Gloomy, moody shows brighten summer TV

The Comeback (Sunday, 10:30 p.m. ET, HBO)

Phoebe Buffay, she ain’t. Lisa Kudrow (who, with Michael Patrick King of "Sex and the City," created the show) stars as a tightly-wound, washed-up TV star who lets a reality show document her return to the limelight. Unlike free spirit Pheebs, Valerie Cherish is far more achingly pathetic as she struggles to return to glory.

The best moments are Valerie’s attempts to make a silk purse out of the sow’s ear show-within-the-show sitcom she’s on. Valerie plays Aunt Sassy, a peripheral character on “Room and Bored,” a terrible show about four hot twentysomethings living in a condo. Like HBO’s far superior “The Larry Sanders Show,” “The Comeback” documents all sorts of backstage goings-on — most of which end badly for Valerie. Kudrow’s subtle facial expressions as she tries to mask her disappointment are funny in small doses. But the more you watch, the more painful it becomes.

Entourage (Sunday, 10 p.m. ET, HBO)

Paired with “The Comeback” — but considerably less dour — is another Hollywood-based show, executive producer Mark Wahlberg’s “Entourage.” It chronicles the career of up-and-coming movie actor Vince Chase and his close circle of friends. Along for the ride are nice-guy manager Eric, coattail rider Turtle, and half-brother — and fellow actor — Johnny Drama, played by Kevin Dillon, who’s got a bit of experience shivering in a more famous sibling’s shadow. Dillon’s scenes are among the most entertaining, and often cringeworthy, whether he’s botching an audition, contemplating calf implants, mining industry relationships for a scrap of an on-camera opportunity, or arguing with Ralph Macchio about who let the monkeys loose at the Playboy Mansion.

But just about every big laugh belongs to Jeremy Piven, as Vince’s unsentimental and sometimes sleazy agent, Ari. His line “Let’s hug it out, bitch” became a first-season catchphrase, and for good reason. Yeah, it’s yet another show about the entertainment industry, but the sometimes cynical, always sharply written “Entourage” is definitely worth a look.

Stella (Tuesday, 10:30 p.m. ET, Comedy Central)

“Stella” is about … I’m not quite sure. It stars Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter and David Wain, three members of comedy troupe The State who didn’t go on to star in “Reno 911,” that much I know. It’s absurdist antics a la the Marx Brothers, I’m pretty sure. But beyond that, well, maybe you can figure it out.

So far, the suit-wearing trio got evicted, became the best dressed homeless people on the block, then got their apartment back by botching open-heart surgery on their landlord, Josef Mengele. Along the way, they wore skunk tails and fake mustaches. And that was just the first episode. It’s a darkly hilarious, clever show that somehow manages to work in copious amounts of slapstick and silly humor — without being stupid.

Brian Bellmont is a writer in Minneapolis.

MORE FROM MORE NEWS AND OTHER FEATURES

40 years of diversity on ‘Sesame Street’

40 years of diversity on ‘Sesame Street’ GE, Comcast agree on NBC Universal’s worth Letterman case inspires ‘Law & Order’ episode Suicide prevention groups protest ‘The Office’ Sykes, Lopez set out to fill late-night TV void Onion, Comedy Central team on TV pilot Oprah Winfrey pulls BeBe Winans from show John Lithgow’s serial killer soars on ‘Dexter’ Colbert swoops in to save speedskating team Scott Wolf discusses ‘V,’ and his newsguy hair   Add More news and other features headlines to your news reader: