The Righteous Gemstones recap: With the siblings siloed, the Gemstones start to look like a family
An episode-long hang sesh gives Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin time to work through their issues
TV Reviews The Righteous Gemstones
It’s amazing how much gets done when the New Generation is locked in a silo. Even more amazing is that people miss them when they’re gone.
The aftershocks of last week’s explosive installment can still be felt as the siblings are given a chance to hash out their issues. Where “For Out Of The Heart Comes Evil Thoughts” saw Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin dealing with the fallout of their actions, this week punishes them for their selfishness. Surprisingly, even without the help of the Montgomerys, the Gemstone three managed to alienate their respective partners, opening them up to attack. All three are sitting ducks for their vengeful, self-righteous relatives. Through a triptych of abductions, the Montgomerys capitalize on their weakened state, Judy buying painkillers for a bloody and beaten B.J.; Kelvin crying to Quiche Heath Keefe after quitting the church; and Jesse, fresh off driving his father to the brink of madness with a hologram of Eli’s dead wife, walking alone to his car when Chuck offers a sibling-free hang sheesh. Jesse gets quite the opposite. No matter. The righteous Gemstones are no stronger together than they are apart.
“Burn For Burn, Wound For Wound, Stripe For Stripe” is an episode-long sibling hang-sesh with at least one scene that could qualify as a breakthrough. Imprisoned on Peter’s farm—the one with “tons of birds”—the Gemstones kids run up against the limitations of their self-image with one final test of their talents. Like Kelvin, they make it approximately six inches off the ground and land flat on their face. Tonight allows the three siblings to face their challenges head-on, prove to their father they can work together, and show the world that there’s nothing more dangerous than a unified Gemstone front. Thankfully, the people who inexplicably love them (or love to throat-punch them) come to their rescue.
That the Gemstones were alone to begin with speaks to their hubris. With all these forces closing in around them, including the Simkins, the Brothers of Tomorrow’s Fires, Stephen, and their own ministry, the Gemstones continue on as if nothing can touch them. But it doesn’t matter how expensive the car, how much training they’ve done with the Gracie brothers, or how white their pistol, a backwater militia outsmarted and captured them. Money can’t protect them. It can only buy them stuff.
Their offense doesn’t alter much as they sweat it out in Peter’s silo. True to their bitter rivalry and deep insecurity, the siblings are immediately hostile and antagonistic with each other. With the bag over their heads, they can’t even see how similar they are, resorting to kicking the air whenever they think the Montgomerys are within striking distance. At every turn, writers John Carcieri, Jeff Fradley, and Danny McBride challenge their characters to prove themselves by doing the very things they supposedly do all the time. However, whether leading a basic sermon, singing a single song, or doing an easy-peasy flip off a wall that anyone can do, the Gemstones fail to live up to their self-created hype.
It does make Peter’s plan seem solid. Capture Eli’s idiot kids, blackmail Eli for their return, and torture Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin with tasks they supposedly do all the time. But he underestimated how much the rest of the family would thrive without them around. The house is surprisingly a quieter, warmer place without Judy, allowing the remaining members to realign their faith in each other and their lord. Keefe is the first to realize something’s wrong, smelling the dirt outside Kelvin’s Jeep, mysteriously parked outside his carpentry shop, where he motions to the intergalactic sign for “handsome man” at the baffled locals. Like all the Gemstones partners, Keefe genuinely cares for the idiot in their lives. After all, they are family.
The three partners, who were callously and unceremoniously betrayed by their friends and lovers last week, no longer wait for their spouses to give them entry into the family. Like Baby Billy bursting through the front door, sending Lionel flying into the empty void of the mansion, B.J., Amber, and Keefe are family, and they’re tired of not being treated as such, which is presumably why B.J. was bold enough to call Eli “daddy.” Still, Eli can sympathize with B.J. The Gemstones might not be shit, but B.J. doesn’t deserve the pain of losing a spouse, nor does Amber or Keefe. As a family, they pray for their safe return.
