Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for The Righteous Gemstones Season 4 finale.
The conclusion ofThe Righteous Gemstones’ fourth season marked the third instance in whichDanny McBridedelivered a satisfying comedy series for HBO, following the success ofEastbound & DownandVice Principals. While his prior two shows were primarily centered on their protagonists,The Righteous Gemstoneshad to deliver a satisfying sendoff toa large ensemble that had been developingover the course of four seasons. McBride rarely fails to deliver hilarious gags, butThe Righteous Gemstones’ series finale felt repetitive overall, especially when compared to the third season’s ending.
Although Cobb Milsap (Michael Rooker) perished at the hands of his son, Corey (Sean William Scott),at the end of the previous episode, “That Man of God May Be Complete” shows that the feud with the Gemstone family is far from over. Corey is revealed to be in possession of the Gemstones' gold-plated Bible, and attempts to assassinate Eli’s (John Goodman) children, who are in the midst of their own issues; Jesse is forced to duel with Vance Simkins (Stephen Dorff), Kelvin (Adam Devine) proposes to Keefe (Tony Cavalero), and Judy (Edi Patterson) tries to ensure her husband BJ’s (Tim Baltz) continuing happiness. However,“That Man of God May Be Complete” doesn’t end on as strong a note as the Season 3 finale,“Wonders That Cannot Be Fathomed, Miracles That Cannot Be Counted.”
The third season ofThe Righteous Gemstonesalreadyresolvedthe conflict between the siblings, which had been the primary plot device for the entire show. Although the Gemstones will always be forced to face off with various rivals, non-believers, and aggressive factions, Season 3 shows that Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin have genuine affection for each other and are willing to look past their own egos in order to preserve the sanctity of their family. The fourth season had little tension because the characters remained stagnant; Jesse once again learns that he doesn’t have to prove himself through violence, Kelvin only has to more forcefully assert his love for Keefe, and Judy makes additional adjustments in order to accept BJ. Although they bicker and argue over the course of the final season,their disputes are more trivial, as it is never suggested that there is a fission within the family.
The Righteous GemstonesSeason 3 also put the family through their most challenging drama yet, as they had to both fight for their lives and work towards bettering the community. Peter (Steve Zahn) was a religious zealot who represented the opposite of everything that the Gemstone family had become associated with; the only way for the siblings to defeat him was to show him that there was a place for forgiveness and compassion, leading toa genuinely emotional conclusion in which the entire extended family escapeswith the monster truck driven by Gideon (Skyler Gisondo). Additionally, the family then competeson a live version ofBaby Billy’s Bible Bonkers, in which they prove their superiority over the Simkins in front of a live crowd. This renders the climax of the final season less monumental; it was less exciting to see Jesse once again get the better of Vance, and Corey was not nearly as terrifying as Peter.
The primary conflicts of the final season are rushed, as there is so much time spent building Cobb up as a villain that Corey feels much less interesting;given that the flashback episodesalready showed that he was empathetic, there was little concern that Corey would actually end up killing the siblings. Similarly, Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin had already shown that they were willing to accept Eli’s relationship with Lori (Megan Mullally), even after the death of her son. While it was moving to see Eli finally allow himself to read the letter that his late wife Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles) wrote Lori following her divorce from Cobb, it is only briefly detailed in a montage that takes place in the final moments.
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‘The Righteous Gemstones’ Wrapped Up Too Neatly With Season 4
Several characters inThe Righteous Gemstonesare also not given a proper conclusionin the series finale, the most notable being Gideon, who evolves radically and proves that he can both honorthe teachings of the churchand utilize the skills that he learned in Hollywood; this is most evident at the end of the third season, in which his driving skills are put to good use when he saves his family from Peter’s compound. While it initially appears that Gideon will be learning from Eli as he prepares to become a pastor, the final season rarely gives them time to interact. I’s rewarding to see Gideon bonding with his younger brother Pontius (Kelton DuMont) by attracting new church members through skateboarding, but this felt like a concept that should have been introduced earlier in the season.
AlthoughWalton Gogginsisjust as hilarious as he has always been,Baby Billy’s emotional breakthrough also comes too late in the final season, making his reunion with Tiffany (Valyn Hall) less impactful. Baby Billy’s attempt to make a youth-centric film about the life of Jesus Christ, while completely ridiculous, stems from his desire to create something that would provide a sustainable future for his family. While his near-death experience at the hands of Cobb Milsap could have caused Baby Billy to recognize that he should spend more time with his wife and children, the finale brushes away any character development — or a significant reunion scene with Tiffany — for the sake of more jokes about the film’s production.
The Righteous Gemstonesleaves little room for ambiguity in its series finale,as the return of Dr. Watson,the restoration of the gold-plated Bible, and Corey’s apology are a bit too saccharine when compared to the more satirical edge that the series traditionally boasted. While the showis still an impressive achievement for McBride, as he was able to question the role of religion, family, and celebrity in thoughtful and hilarious ways,it still may have overstayed its welcome by one season.
The Righteous Gemstones
Follows a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work.
