"The Comeback" (2005) TV series 2005-

Creators:

Lisa Kudrow
Michael Patrick King
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

5 June 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Valerie Cherish was TV's IT Girl. Now IT's a different story.

Plot:

Valerie Cherish, a one-time sitcom star, tries to resuscitate her career with a camera crew documenting her progress.

Plot Keywords:

Camera | Hollywood | Sitcom | Actress | Television Show

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Lisa Kudrow	...	Valerie Cherish (13 episodes, 2005)
Malin Akerman	...	Juna Millken (13 episodes, 2005)
Robert Bagnell	...	Tom Peterman (13 episodes, 2005)
Lance Barber	...	Paulie G. (13 episodes, 2005)
Robert Michael Morris	...	Mickey Deane (13 episodes, 2005)
Laura Silverman	...	Jane (13 episodes, 2005)
Damian Young	...	Mark Berman (13 episodes, 2005)
Kellan Lutz	...	Chris MacNess (13 episodes, 2005)
Jason Olive	...	Jesse Wood (13 episodes, 2005)
Kimberly Kevon Williams	...	Shayne Thomas (13 episodes, 2005)
Vanessa Marano	...	Franchesca (12 episodes, 2005)
JT Alexander	...	Actor (12 episodes, 2005)
Bayne Gibby	...	Gigi (8 episodes, 2005)
Bill Escudier	...	Milo (7 episodes, 2005)
Tom Virtue	...	Eddie (7 episodes, 2005)
Nathan Lee Graham	...	Peter (6 episodes, 2005)

Series Directed by
Michael Patrick King		(4 episodes, 2005)
Michael Lehmann		(4 episodes, 2005)
Greg Mottola		(2 episodes, 2005)
David Steinberg		(2 episodes, 2005)

Series Writing credits
Michael Patrick King		(13 episodes, 2005)
Lisa Kudrow		(13 episodes, 2005)
John Riggi		(2 episodes, 2005)
Michael Schur		(2 episodes, 2005)
Linda Wallem		(2 episodes, 2005)

Series Produced by
Dan Bucatinsky	....	executive producer (13 episodes, 2005)
Eric M. Cyphers	....	associate producer (13 episodes, 2005)
Michael Patrick King	....	executive producer (13 episodes, 2005)
Lisa Kudrow	....	executive producer (13 episodes, 2005)
John P. Melfi	....	executive producer (13 episodes, 2005)
Mickie Reuster	....	associate producer (13 episodes, 2005)
Denis Biggs	....	producer (12 episodes, 2005)
Amy Harris	....	producer (12 episodes, 2005)
John Riggi	....	co-executive producer (12 episodes, 2005)
Michael Schur	....	co-producer (12 episodes, 2005)
Linda Wallem	....	co-executive producer (12 episodes, 2005)

Series Cinematography by
Nancy Schreiber		(12 episodes, 2005)

Series Film Editing by
David Rogers		(8 episodes, 2005)
Darryl Bates		(5 episodes, 2005)

Series Casting by
Elizabeth Barnes		(13 episodes, 2005)
Meg Liberman		(13 episodes, 2005)
Camille H. Patton		(13 episodes, 2005)

Series Production Design by
Kitty Doris-Bates		(13 episodes, 2005)

Series Set Decoration by
Michele Poulik		(13 episodes, 2005)

Series Costume Design by
Tom Broecker		(13 episodes, 2005)

Series Makeup Department
René Dashiell Kerby	....	assistant makeup artist (13 episodes, 2005)
Robin Siegel	....	makeup artist: Ms. Kudrow (13 episodes, 2005)
Kristina Vogel	....	key makeup artist (13 episodes, 2005)
Leigh Ann Cho-Pitchon	....	assistant hair stylist (12 episodes, 2005)
Cyndra Dunn	....	key hair stylist (12 episodes, 2005)
Candy L. Walken	....	hair stylist: Ms. Kudrow (12 episodes, 2005)
Brad Scott	....	key hair stylist (4 episodes, 2005)
Jonathan Hanousek	....	hair stylist: Ms. Kudrow (2 episodes, 2005)
Marianna Elias	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Leslie Waldman	....	unit production manager (12 episodes, 2005)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Colleen Casey	....	second second assistant director (12 episodes, 2005)
Adam Ben Frank	....	second assistant director (12 episodes, 2005)
Michael A. Allowitz	....	first assistant director (7 episodes, 2005)
Eric Tignini	....	first assistant director (6 episodes, 2005)

