The Righteous Gemstones brings back Baby Billy for B.J.’s baptism
Everyone is misbehavin' on a gangbusters Gemstones.
TV Reviews The Righteous Gemstones
Throughout the debut season of The Righteous Gemstones, Eli was painted as perhaps the most righteous of them all: gentle, kind, longing for his late wife, and prone mostly to fatherly aggravation (dad-grivation?) due to the shenanigans of his selfish offspring. That image was recast within moments of the second season premiere, when it was revealed that Eli was once an enforcer for low-level criminals in Memphis before meeting Aimee-Leigh. The Gemstone matriarch turned Eli’s life around and converted a violent criminal into one of the most popular and influential televangelists in the country. When old Memphis cohort Junior Marsh sauntered back into Eli’s life, it took little more than a dinner between friends to awaken the savage beast within Eli once again and it was only a matter of time before Eli would unleash this on one of his dimwitted children.
“As To How They Might Destroy Him” time warps back to Christmas 1993 with the return of Baby Billy (Walton Goggins), running out on his wife and child Harmon at a Charlotte shopping mall. Flash forward to the eve of B.J.’s baptism where Judy Gemstone is not happy about spending time with B.J.’s family of “filthy atheists.” Judy pines that she “always thought she’d marry an orphan with a dead family,” and whines that the Barnes clan is tedious without a shred of irony.
Meanwhile, Jesse informs the Lisson’s that he’s not going to be able to back their Christian timeshare and despite their “epic hangs,” Lyle begins to show his true colors, snapping at Jesse and Amber and calling off the burgeoning friendship…and any more potential business deals. Like Jesse, Kelvin continues to try to make a name for himself with his God Squad and a planned trip to Israel but is denied when Martin informs him that Eli has disallowed any use of Gemstone jets. In the Gemstone power struggle, everyone is trying to branch out and make a name for themselves, but nobody is able to do it on their own dime. They need that Gemstone name and more importantly, that Gemstone money to try and build their own empires. It’s easy to feel for Jesse who just wanted to be in the Lisson’s orbit and try to expand the Gemstone name beyond what his father had built and in turn, make a name for himself. But, it reveals that it may be impossible for Jesse to do anything on his own, always hitching his wagon to some rising star. Kelvin appears to have a vision in his God Squad but is unable to take it to another level without the help of his father. Back at the Gemstones HQ, a low-rent Hulk Hogan inspired heel associate of Junior’s attempts to strong-arm Eli into an apology, and Eli complies.
“Tell Junior I am very sorry, but he can go fuck himself.”
Everything comes to a head at “The Blessed Baptism Of Benjamin Jason Barnes,” Goggins sinking those big beautiful teeth into the role of Uncle Baby Billy, opening up the event with a song, the anger palpable on Jesse’s face as he enters. Kelvin’s God Squad is denied entry to the event while Judy performs an original tune with the lyrics “when a man outgrows the family of his origin, and they have no place in his life cause he’s different now, he’s got to show them out, they need to see him just go away,” as K.J., B.J.’s sister looks on in disbelief.
Afterward, Judy confronts Eli for being “emo and low energy” and ruining her big day. Eli simply appears defeated, beat down by the arrogance and selfishness of his children, calling Judy out for making the baptism about her (she’s constantly taking selfies throughout), telling Baby Billy the whole event is a joke as Boy Meets Girl’s “Waiting For A Star To Fall” plays. Billy continues to brag about his success on the Christian pop charts, explaining to Eli that he’s on the way up while the Gemstone patriarch is on the way down. “I’m not on the way down,” Eli explains and suggests that Billy have a chance to do it right this time (referring to walking out on Harmon) as his wife Tiffany has a baby on the way. The episode is co-written by McBride, Edi Patterson, and John Carcieri (a veteran of Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals) and directed by McBride, which elevates the episode. McBride is invested in these characters and fuses the high drama—and silly comedy—together expertly.
