Lisa Kudrow’s ‘The Comeback’ Is Back — And It’s Tackling a Big New Threat

HBO’s cult-favorite comedy The Comeback makes its triumphant—and definitive—return with Season 3, premiering March 22, 2026, at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and streaming on HBO Max.

Co-created by and starring Lisa Kudrow as the eternally ambitious Valerie Cherish, this eight-episode final chapter arrives at a pivotal moment for the industry, tackling the disruptive rise of artificial intelligence head-on.

Set more than a decade after Season 2, Valerie lands her latest comeback: starring in How’s That?!, billed as the first-ever sitcom scripted entirely by a large language model (LLM).

The season explores Hollywood’s anxieties about AI potentially reshaping—or decimating—jobs, creativity, and storytelling.

Kudrow, who co-created the series with Michael Patrick King, describes Cherish as a “canary in the coal mine,” using her signature malapropisms and out-of-touch charm to deliver sharp warnings about the future.

Kudrow is unequivocal about this being the end: “We need to say ‘third and final,’” she says. “It’s a trilogy, and this is the end.” She has no plans to revisit the role in another decade, calling it the most respectful closure for fans and the character.

Nostalgia runs deep in production. Much of How’s That?! was filmed on Stage 24 at Warner Bros.—the same soundstage where Friends was shot.

Kudrow shared a selfie from the lot with former co-stars Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox, prompting Aniston to jokingly reply, “What’s my call time?” Director James L. Burrows, a Friends veteran who directed many The Comeback episodes, returns for the final batch.

The cast boasts exciting new additions: Andrew Scott, Jane Fonda, Abbi Jacobson, John Early, and Kudrow’s real-life son Julian Stern making his acting debut as an AI tech expert.

Returning favorites include Dan Bucatinsky (also an executive producer), Laura Silverman, and Damian Young. The late Robert Michael Morris’s Mickey Deane is replaced by theater director Jack O’Brien in his on-camera debut.

HBO comedy head Amy Gravitt praises Cherish as one of TV’s rare characters capable of returning after years away with audiences eagerly waiting.

Kudrow remains open yet cautious about AI: “It’s going to be a really great assistant… but I worry about how many jobs it will take.” She highlights the potential for social unrest if technology displaces workers en masse.

The season culminates in an emotional finale shot on the iconic lot, blending Valerie’s arc with Kudrow’s personal history.

As Hollywood grapples with AI’s implications, The Comeback delivers biting satire, heartfelt moments, and a fitting send-off for one of television’s most unforgettable characters. Don’t miss the trilogy’s conclusion—Valerie Cherish’s final bow starts March 22!