Series Art Department
Pierre Gonzalez	....	swing set dresser (13 episodes, 2005)
Fernando Reinhard	....	swing set dresser (13 episodes, 2005)
Trevor A. Rudolph	....	set dresser / swing set dresser (13 episodes, 2005)
Jeff Snyder	....	on-set dresser (13 episodes, 2005)
Jeff Tirado	....	leadman (13 episodes, 2005)
Donovan H. Miller	....	assistant property master (12 episodes, 2005)
James Torvinen	....	property master (12 episodes, 2005)
Liz Goetz	....	art department production assistant (2 episodes, 2005)
Brock Helfer	....	set dresser (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
John Benson	....	supervising sound editor (13 episodes, 2005)
Tim Chilton	....	foley artist (13 episodes, 2005)
Mark Cookson	....	sound effects editor (13 episodes, 2005)
David Hancock	....	mix assistant (13 episodes, 2005)
Tamara Johnson	....	sound re-recording mixer (13 episodes, 2005)
Lawrence L. Commans	....	boom operator / sound: a2 (12 episodes, 2005)
Mark Fay	....	sound utility (12 episodes, 2005)
Mark Weingarten	....	sound mixer (12 episodes, 2005)
David Beadle	....	adr editor / dialogue editor (11 episodes, 2005)
Tim Terusa	....	adr editor / dialogue editor (2 episodes, 2005)
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Tom Kendall	....	visual effects producer (6 episodes, 2005)

Series Stunts
Robert Alonzo	....	stunt performer / utility stunts (unknown episodes)
Oliver Keller	....	stunt grip (unknown episodes)
Boni Yanagisawa	....	utility stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Thomas Bango	....	first assistant camera (13 episodes, 2005)
Steve Charnow	....	lamp operator (13 episodes, 2005)
David Irwin	....	rigging gaffer (13 episodes, 2005)
Iain O'Higgins	....	best boy electric (13 episodes, 2005)
John R. Priebe	....	gaffer (13 episodes, 2005)
Calvin Starnes	....	grip (13 episodes, 2005)
Marie Chao	....	second assistant camera (12 episodes, 2005)
C.E. Courtney	....	dimmer board operator (12 episodes, 2005)
John Koth	....	best boy grip / key grip (12 episodes, 2005)
Andrew Lemon	....	second assistant camera / video camera engineer (12 episodes, 2005)
Jamie Maxtone-Graham	....	camera operator: 'a' camera / camera operator / ... (12 episodes, 2005)
John McKain	....	grip (12 episodes, 2005)
Abby Antweil	....	lamp operator (11 episodes, 2005)
Joseph D. Beam	....	lamp operator (11 episodes, 2005)
Sean Patrick Crowell	....	key grip (10 episodes, 2005)
Paul Horn	....	camera operator: 'b' camera / camera operator: "b" camera (10 episodes, 2005)
Al Stewart	....	grip (10 episodes, 2005)
Rob Abbey	....	video assist operator (4 episodes, 2005)
Rick Robertson	....	camera operator / camera operator: "a" camera / ... (3 episodes, 2005)
Joe Romeo	....	dimmer board operator / lamp operator (3 episodes, 2005)
Jesse Jareswsky	....	lamp operator (2 episodes, 2005)
Troy Kohrs	....	grip (2 episodes, 2005)
Michael Eaton	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Ryan Huston	....	rigging electrician (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Angi Burk	....	casting assistant: Los Angeles (13 episodes, 2005)
Kevin Goldson	....	extras casting (12 episodes, 2005)
Elizabeth Barnes	....	casting associate (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lisa Wujick	....	key costumer (13 episodes, 2005)
Barbara Gordon	....	costumer (12 episodes, 2005)
Maurice Palinski	....	costumer (12 episodes, 2005)
Phyllis Corcoran-Woods	....	costume supervisor (10 episodes, 2005)
Ric Spencer	....	costumer (9 episodes, 2005)
Ivette Silberman	....	costumer (3 episodes, 2005)
Barcie Waite	....	costume supervisor (3 episodes, 2005)

Series Editorial Department
Pankaj Bajpai	....	colorist (13 episodes, 2005)
Grace Naughton	....	post-production coordinator (13 episodes, 2005)
Meghan Robertson	....	post-production assistant (13 episodes, 2005)
Michael Zurer	....	first assistant editor (13 episodes, 2005)
Dean Donofrio	....	assistant editor (12 episodes, 2005)
Jonathan Slater	....	on-line editor (12 episodes, 2005)
Richard Glazerman	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Deva Anderson	....	music consultant (13 episodes, 2005)
Delphine Robertson	....	music consultant (13 episodes, 2005)