With the Gemstones at home becoming more pious, Peter goes the opposite route, succumbing to the allure of all that money. Zahn bursts with excitement at the terrorism possibilities $15 million can get you. Why, the Brothers of Tomorrow’s Fires will have enough to poison the water supply of a liberal city and blow up a 5G tower. Peter’s enthusiasm and subsequent disappointment over the money only display how little Peter has learned since his botched robbery in 2000. It also shows how similar he is to his sinful kin. It’s evident in McBride’s filmmaking as we see shot after shot of the Redeemer tearing across the grounds as the Brothers fire off rounds, hooting and hollering about their winnings. Spectacle has its place in Peter’s faith, too. Snake handling, Peter explains, is a test of faith, a way for him to show his followers the trust he has in the lord, sort of like trusting in god that the Grave Digger’s driver will make it out of the rally okay.
The Brothers of Tomorrow’s Fires got their shit together quickly after the raid in episode two. Having regrouped on his new farm, Peter breaks the Gemstones psychologically before deciding on the rest. When we met Peter this season, the Gemstones begged to jump on the altar for the Brothers of Tomorrow’s Fires. The Gemstones have spent every Sunday at church, and for the last few years, they’ve led services. Tonight, their skills come up short.
In typical fashion, Jesse concocts a Silence Of The Lambs-style escape, using a tin bowl to cut the face off a guard and walk out the front door to safety. Jesse’s image of himself as the head of the family and the man with the plan bumps up with reality, and when faced with that reality, he turns to name-calling. He resents everyone shutting down and poking holes in his ideas and seemingly relishing in doing so. He wants his captors to see him as the biggest and most present threat to the operation. Unfortunately, that’s not who he is. He’s a pastor who can’t think of a sermon to save his life.
The real failure of the night is when Peter forces Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin to lead services. The results are laughable. Judy can’t think of a single song to lead the congregation in—despite just getting back from a national tour—and while Kelvin succeeds in doing a flip off a wall, it’s woefully too close to the ground. Peter gave them too much credit when he accused them of being “entertainers, performers, charlatans.”
In the silo, their masks fall away like so much dye from Jesse’s sideburns. Faced with the possibility that they may die, the three siblings come to an understanding. They’ll avenge each other’s deaths and will check their schedules regarding looking after Jesse’s “real” family. It’s a small token, but hey, progress is progress.
However, their escape is not the result of the New Generation’s actions. If anything, nothing they did in this episode changed the outcome. Instead, it was May-May observing the family pray as a unit that turned their fortunes. As the partners did last week, they found a positive community through religion. And it’s a partnership of faith and spectacle that brings salvation. The Redeemer extinguishes the Brothers of Tomorrow’s Fires as Gideon proved that giving your kids money and allowing them to figure out the rest still puts you at an advantage. The Gemstones have been freed and redeemed, but with two episodes left, we know they’re not out of the woods just yet.
Stray observations
- Walton Goggins’ entrance into the Gemstone mansion, sending Baby Lionel gliding out of the frame, was simply masterful
- Jesse’s excitement for a sibling-free hang sesh felt so genuine. I thought he was ready to have a great time with Chuck.
- There was some incredible physical comedy from Tony Cavalero tonight. His “handsome man” investigation was hilarious, but watching him walk through a hedge and pledge allegiance to the family was masterful.
- Speaking of which, Cassidy Freeman’s polite “thank yous” to Keefe’s pledge and Aunt Tiffany’s horrific dolls offer such a different energy from the rest of the family. I love how her apparent “normalcy” bounces off them. It’s good to have someone on the show that at least somewhat resembles the real world.
- Third thing, as long as I’m handing out compliments; The Righteous Gemstones has the single best ensemble of any comedy—a true embarrassment of riches.
- Hey, we learned that Peter’s bank robbery was not a family secret, but rather, so well known that no one bothered to talk about it when he re-entered all their lives.
- Also, for the record, Peter was not speared through the cheek.
- It’s worth noting that Peter still has those explosives. It wouldn’t surprise me if he tried to blow up the church.