The baptism afterparty is somewhere between a prom and a wedding reception, with an American Bandstand-inspired B.J. neon, balloons, and pop songs with slightly Christian themes (“Dance Hall Days,” Send Me An Angel”). Jesse confronts Eli, explaining that he told the Lissons no, and it “broke their fucking hearts.” Eli, succinctly replies, “Jesse, I don’t give a shit.” The tension continues to bubble, Judy confronting K.J. and accusing her of trying to fuck B.J. (her brother), Baby Billy admitting that he’d always wanted to pop Eli in the face, Jesse continually whining about Eli ruining everything, and Kelvin suggesting that he would destroy Eli in a fistfight. When K.J. lambastes B.J. suggesting that he’s never going to be a Gemstone, B.J. tries to throw a piece of cake at K.J. but winds up nailing Eli in the face instead. “What the fuck was that,” screams Eli as Jesse looks on with the glee of a kid who just watched their brother get in trouble.
“You kids are an embarrassment; all of you,” an angry Eli shouts before being confronted by Kelvin in the lobby, Kelvin accusing Eli of being “a false prophet.” Kelvin attacks Eli from behind, and they scuffle as the family looks on. When Kelvin throws a bottle of champagne, barely missing Eli but smashing Aimee-Leigh’s portrait, it truly sets Eli off. “That could have killed me,” Eli shouts and Kelvin replies “I wish it would have.” Eli gets Kelvin on his knees, grabs a hold of his thumbs, and offers his son mercy, but the obstinate Kelvin refuses and Eli breaks both of his thumbs, as we saw the former enforcer do in the season premiere. It is going to be interesting to see where this goes as we’ve never seen Eli act this way towards his family (although Jesse states that “daddy can be a monster”) and if there’s any coming back from this. It’s doubtful it will force the children to change their ways, instead possibly seeing this as an opportunity to usurp the Gemstone throne… but does Eli even care about the legacy anymore? Goodman was one of the best parts of the last season and as he continues to develop, Eli Gemstone has grown into one of the best characters on television today.
While the God Squad turns their backs on Kelvin, Jesse and Amber have a laugh about what a complete shitshow the baptism had turned into before hijacking a shuttle bus intended for Eli. The bus appears to be sabotaged and breaks down, leading the couple to a desolate gas station where they fall under attack from four mercenaries on motorcycles brandishing machine guns. It can be assumed that this was a hit intended for Eli by Junior Marsh, but will this outside force compel the Gemstone family to put aside their differences and come together?
Stray Observations
- The joy on Levi’s (Jody Hill) face during the balloon drop.
- The way Baby Billy says “toilet baby.” (Plop!)
- The last we see of Baby Billy, he’s in his droptop BMW heading Fayetteville. Did the Gemstone family drama inspire him to try and make right by his son Harmon?
- “Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.” Proverbs 29:17
117 Comments
Anyone know what song Uncle Baby Billy was singing at the baptism? Sounded vaguely familiar – might be a protestant hymn, could just as easily be a Carter Family song, but can’t quite place it.
i’m curious if it’s an original. The lyrics take the christian “washed in the blood of jesus” to an absurd literalism that usually isn’t there.
I mean, it’s virtually death metal lyrics. =)
Might be more the tune of it
Baby Billy’s singing was so awful this week—considering that Walton was pretty damn solid on Misbehavin’, I think they made him sing slightly off key and poorly to reflect how old he is now.
Next week is another flashback episode and quite frankly, I have to wonder why McBride didn’t go that angle with the show to begin with. Focusing on Eli/Aimee-Leigh at the height of their power (late 80s/early 90s) while raising a pack of psychopathic anti-christs brats and dealing with Aimiee-Leigh’s evil brother, while navigating the post-Swaggart/Baker ministry scandals televangelist landscape is a far more interesting show than watching Jesse, Kelvin, Judy behaving like unlikable assholes to the tenth degree. The only really likable characters are Eli and BJ, with Jesse in particular coming off as McBride trying his hardest to making the most unlikable character of his career to shut up people who complained about Neal Gamby (his Vice-Principals’ character) was too likable and sympathetic/was allowed to have a happy ending.
maybe cuz it’s more funny to watch spoiled yet seemingly religious brats and navigate any potential redemption they might be able to have (the final shot of last season really hit me in the feels).
There’s no upward mobility for characters if they’ve already achieved peace, either, so assholes tend to make the best subjects
i’m not sure why you expect mcbride show characters to be likeable.