Series Transportation Department
Tom Lyons	....	transportation captain (12 episodes, 2005)
Joel Renfro	....	transportation coordinator (12 episodes, 2005)
Michael Bangs	....	driver (4 episodes, 2005)
Lee Sanders	....	driver (4 episodes, 2005)
James Westdorpe	....	driver (4 episodes, 2005)
Jeff Van de Brooke	....	driver (3 episodes, 2005)
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
John Flavin	....	assistant: Mr. Melfi (13 episodes, 2005)
Timothy Meehan	....	writers: assistant / production assistant to writer (13 episodes, 2005)
Allison Belanger	....	assistant to Ms. Kudrow (12 episodes, 2005)
Julie Camino	....	production coordinator (12 episodes, 2005)
Helene Forman	....	production accountant (12 episodes, 2005)
Adam Howard	....	craft service (12 episodes, 2005)
Katie Lavery	....	production secretary (12 episodes, 2005)
Heather Morgan	....	story editor (12 episodes, 2005)
Mel Ray Sandvik	....	first assistant accountant / assistant production accountant (12 episodes, 2005)
Ivan E. Schwarz	....	location manager (12 episodes, 2005)
Maggi Solso	....	assistant location manager (12 episodes, 2005)
Gabriel Ynda	....	assistant location manager (12 episodes, 2005)
Jack Gutowitz	....	production assistant (10 episodes, 2005)
Diane H. Newman	....	script supervisor (9 episodes, 2005)
Jennifer Getzinger	....	script supervisor (5 episodes, 2005)
Anthony Steinhart	....	key set production assistant (4 episodes, 2005)
Jerri Whiteman	....	payroll (4 episodes, 2005)
Nivia D. Davis	....	production assistant (3 episodes, 2005)
Jeremy Guzowski	....	production assistant (3 episodes, 2005)
Henriette Mantel	....	consultant (3 episodes, 2005)
Mike Tsucalas	....	set production assistant (3 episodes, 2005)
Cheryl Andryco	....	set production assistant (2 episodes, 2005)
Stacy Brown	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 2005)
Dan Burks	....	set production assistant (2 episodes, 2005)
Lorenzo dela Rosa	....	additional set production assistant (unknown episodes)
Cristie Schoen	....	chef (unknown episodes)
John Trujillo	....	layout board (unknown episodes)
James William Visconti III	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Oorala Yamada	....	additional set production assistant (unknown episodes)
Christopher Zatta	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Home Box Office (HBO)
• Is or Isn't Entertainment
• Warner Bros. Television
• Working Class Films (I)

Distributors

• Home Box Office (HBO) (2005) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (2005) (Canada) (TV)
• LivingTV (2006) (UK) (TV)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• HBO Hungary (2012) (Hungary) (TV) (HBO Comedy)
• J:COM On Demand (????) (Japan) (video) (vod)

Special Effects

• LOOK! Effects (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Runway  post-production

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:12 (some episodes) | UK:15 (some episodes) | USA:TV-MA

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Trivia:

The roles of Mickey and Jane were written specifically for Robert Michael Morris and Laura Silverman.

Quotes:

Valerie Cherish:Well, this is it, this is my It-wall. Used to be bigger, but then I got married and you know, you have to share. So... Um, let me show you this. *This* here is my people's choice award, that I got for I'm It. And it means a lot to me because it's from the people. So... and right here is my Leno. There it is.
Jane:Talk more about that.
Valerie Cherish:What is there to say? There was a monkey on my head and he pooed! You know - it was a real water cooler moment, you know, the whole next day everyone was... you know. And you know, this was Leno's first year. So it was a real important show for him too! You know. It was quite an appearance. Classic!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Conan: Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Humor Truck (#1.44)" (2011)

Laughing all the way to the bank

Lisa Kudrow's HBO Special Series "The Comeback" is a rare hybrid that combines reality TV and satire directed to the television industry and the people behind the scenes.

Ms. Kudrow's persona of a dippy untalented actress pays off big time in her take of this larger than life personality she is portraying, Valerie Crash. She is hopeless, but what most people don't get it, the joke is on the viewer because this series wants to make it appear that way. In fact, Ms. Kudrow seems to know perfectly well what to give to her public, as shown in the different episodes we have seen.

"The Comeback" has some of the best writers working on television these days. The creators, Michael Patrick King and Michael Lehmann, direct with great style. They seem to know what goes on during the production of some of what we watch as comedy on television. The writing is pretty accurate and again, some great minds are behind this.

Ms. Kudrow seems to be having great fun with Valerie, a woman who has no clue about anything.