TVLine's Performer Of The Week: Lisa Kudrow

THE PERFORMER | Lisa Kudrow

THE SHOW | "The Comeback"

THE EPISODE | "Valerie Cherish" (May 10, 2026)

THE PERFORMANCE | After surviving the advent of reality TV in Season 1 and the rise of prestige TV in Season 2, sunny sitcom actress Valerie Cherish had a new foe to battle in Season 3 of HBO's showbiz satire: the steady encroachment of A.I. into Hollywood. Now she may not have defeated that foe in this week's series finale, but she found a happy ending on her own terms, with Lisa Kudrow masterfully walking the tightrope between comedy and tragedy to give Valerie a beautiful swan song.

In the finale, Valerie was torn between continuing her A.I.-written sitcom "How's That?!" and taking a stand for human writers and actors everywhere by walking away. Kudrow made sure to infuse Valerie's last days of shooting with plenty of goofy humor — they finally acknowledged "Mrs. Hatt"! — but she also carried the weight of Valerie's burden in her eyes, forced to contemplate the prospect of actually turning down a starring role. (The horror!) Kudrow also reminded us what a warm and generous heart Valerie has, as she took the time to console her fellow actors and even the A.I.-crazed studio head who threatened to destroy the industry she loves. But she showed real backbone, too, when the studio head dismissed her sitcom as mere content for people to fold their laundry to, something that only needs to be "good enough." Kudrow gathered her strength as Valerie informed the studio head that "'good enough' isn't good enough for me."

Though her A.I. sitcom continued without her, replacing her with an A.I. version, Valerie ended up landing a more fulfilling role on a show written by humans, and Kudrow managed to sum up three seasons of Valerie Cherish in one final interview with Jane, explaining how she was never really the butt of the joke. "I think you have to agree to be humiliated, and I never signed up," she chirped with Valerie's signature unsinkable optimism. And she's right: Though we laughed plenty at Valerie's expense over the years, we can't help but admire her determination. The finale gave us one last chance to bask in the presence of Kudrow's boldly ridiculous heroine and cemented the fact that Valerie Cherish is indeed a star that will keep on shining... no matter what. — Dave Nemetz

Scroll down to see who got an Honorable Mention shout-out this week...

Apple TV's hilariously weird horror comedy "Widow's Bay" has introduced us to a town full of certified oddballs, and this week, Kate O'Flynn took center stage as we learned more about what makes deadpan secretary Patricia tick. O'Flynn has been hysterical all season long with her clipped, neurotic line readings, but here, she added a layer of heartbreaking sadness to Patricia as we saw how desperate she is to break out of her awkward shell and make friends. A self-help book inspired her to throw a cocktail reception, and though it started slow, it turned into a wild bacchanalian rave when Patricia served punch, with O'Flynn letting loose with some inspired dance moves. It turned out to be an illusion, though — the self-help book was really an ancient tome full of black magic, and Patricia's demonic punch turned everyone into mindless zombies — and O'Flynn snapped into action as Patricia saved the townsfolk from certain death. In the end, Patricia teamed up with Mayor Tom and Wyck to battle the island's dark forces... and we came away with a fresh admiration for O'Flynn's remarkable work. — D.N.

Which performance(s) knocked your socks off this week? Tell us in the comments!