I wouldn’t call BJ “likable”, the closest he has come to “likable” is during those few seconds when he stands up to Judi’s aggravating bullshit. The rest of the time he’s a wimp whose main purpose is for Judi to push around and her shitty siblings to mock (not saying that’s not funny, but it doesn’t make for a likable character).
I like BJ when he rollerblades. It’s important to stay swole.
A lot of the fun of the series is them screwing up, and they’re clearly going for a King Lear-esque storyline (though I don’t know if any of them qualify for Cordelia.)
Sometimes the story someone wants to tell is not the one you want to watch.
“Let my people go…to Israel.”
I died lol. Kinda glad the muscle boys storyline appears to be over, it was funny but i’d like to see where kelvin/keefe go next.
Let’s also discuss the end credits song. “Gonna Rock This Boy’s Body.” It’s weird and amazing. I can’t get it out of my head. And it’s nowhere to be found on the internet.
they have THE BEST music on this show, I am constantly hitting Shazam on my phone to identify songs but before they can be identified the song stops. They played a song during BJ’s baptism party that I liked it but couldn’t identify it fast enough.
Tonight was the best use of Wang Chung since To Live and Die in L.A.
It was an 80s fest this week. Loved it.
https://www.reddit.com/r/RighteousGemstones/comments/sbd56n/s2_e4_final_credit_song/htzk2oo/An unreleased song (so far) evidently…
If there’s one thing the Gemstones are good at besides getting people to give them money, it’s a shitshow……
Somehow I’m not convinced that Junior has anything to do with the heavy enforcers with guns or taking out Max Fischer there. Junior comes across as skeezy but not committed to such a terrible set of actions…mostly just hiring loud wrestlers to throw tomatoes?? There has to be another force at work
I kind of agree. Junior just seems way too small-time to be behind that shit. Who? Couldn’t tell you, if there are clues I haven’t picked them up.
Probably the Jonas brother…or Torsten.
I think your right, and perhaps it is somehow connected to the murder of Jason Schwartzman’s character? Unless we are to believe that was Eli, though that seems out of character for him as well.
My money’s on the Lissons. Junior’s definitely too small-time—those are fancy MP5s they’re firing!—to organize such a hit after previously dispatching an over-the-hill wrestler in a Geo Tracker.
Offing Eli would definitely smooth the path for Jesse to piss away all of the Gemstone money into the Lissons’ coffers.
It’s so very clear…first to get rid of that nosy Coconut Records kid and then to take out Eli for access to ca$hola.
Ergo, a clean-shaven Eric Andre is an UNTRUSTWORTHY Eric Andre
I agree with this and now I realize if this is true, this season may be tracking on the Godfather (where Sollozzo tried to kill the Don so that Sonny would take his drugs deal)?
So the question is: which of the Gemstone children is Fredo? *Touches nose* “Not me!”
There is a chance that the hit is somehow related to Baby Billy’s first son, Harmon, since it’s strange for the show to devote so much time to that storyline (ditching him at mall in 1993, Eli mentioning Harmon at the baptism, Baby Billy driving into Fayetteville/Charlotte at the end of the episode).
But assuming Episode 5 is mostly a 1993 retrospective as the sneak peak suggests and it’s another nine-episode season, four episodes is a pretty tight window for introducing and revealing Harmon as the person who’s responsible for the Sonny shoot-up + killing Jason Schwartzman.
Judi would have to be Fredo; she’s the most insecure and desirous of attention and respect from everyone.I suppose it’s possible that Harmon put out the hit but I doubt it (why would he try to kill Eli but not Baby Billy?), I can’t help thinking it’s the Lissons (although I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s not either). I always find it a little annoying in shows like this where they go to these lengths to paint 1-2 people as suspects but then it turns out to be someone else and the writers have to connect the dots in some arduous and convoluted way.another cool possibility is that it’s BOTH the Lissons and Eli’s friend who are targeting the Gemstones without conspiring. That could make for a very interesting and bloody finale.
Exactly. Lisson’s definitely had Jason Schwartzman’s reporter murdered, too.
Yup. Thaniel probably had a story cooking on the Lissons, and that hit was definitely meant for Eli.
