If you thought TV waited long enough between seasons, meet The Comeback. Season 3 lands 11 and a half years after Season 2, which itself showed up more than nine years after Season 1. Yes, this show likes to make you wait.

Why bring Valerie Cherish back now, and why an AI story?

HBO’s Amy Gravitt says the creators brought the idea to the network, and the timing felt right. Valerie Cherish is one of those rare TV characters who can survive long gaps and still be interesting. The new season leans into a story about AI, including questions about AI replacing TV writers and echoes of the 2023 WGA strike.

Gravitt makes the practical case: there is a wave of AI coverage coming, and being among the first to satirize it with a character like Valerie is an opportunity HBO did not want to pass up.

What kind of season is this?

The new run is presented as a final season. Gravitt describes it as a tidy trilogy that gives the characters a sense of closure after more than 20 years. So do not expect an open-ended cliffhanger designed to be milked forever.

Why keep it on HBO and not HBO Max?

Gravitt emphasizes it is not a revival in the sense of a rebrand. It is the same show, with a long interval between runs. The decision to air it on HBO was about where the show fits creatively on the network.

HBO’s broader comedy strategy: balancing tones and formats

Gravitt says HBO is trying to balance its comedy slate. While HBO has been known for edgier, serialized comedy, the network is also investing in warmer, more episodic half hours that can live for repeat viewings. That is where a show like Chuck Lorre’s Stuart Fails to Save the Universe fits in.

Rooster, Steve Carell and the future

Rooster, from Bill Lawrence and starring Steve Carell, premiered strongly and also qualified for a California tax credit that could help a second season. Gravitt calls the Steve and Bill pairing undeniable and suggests the show fits HBO’s desire to offer comfort and familiar TV formats alongside edgier fare. On renewal, her response was short and direct: stay tuned.

Writer-performer series: fast greenlights

Two writer-performer driven series that launched recently were easy picks for renewal. Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin’s The Chair Company and Rachel Sennott’s I Love LA both got second seasons. Gravitt said both creators were able to make the exact shows they wanted, outlines for Season 2 are arriving, and writers are in the room.

Other projects in development or production

  • Sharon Horgan series: In production, with table reads underway in London. Horgan stars as a 50-year-old divorcee exploring sex and love. Gravitt has worked with Horgan for years and calls this a long-awaited collaboration.
  • Kansas City Star: The project from the Hacks creators and headlined by Kaley Cuoco remains on the horizon, pending script work. Gravitt said it is still happening when writers can focus on the script.
  • Kaley Cuoco: If the actor ends up attached to multiple HBO projects, Gravitt is optimistic schedules can be worked out. People now routinely juggle multiple series.

Big Bang spinoff: Stuart Fails to Save the Universe

The Chuck Lorre spinoff has wrapped production and the first cuts are in. Gravitt says it will arrive later this year. She describes it as fun, cinematic and exactly the kind of spinoff play that fits the more episodic, evergreen strand HBO Max wants to cultivate.

Nathan Fielder, Danny McBride and others

  • Nathan Fielder and The Rehearsal: Gravitt says Fielder is in a creative phase, working on an idea for Season 3. She described it as post-noodling, which means development is happening.
  • Danny McBride: He has a project in early stages that Gravitt is excited to discuss, but it is not yet fully formed.

Larry David: a sketch series tied to the country’s 250th

Larry David has a sketch comedy series tied to the United States semiquincentennial, titled Life, Larry & The Pursuit of Unhappiness, which includes a segment with President Barack Obama. Gravitt attended a launch event and says Larry is happier than ever and enthusiastic about working. The show feels specific to the 250th anniversary date, not necessarily something meant to become an ongoing anthology.

On the chance of more Curb Your Enthusiasm, Gravitt is blunt: she does not expect more seasons of Curb.

Late-night and the comedy brand

Gravitt views late-night shows such as It’s Florida Man and Neighbors as part of a broader comedy ecosystem. Under the programming team, late-night and scripted series sometimes share talent, and the goal is for the collection of shows to feel like a coherent HBO comedy identity.

Bottom line

The Comeback returns as a deliberate final chapter that uses Valerie Cherish to comment on AI and the entertainment business. At the same time, HBO is balancing warmer, episodic comedies and riskier, creator-driven work. That mix includes potential spinoffs, renewals for artist-led series, new projects from established creators, and a seasonal sketch show from Larry David. It is a busy slate with room for satire, comfort and surprises.