glad I watched it in the way I did, for it was the best way to see it.Though there will not be more episodes, its okay. For this series, these 13 episodes comprise a masterpiece. It is the Citizen Kane of the work of our generation of storytelling. I predict that over time it will rise in esteem as "Its a Wonderful Life" did. The Comeback is just as good and worthy.I hope you "get it". I sure did.
Anss
I think "The Comeback" is totally funny,Kudrow makes the show Fantastic With her Excellent performance!And She Deserves The Emmy! Valerie Is smartly invented,She is a lady that just wants to be everyones friend,And Doesn't Like to be embarrassed!!THE COMEBACK IS THE BEST SHOW EVER! Aplods for Kudrow and everyone that helped to get this wacky on TV! Kudrow is on her best alone,even though she was fantastic on friends too i just Hope someone would be smart enough to give this show a couple of more seasons,i think many people would be pleased!! I hope the best of luck to the comeback to the emmys,and i hope they will come home with two Golden statues!
hanksank
I've read all the comments here, so there's no need to go into the plot or what happens, I'll just voice my opinion on why the show didn't really connect with me, the general public.It seems like it really wanted to be 'The Office' or 'Extras'- two brilliant shows from the UK. But the overall problem is, this woman that Kudrow plays is quite privileged and rich- she lives in a mansion, has a marriage, has a JOB, and is a former sitcom star. It's just difficult to feel sorry for the 'haves'.Anyone who wakes up in her mansion and complains about a silly line on a worthless sitcom is simply not a woman most people can relate to. She doesn't have to be 'likable' at all, she can be despicable, but if I don't relate to her or any of her situations, why should I care?James Burrows makes a guest appearance as her director. He's the son of Abe Burrows, by the way, an American icon who wrote the musical 'Guys and Dolls' among others- and various other 'real life' sitcom people pop in and out, but still I couldn't muster up much interest past the first few shows.It's true, when she went to Palm Springs, the story finally took on some much needed depth- her friend who had cancer and the changes in the hotel were funny- but even then, when the friend who was meant to be 'free of caring what other people thought' took off her bikini top, she quickly covered it up with a magazine in one of the most awkward gestures on television. Was this a comment that she was NOT really free? I wish. It was just shot poorly, and was clearly a comment that they hired an actress who was ashamed of her own (quite beautiful) body.I wanted to love this show. I think Kudrow is a terrific actress. But ultimately I just didn't care.