Lissons
I mean, there’s still the mystery of who took out the journalist (forget his name) in episode 2. I’m guessing that whoever executed that hit is behind this one.
Definitely feels like it’s tied up to the whole “G.O.D.” streaming deal. That’s way too important to these folks to let someone like Eli Gemstone hold all the strings, right?
yeah its the Lissons. The bus was for Eli. The intent was clearly to murder him so that Jesse gets control of the Gemstone $ and can fund Zion’s Landing
Junior seems too obvious, and that motorcycle gang looked way too slickly put together to have been his handiwork. It’s gotta be someone connected to the evangelical world. That’s where the ostentatiousness of the series lives, and that hit squad with its backlit motorcycles was completely ostentatious.
I wonder if this was arranged by other churches on the streaming service seen in the first episode.
i kind of feel judy veered TOO far into insane comedy today, in that bathroom scene. As unhinged as she has always been. But then again, when aside her absurd brothers, they counter her more effectively. i’m also kind of unsure about Eli full on breaking the thumbs of his own son. Albeit he’s clearly in a bad state with Junior’s reappearance throwing him off kilter, Kelvin being a little shit, Jesse being a selfish prick, BJ and Judy being ridiculous. There’s too much coming at him. otherwise really good episode. BJ’s outfit! His delight in it. “SHAKE THAT CAKE!” Baby Billy’s BRUTAL leaving of his (autistic?) son in the opening; his terrible song. Christians do love their blood washing away sins metaphors in praise music, but man. That was absurdly literal lol. The Hulk Hogan esque wrestler in the parking lot. Definitely wondering what the hell is going to happen next!
Edi Patterson can really, really pull off crazy. If you can make a line like “I’m gonna move to Malibu Beach, shave my pussy and learn to surf” work, you can really make anything work.
What gets me is the way Judy moves, she’s constantly awkward and slightly off and very performative, like she’s still a teenager. Patterson is doing all sorts of physical stuff in every scene and it sells the character brilliantly.
Shit, that’s tremendous insight.
She’s like a tween girl acting out her early-adolescent idea of a tough adult woman, it’s amazing
I was blown away by her describing Tiffany as “a feral person” because when I was trying to describe Judy to a friend who hadn’t seen the show I said “it’s like this messed up combination of spoiling and neglect has left her practically feral.”
(Sorry about this being months later, but I’m finally going through the second season, had to find somewhere to say that, and this thread seemed the closest to the topic.)
Judy was especially batshit this show and like her siblings, I both cringe and get ready to laugh when a scene focuses on her alone. If she’s trying to convey a startlingly weird adult who started as an awkward child and never was forced to grow, then she really deserves all the Emmys.
I disagree. I was blown away by Edi in that scene. Hints of her crazy character from VP.
Edi Patterson really only seems to have that one mode, which is AS BROAD AND RAUNCHY AS POSSIBLE. Even her CBB character(s) are pretty one note in that respect. She can shine when pulling off child-like petulance, but ultimately I find her character’s sexualized bug-nuts rants pretty sweaty.
Her dialogue seems to be the only stuff that is largely improvised and the character suffers for it.
Also is anybody else just REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE with perfectly clean-shaven Eric Andre? I DON’T KNOW WHY IT MAKES ME FEEL SO WEIRD
I think his character (like the other creepy Evangelists) is supposed to create a sense of unease, so I think that actually fits perfectly.
I like Danny McBride, but if you said Kenny Powers, Neal Gamby, and Jesse Gemstone were all essentially the same character, it’d be tough to argue with you.That’s why it’s always such a joy to watch Walton Goggins and John Goodman act the hell out of this show—Goggins more ostentatiously than Goodman, perhaps, but still. McBride presumably has a big hand in writing these characters, so maybe he knows what his own strengths are and plays to them. I just wish the guy would open up a bit and play something/someone a little different. It would have been interesting, for example, if McBride had switched roles with Goggins for Vice Principals. That would have benefited Goggins as well; Lee Russell was sort of a Bizarro AU Boyd Crowder, after all. It had been done. I like this show a lot, though, no matter what. Much better than EB&D and VP.
