I Forgot Lisa Kudrow Was on Friends

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In the third episode of the new season of The Comeback, Valerie Cherish arrives on the Warner Bros. lot to film her new sitcom. She pauses to look at a plaque listing famous movies and TV shows filmed there, confidently declaring, “Look at all these legendary movies, and now How’s That?! can be the big TV hit for Stage 24.” The documentary camera then focuses on the TV shows listed on the plaque, including Mike & Molly, Full House, Fuller House, and prominently, Friends. It’s a funny visual moment that highlights Valerie’s inflated sense of importance, perfectly suited to the show’s mockumentary style. But the joke’s full cleverness didn’t hit me until later – Lisa Kudrow, who played Phoebe on Friends, also stars in The Comeback.

I can’t believe I forgot that! I’m starting to wonder if I need a check-up. Maybe I should swap sudoku for the crossword in People magazine to keep my mind sharp. This memory slip really surprised me, especially considering how many people – including me – have seen the show in question. When I first noticed a clever reference to Kudrow’s other famous role, I was so immersed in The Comeback that I didn’t even register it. The same thing happened earlier in another episode. Valerie was listing the director Jimmy Burrows’s credits, almost revealing the show’s name, but Mary interrupted her right as she started to say, “Frie—”

The show’s nods to Friends work so well because they’re subtle. They don’t disrupt the story or feel forced, and they don’t require you to ponder complicated questions about the show’s universe. (Like, if Friends exists within The Comeback‘s world, does that mean Lisa Kudrow exists there too? Would her Friends character, Phoebe Buffay, and Valerie Cherish ever cross paths?) Instead, these references are quick, playful moments that don’t depend solely on recognizing the original show. That’s why I initially missed the connection, but it actually speaks to Lisa Kudrow’s incredible talent. She’s able to fully embody Valerie Cherish, even while playing an actress from a famous ’90s sitcom. Against all odds, she makes you briefly forget about Phoebe Buffay, a character so iconic that any other actor would be overshadowed by it.

Actors often find it hard to move past roles they’re famous for – Sarah Jessica Parker is forever Carrie Bradshaw, and Jason Alexander will always be George Costanza. But Lisa Kudrow has created a character, Valerie Cherish, who successfully avoids being overshadowed by her iconic role as Phoebe. Valerie isn’t more popular than Phoebe, she’s simply very different. Viewers won’t see Phoebe in anything Valerie does or says. Unlike Phoebe, who is carefree, Valerie is full of insecurities. Plus, the different styles of the shows – Friends was a traditional sitcom, while The Comeback used a documentary format – required Kudrow to perform in completely different ways.

While Valerie Cherish’s appearance helps differentiate her from other characters – as Lisa Kudrow, who once played a character needing to change her hair color for a role, understands – it’s really Kudrow’s acting that makes the character so compelling. Valerie is one of the most fully realized characters on television because Kudrow makes every little detail – a glance, a vocal inflection – reveal something about Valerie’s personality and feelings. This makes her feel incredibly real and relatable, as if she’s living in a world we recognize. When we watch The Comeback, we don’t see Lisa Kudrow playing a role; we see Valerie Cherish, a woman with her own history. It’s unforgettable that Valerie Cherish was actually Mrs. Hatt!

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2026-04-06 15:54