Much of television today is overrun with safe reboots, uninspired writing, and tired tropes. HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones bucks this trend. The show features a divided family of unethical televangelists trying to manage the transition of power from their aging father to the next generation. The Righteous Gemstones is a clever satire you won’t want to miss, featuring Danny McBride, Walton Goggins, Adam Devine, Edi Patterson, and John Goodman.
The Righteous Gemstones is in its final season, and it has been laugh-inducing for all four seasons. The show is about Eli Gemstone (John Goodman), a televangelist, and his family of fellow preachers. While the show stands out in its premise, its magic is in how it executes it with biting satire and over-the-top characters.
The best part about The Righteous Gemstones is the comedic genius of Danny McBride and Walton Goggins. Their roles exemplify why HBO continues to pair the two together. The characters they portray are seemingly typecast to their usual comically mischievous roles. Danny McBride’s Jesse Gemstone regularly commits crimes on behalf of the family. Walton Goggins’ Baby Billy is constantly jockeying for a larger role in the congregation and ultimately, for more money.
While watching The Righteous Gemstones, one can’t help but remember how funny Jody Hill and Danny McBride’s 2016 sitcom Vice Principals is. The two actors have a natural rapport and a hilarious back-and-forth. McBride’s performance is remarkably similar to his performance in the 2009 baseball comedy Eastbound and Down, portraying a certain charisma and undeserved confidence. Danny McBride and Walton Goggins don’t carry The Righteous Gemstones‘ humor alone.
Adam Devine and Edi Patterson play Jesse Gemstone’s younger siblings. Edi Patterson plays Judy Gemstone and found some of her fame by acting in HBO’s Vice Principals. Edi and Adam give a stand-out performance. Judy Gemstone is stuck in an unhappy marriage with her husband, BJ, played by Tim Baltz. The Righteous Gemstones follows Judy reconciling with her relationship and her attempts to gain influence and respect among her siblings, the congregation, and her father, Eli Gemstone.
Meanwhile, Kelvin Gemstone, played by Adam Devine, is a gay man with a lover named Keefe, played by Tony Cavalero. Keefe is a reformed satanist whose story brings a new depth to the relationship. He is a pivotal character and catalyst for funny hijinks throughout their relationship. Adam Devine brings his upbeat comedic presence reminiscent of his role in the 2011 stoner comedy Workaholics. Kelvin Gemstone and his slapstick comedy add a lot to the show, which not only complements the work McBride and Goggins are doing, but supplements it with his own plotline, heavily featuring Keefe.
The Righteous Gemstones follows the siblings as everyone attempts to carry on their mother’s legacy and the congregation once led by their father and Baby Billy’s sister Aimee-Leigh. Their father, Eli Gemstone, played by John Goodman, is another iconic character. Goodman plays a grief-stricken televangelist with a sordid past. His stoic behavior and no-nonsense approach starkly contrast with the outlandish actions of the rest of the family. Goodman gives a layered performance, humanizing his mourning character as he manages a crumbling empire and a divided family.
Most of the plot revolves around the legacy of Eli Gemstone’s late wife, Aimee-Leigh Gemstone. Aimee-Leigh appears often in flashbacks and is frequently mentioned in the show. Baby Billy constantly tries to protect and profit from Aimee-Leigh’s career simultaneously. Meanwhile, Aimee-Leigh’s three children, Kelvin, Judy, and Jesse, are continually trying to honor their mother’s memory by taking on more responsibilities in the congregation.
In addition to having a well-developed plot with multiple character arcs, the show absolutely skewers televangelism. While there is a lot to laugh about in The Righteous Gemstones, its serious critique of televangelism is hard to ignore. The Gemstones are a great example of excess. The compound the Gemstones live on is comedically lavish, as are their clothes and jewelry.
Aside from their decadence, the Gemstone family commits crimes to keep their congregation going. None of the Gemstone family is innocent, and the profit motive seems to be the primary motivation for their work at the ministry. The star-studded ensemble of comedic actors gives the show a slapstick feel while holding up a mirror to televangelists who have historically profited from faith.
With The Righteous Gemstones wrapping up its final season, it is the perfect time to get into the show. Four seasons of comedy are waiting for you. While The Righteous Gemstones is a story about a dysfunctional family of televangelists, you may feel some affinity toward them.