- The pride in Jesse’s voice when he sees Gideon behind the wheel of the redeemer and May-May throwing double middle fingers were such unexpected moments of joy in this episode. The whole show has such a unique atmosphere with pockets of exuberance like this.
- “Look, my husband got the shit kicked out of him, and it’s all my fault. Help me take his pain away, pronto! Grrrrrrr!” [Judy grabs the first medication in front of her.]
- This might be the most astute police work in television history: “Might be cold comfort, but I guarantee you he has a headache now that he has your three kids on his hands. Maybe he’ll get worn down and just let them go.”
- I’m such a mark for anytime a character is confronted with a subplot that’s been around for weeks but they’re still ignorant to. For example:
“Good job with the voodoo dolls, Tiff. Hey, Eli, you might not have known this, but Jesse and I had an agreement, so I just want to make sure, now, if something were to happen to him, are you still going to honor the series pickup of Bible Bonkers, now?”
“Bible what?” - There was at least one reference to the Slick Bandit tonight, and it reminded me of how much of a tease that character has been. Bring back Shea Whigam!
- To that same token, I feel like The Righteous Gemstones rarely gives Skyler Gisondo much to do. He’s a fine straight man and a wonderful physical performer, but it always feels like they’re leaving so much on the table with him.
- Danny McBride clearly had a blast with the Redeemer and was finally able to open that baby up tonight. The camera loves The Redeemer.
- Programming note: The final two episodes of Gemstones air next week. I’ll review both in one recap.
54 Comments
I know everybody is going to point to the epic monster truck escape, but my favorite moment was Baby Billy showing up desperate to keep his sad game show funded, shoving the poor kid down the hallway and praying that his grift goes on.
I was just going to comment that! Such a small moment of physical comedy, and I laughed harder than I have all week.
Speaking of physical comedy, how about Kelvin’s somersault—that look like it HURT.
Weeks later I still cant stop saying Baby Billys Bible Bonkers to myself
“Just roll that around your tongue now…” You know, Goggins makes that simple expression hysterical with how he phrases it as Uncle Baby Billy
I wonder how anybody in the cast can keep a straight face doing a scene with Goggins as Baby Billy. The makeup and overall look of his character alone would have me in stiches with the absurdity.
Can you imagine filming the musical scene a few episodes ago with Goggins and that outfit and not cracking up?Who knew that Justified would give us two great comedic actors in Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins? The more of their stuff I watch the more I realize just how great those two were together.
I actually thought Olyphant was better in Santa Clarita Diet than he was as Raylan Givens.
I don’t know if I could go as far as to say “better,” but he is really good there. He’s better at comedy than he’s often given credit for, and Joel’s laid-back southern-Cal ex-jock persona is so different than Raylan Givens or Seth Bullock, but Olyphant fills it very naturally.
I think the thing about Justified is that it seemed that Raylan/Tim O. was outshined by just about everybody else in the cast. Though, admittedly, whoever cast the entire series did a phenomenal job most of the time. And that’s not because he’s not up to it or turning in a less-than-great performance, the cast is just THAT good.Jacob Pitts, Nick Searcy (POS, but phenomenal as Art), Walton, the guys who played the Crowes, Jere Burns, Margo Martindale, etc. Even the criminally underused Erica Tazel.Olyphant owns Santa Clarita Diet, and if it wasn’t for McShane giving an absolute all time great performance of a great character, he’d own Deadwood too. His Seth Bullock is fascinating to watch.
Olyphant owns Santa Clarita Diet … he’d own Deadwood tooThat’s okay. He still owns The Girl Next Door.
I won’t say better, but it was definitely great. I would love to see them both in a sort of “The Nice Guys” movie.
I honestly never even heard of this and I watched Justified all 6 seasons. Thanks for the tip.Tim O is also doing good work in Full Circle on Max this month (6 episodes only)
Oh, its a funny AF show. Also, The Waitress is in it, and Nathan Fillion (for a while anyways).
I watched the first 15 minutes of Ep1 and gave up. He is good, but Drew Barrymore is a non starter for me and the writing style wasn’t for me. That isn’t something I want to spend 15 hrs on.
