Perhaps it's supposed to be the point, but this "inside baseball" representation of the entertainment world is not at all entertaining. Beyond Kudrow's hyper-affected, grating voice, there's just nothing funny going on in the show at all. This is nothing more than an opportunity for people to guest-star on a show that's all about them. For any show (movie, etc.) to be effective and entertaining, it needs to connect with its audience. That's done either through a connection to something that the audience has either experienced personally or fantasized about experiencing. Since I'm not a member of the self-absorbed, ego-maniacal entertainment industry, it just doesn't register and fails to live up to the category of either documentary, mockumentary or entertainment of any kind. For all that HBO has done so well, this one brings down its average significantly.

The only thing wrong with The Comeback is that it came out a few years ahead of its time.Lisa Kudrow is pure genius. She finds a way to turn the contemptible into the endearing and feel for a character despite how deeply she's flawed.The show came out in 2005 just before the reality television industry truly spun out of control and those in the industry were probably less than amused by HBO's dead on parody of their pathetic, narcissistic excuses for entertainment.The Comeback is so good that it hurts.GOD I wish this show had gotten more than one season! If HBO had had the balls to stay behind it, it would go down in history with Larry Sanders as one of the greatest shows ever made about the entertainment industry.

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.

Surprisingly I liked this series. The first time I heard about this was through Entertertainment Tonight, and thought it was some new lame sitcom with Lisa Kudrow. When I saw it I thought it was great and was a new kind of television show that was much needed. It was a fake reality show, which is the best kind because you can manipulate what your character is going to do. I was really impressed with Kudrow, this is about as far from Pheobe as you can get and it works. Lisa Kudrow was always the more talented of the friends and here it really shows. She portrays this sad, depressing character so wrapped up in the LA lifestyle and popularity contest that Hollywood is, and satirises this so perfectly. A show like this is so welcome right now, what with Newlywed and Ashlee Simpson show - to name a few making stars of bimbos and egotistical nobodies, this takes this on and adds an embarrassing cringe worthy twist on it all. When i was watching it, it was hard to believe that this is mostly scripted and that what we are seeing is a bunch of actors, the show really feels like it is a reality show, and you do feel for the actors especially Valerie (kudrow). I would definitely recommend this if you are sick of Jessica/Ashlee Simpson, Hogan knows best and all those other reality, publicity stunt shows. A work of genius.