The Comeback Season 2 finale gives Valerie and the audience a perfect ending

I accept this remote on behalf of the two most important men in my life

The Comeback has never been an easy show to watch and perhaps the second hand embarrassment the audience suffers with every episode is what makes it hard for people to watch the series. Season Two of the show was packed full of cringe worthy moments as Valerie Cherish once again courted fame and validation at the expense of her dignity and personal relationships.

It was hard to watch because even if Valerie was self centred and clueless at times, even if she plays up to the camera you still want her to succeed, the audience still likes her otherwise if the character was truly horrible without any redeeming qualities then watching her suffer and stumble all the time would be funny yes but it wouldn’t be special.

The final 10 minutes of what could end up the series finale of The Comeback paid of in such a spectacular way that it made all the pain, all the awkwardness of the past season absolutely worth it.

When Valerie gets up from her seat at the Emmys it is defining moment for the character and the show. It is the first time we see Valerie away from the reality TV crew cameras but not only that Valerie is committing a selfless act. Instead of waiting for her moment in the spotlight at the awards show she realises that the health of her best friend and hair stylist Mickey is more important. She walks away from the buzz of the room, the awaiting validation from Hollywood and into the rain. Valerie is nervous, she is vulnerable in a way we have never really seen her before.

When she eventually makes it to the hospital she finds out Mickey is going to be OK and that his new medication seems to be fighting the cancer and you can see the relief in Valerie’s face, she was more worried than she ever let on in front of the cameras. Just earlier in the episode at Juna’s party her friend worries that Valerie is refusing to face the reality that Mickey could die and Valerie in all her awkwardness just doesn’t want to discuss it. Its not that she doesn’t care, her actions in this episode shows just how much she does care but Valerie is a professional and she always wears a smile, the show must go on no matter what.

Valerie’s pursuit for fame and relevance has been at the cost of her marriage and at times her own self worth but as she sits by Mickey’s bedside her husband Mark arrives shocked that his wife would walk away from the biggest moment of her career. The following minutes as Valerie wins the Emmy holding Mickey and Mark’s hands are just everything she deserves. Hollywood loves her but she more importantly no matter how fickle fame is the two men in her life love her.

Its not just the highlight of The Comeback but in the final days of 2014 one of the best TV moments of the year. Valerie Gets What She Really Wants and so do the fans of The Comeback.

Note: When I was compiling my list of favourite shows of the year I did have The Comeback on it but its only the other day when I was posting entries I realised something happened and I accidentally removed the series from the list. So this is a bonus show of the year but by all rights it would be in my Top 20 at least and frankly this episode elevated it to a whole new level.