The only time I’ve seen McBride play a different character type was in that Aliens movie, but even then he was more just toned down.
He has a range of character and he does it well.
Yeah, nothing against the guy. Just musing.
I think Goggins bright SO MUCH to Lee Russel that anybody else playing him would not have worked so well.
“Bitchyyyy Boy”“Is she saying Beach Boy?”LMFAO
I never really got the hype of Eastbound—-it was an occasionally funny show, maybe it was just the lack of Goggins that caused it to be less interesting to me, but I never really got into it as much as Vice Principals, which I adored.Although the “Carry out my will or you will feel my lash” scene with Ashley eventually being set on fire might be the single best scene in any of McBride’s HBO series.Gemstones might be the overall best series yet.
I think there’s some differences in the characters, especially Gamby who I think it is a specific reaction to Powers.
Oh yeah, they’re not all the exact same. But they share certain personality quirks and characteristics. Or, they’re like the same person with vastly different life experiences. Whereas Shane Vendrell, for example, could never have turned out like Lee Russell (or vice versa). Maybe it’s just a writing thing, but I kind of doubt McBride has great deal of range. Which is fine. He’s funny as hell.
I get what you’re saying for sure. That said, I think McBride is interesting because he is able to finely tune a specific character and explore subtleties within them.
“…Kenny Powers, Neal Gamby, and Jesse Gemstone were all essentially the same character…”I view Eastbound/Vice Principals/Gemstones as a trilogy the same way some folks think of RoboCop/Showgirls/Starship Troopers as a trilogy.
I mean, it’s largely the “angry white southern men” trilogy. I think McBride has said as much.
McBride knows his comic voice and sticks to it. His whole thing is showcasing childish and self-absorbed obsessive masculinity. It makes sense that he sticks to that wheelhouse.
Having Lily Sullivan in this episode playing BJ’s sister KJ is truly a treat, since both actors are married in real life (CBB-heads of course know this).
Right? I was going to post a parasocial Aggrieved comment, but then was like, “eh, there was So much to cover in the recap – someone will mention it – probably with a ‘shout out’”https://www.reddit.com/r/comedybangbang/comments/s4avle/yall_saying_what_a_lucky_guy_tim_baltz_is/
Her Twitter handle isn’t confusing at all.
that was her…dafook?
what, absolutely no mention of that un-be-fucking-lievable outfit BJ wore to his baptism? the “romper with a cummerbund” look was just…wow. All I can say is wow. And his sister’s response to that was perfection. It’s easy to feel for Jesse LOL no, no it’s not. Maybe that’s their intent but these kids are the most loathsome and hilarious characters I’ve seen in a while. Judi in particular should be used in a class for “recognizing manipulative narcissists with borderline personality disorder”; watching her whipsaw back and forth between passive aggression, blatant manipulation, and outright weirdness is like watching Mozart work.
Yeah, I don’t think it’s easy to feel for Jesse, at all. The character is hilarious, but my god he’s also completely repellent. He’s a bad son, a bad parent, a bad spouse. All three of the Gemstone children are entitled assholes, just in different ways. They’re fictionalized versions of Don Jr, Ivanka, and Eric. I also don’t think nearly enough has been made of the blush romper. It was INCREDIBLE. Perfect. Sublime.
“Toilet baby” is now my new go-to insult LOL
Just a possibility, but is BJ actually Harmon? Here are my “clues:” BJ was adopted, so we know he has another birth family. They are both blonde and awkward. Baby Billy is shown as the only one waving to BJ as he walks down the baptism aisle. Judy has an entire scene all about wanting to have sex with her male family members. Hmmmm? Anyone?
I love Judy but at this point I feel she is as awful as both of her brothers! I hope Eli is shown to be an actual killer and so we can see even if he was he is still somehow better than all 3 of his kids!
She’s worse. Way worse. She’s unhinged in a way that neither of them are.
This one was when I was like “holy fuck is she so far gone!” She would scare me in real life in a way the other two kids wouldn’t.
Yes, and she’s honestly always been worse. Even as kids
After the start of the show, I felt like they would reveal that Baby Billy son is actual BJ. But since BJ mom was sitting with Baby Billy, I guess that won’t be it. Still felt like they were heading in that direction and that Judy is such a gross fuckup that she was actual fucking her cousin. Again, I thought that would be the case and them hinting at it but they can’t be doing that if the mom saw Baby Billy and didn’t say anything.
I had the exact same thought process, mostly because they made a real point about the step dad being a step dad, and his father being something of a mystery to him, apparently without it setting anything up, even a joke. I mean, when you show a dad walking away from his son, and then in the future have a guy the right age with the same color hair tell us that his dad isn’t in the picture, left when he was young, for seemingly no reason, I’m gonna think they’re related, even if the mom not recognizing Baby Billy makes it tough to work.
“After the start of the show, I felt like they would reveal that Baby Billy son is actual BJ.”Agreed. Thought that as well.
yeah, I wonder if when Baby Billy goes home we find out that he really is the step dad and maybe they have a reason for the mom not saying anything? Like the original mom gave him up?
“If” indeed—Baby Billy is currently on the run, lol.
That was my other thought, he didn’t go visit anyone, he was running away from his toliet baby wife having his baby! lol!
I thought that was pretty much understood, wasn’t it? That he’s running away from his second kid?Baby Billy is a delightful P.O.S.
It’s what I thought as well but others in the comments section (before my post) have seemed to think he was going to look for his long lost son. I thought the man was running away again!
I thought so too, especially when they went out of their way to make BJ’s dad a stepdad.
Yeah, I’m still very curious as to where they go with this.
Lissons definitely ordered the hit on Eli, so that Jesse becomes the man in charge and can support their Resort.
1. Edi Patterson absolutely killed me this episode. The way she plays Judy as this unhinged spitfire is just glorious to watch.2. John Goodman has quickly become my favorite thing about this show. A character like Eli would be so easy to play broadly, but he brings such pathos to the role that I can’t help but feel for him, even when he breaks his own son’s fingers (and I’m starting to wonder if he ever beat his children. He’s slapped them across the face before but Jesse’s line about how he can be a monster has me thinking.)3. I thought Baby Billy’s last scene was him leaving Tiffany the way he left Harmon and Gloria, but maybe he is trying to find Harmon. It’d be interesting to see where he is, given that he isn’t included in most family things.4. I still think Eli murdered that reporter. Just because a John Goodman character murdering a Jason Schwartzman character is hilarious to me, for some reason.
I love John Goodman
I saw some comments earlier about BJ being a grown Harmon, but they also have painstakingly shown Harmon being non-verbal. Autistic? BJ is *weird* but he doesn’t communicate in beeps.
Kudos on the alliteralicious headline.
I thought that was George Hamilton.
Poor Tiff, being described as “basically feral.”
I need more KJ on sister-in-law Judy action… those two could have some great speeches.
Kudos to introducing the actor playing Harmon, Baby Billy’s son (he has a “body difference,” which I read is the much nicer and appropriate way of describing the commonly-phrased “body disfigurement.”) If you haven’t seen him, his neck is almost non-existent on one side, with his head connected to his shoulder, kind of…?
My mom always told me how in Poland (and certainly here in the United States too), there would be Catholic-run homes for children/adults who were severely disfigured/contorted from birth, and they were simply to startling/shocking to remain in public since they were viewed as grotesque, almost mutilated beyond imagination… yet very real… very alive… and with emotions in-tact.I know we all assume these people don’t exist and they nearly don’t, remaining hidden from all of us, so I really appreciate that Danny McBride and company featured someone — usually kept out of view — as though they were part of our everyday society. Usually we just see some small-persons in the St. Jude’s commercials, but man, their issue(s) pale in comparison to the folks we’ll never see. Ever.
The Butterflies song was amazing. I loved everything at the baptism and after party, the lighting and set design was perfection. I like that this show manages to convey the appeal of a subculture like this, and also the stifling banality. The photography is always gorgeous but maaaan you wouldn’t want to spend time with these people.I gotta say I was spoiled by binging last season. Now I’m always disappointed when an episode comes to an end. It’s always over too soon!
Best show on TV right now, hands down. Love every second of it.
Those mercenaries seemed a little high end for Junior, especially after his open salvo was a tomato squished on Eli’s wind screen by a “low-rent Hulk Hogan”.
We still don’t actually know who killed Jason Schwartzman’s journalist so I think there maybe yet to be seen forces at work.
Ok, I was all set to say that Baby Billy’s ‘toilet baby’ story was going to be the highlight of the season so far, but then Edi’s astonishing bathroom scene stole that right away.She continues to absolutely own this show.
There ware alot of great set pieces this week, but the way BJ was so gleefully working his romper killed me. “Attitudes like that is what’s held back men’s fashion!”
This show’s operating on a whole different level than anything else on television right now, and I love the shit out of it. John Goodman, Walton Goggins, and Edi Patterson…goddamn. Kudos to McBride that he’s willing to give the most interesting character arcs and stories to other actors. Jesse was great last season, but I like that they’ve sort of reset him into “not as bad as his siblings but still a brat” level.Also, I know Judi’s bathroom scene and Baby Billy’s whole arc this episode were fantastic, but the highlight of the episode was Eli’s resigned, slightly sad “Jesse…I don’t give a shit.”
I actually felt bad for Jesse. He’s a rich obnoxious horror but he is so sad that Eric Andre doesn’t want him for friends no more. =D
Yeah, I get it. The Gemstone children are three adults who were so sheltered that they basically stopped maturing in their teenage years. They’re playing at adulthood and failing miserably.
Walton Goggins LOVES acting. If Acting were a person, he’d fuck its brains out then stay to cuddle and make breakfast. Walton Goggins once beat Daniel Day-Lewis into a coma with a vintage Billy Wilder script when Walton overheard Daniel mentioned he “might quit” acting. The two have since reconciled after the incident with Goggins apologizing to Daniel and stating he misheard the veteran actor’s actual statement of, “these pants are a tight fit”.
Goggins for pres
‘..popped into the bowl like a little turd, eyes like tis.’ I think this season has been a little pokey and overplotted but holy shit everything is gold when Baby Billy is onscreen. Goggins is unstoppable.
Goggins is so good he made The Unicorn, a premise so corny that it shouldn’t work, into a weekly appointment viewing in my household. RIP, the unicorn.
For some reason this is the one recent HBO series that I hadn’t tried but that image at the top is going to make me start tonight.
Oh my god, it’s so worth it. I came late to the game, too, but it is honestly the best comedy on TV right now.
It’s funny. I’m half way through S1 now. I like John Goodman and Danny McBride (I even watched Vice Principals) but somehow missed altogether that Walton Goggins was in it from the promos.
Eli was painted as perhaps the most righteous of them all: gentle, kind, longing for his late wife, and prone mostly to fatherly aggravationSeriously? That’s what you got from Eli in the first season? He was neither gentle nor kind. He was a rigid, distant, disapproving asshole who had no qualms about crushing every small-town church in his path. His kids sucked, but that was largely due to him. They fought over his affection like it was water in the desert. Their pathological desperation for the slightest word of approval from him drove most of the hilariously uncomfortable family scenes. Eli may have been the least obviously objectionable Gemstone in the first season, but the man was always a monster.
Yeah, they’re confusing not being cartoonish with not being bad. He’s real bad. Kinda the root of every shitty thing wrong with his kids and his organization. It’s a wild misreading of the straight text of the show to think of him the way this reviewer apparently does
For a moment, I thought that BJ was the son that Uncle Baby Brother left in the mall.
My favorite visual gag of this episode of this episode (besides BJj’s birthday outfit) was the “I wash my hands to keep away from Satan” engraving on the bathroom mirror.
Man, the bit about wanting to marry an orphan with no family really spoke to me. I have a couple of folks in my life who very plainly feel that way, and it’s kind of gross. Just an excellent bit of character revelation.
Did you miss that Harmon was clearly BJ? I will be shocked if he isn’t.
You shocked?
Yes I was.
So glad you responded to this! I just watched the whole show (simply couldn’t get to it while it was airing live), and I was sad I missed out on the comments section while it was airing. One of my favorite cameos of all time. Could’ve been played just for jokes, but he did some genuine, terrific acting there that I found really honest and affecting.
It is good. And I have responded to posts in comments sections a decade old before.