Victor Fresco definitely has a style with his shows. I love it, but I can see why some would not.
Santa Clarita Diet is really good, and in particular season two has some of the best dramatic plotting I’ve seen on TV in recent memory.(And since we’re on a Gemstones review, probably worth mentioning that Skyler Gisondo is part of the main cast as well.)
He does creepy hilarious work right now in I’m a Virgo (Boots Riley’s new show).
I say it to my household constantly and inappropriately.
I’m deeply concerned that BBBB will be stuck in development hell forever!
The biggest mislead this season was the Slick Bandit’s brutal prosthetics – then no sign of Mr Whigam in the intermission episode.
That was country singer Sturgill Simpson cameo-ing as a militiaman, leading a stirring rendition of The Gatlin Brothers’ “All the Gold in California”
I was going to say. I can’t believe they didn’t mention Sturgill. He’s actually been on the show a couple times now.
Country, and whatever the hell Sound & Fury was…hillbilly disco?
The entire film is up on NetFlix. It’s the best fuck-you to a record company ever.
I love that the Gemstone siblings started singing along in the silo.
Sturgill Simpson finally getting to lead a song is a bit of a Chekhov’s Casting Gun, I suppose.
Yeah, this review was such a whiff. Total swing and a miss. Sturgill put that song out as a single today, and it’s great.
Not to mention the mocking Rudy G side burn dye job and the Moondoggies in the closing credits.B grade? Pfft. Definitely better than that.
Gemstone’s rankings1. GideonEveryone else get out of that mother fuckers way! What a job by the villian of season 1!
I was totally wondering what was going through his head as he was watching the ransom video over Eli’s shoulder thinking back to what he was up to in season 1.
Yeah, he’s been on the other end of this and he wasn’t going to let this slide. Kudos to him for being a badass. And Jesse being so proud of him also made me so happy!
I was totally wondering what was going through his head as he was watching the ransom video over Eli’s shoulder thinking back to what he was up to in season 1.
What is the metal song they use for The Redeemer?
“ • Programming note: The final two episodes of Gemstones air next week. I’llreview both in one recap.” When yall say “final” you dont mean like *final* final …right?
Better not be. At least until they commit to East Bound and Down season 5
Naw, just this season. I don’t think we have a renewal announcement, but I do know the creators (or at least McBride) sees this as a potentially very long-running show, unlike their previous HBO works.
I don’t understand that sentiment, really, for two reasons. One, I don’t think Vice Principals had to end after only 2 seasons, they could’ve extended that dynamic for years. At least it doesn’t seem like this series is more “infinite” than VP.Two, since it is, pretty much “Bible Thumper Succession”, they have to come to the end fairly soon I would think.
Well, I don’t disagree that the Vice Principals duo could have seen that dynamic go on much longer. But in that case they had a specific story to tell, and they knew how long it would be and when they wanted it to end.With Gemstones, McBride has said in interviews that he sees it as a potentially sprawling series, like “fuckin’ Thorn Birds,” where we just learn more and more about the extended relatives and characters from the past and everyone else in the Gemstone orbit. And as long as they have stories to tell there, I don’t see why it can’t. Each season already functions largely on its own, rather than being one throughline story to the end. And that gets to your second point; while I do think the comparisons to Succession are obvious, I don’t think the actual answer to the question of who will succeed Eli is really what drives this show. I think it’s much more about these sets of characters and showing us the events in their lives that cause them to grow or change as people (fitfully, reluctantly) than it is about getting to the answer of who will head the church.
To that same token, I feel like The Righteous Gemstones rarely gives Skyler Gisondo much to do. He’s a fine straight man and a wonderful physical performer, but it always feels like they’re leaving so much on the table with him.Yes! He’s so good! When he started following May May, I was like: yes, finally, give that boy more to do!
I wouldn’t necessarily say rarely overall, but it definitely feels like Gideon has been more sidelined this season.
The entire first season was about his actions. So I think they feel they don’t need to focus on him much now.
Jesse’s drugged nonsense talk in the cold open, followed by his wild, blind shooting, is just the latest example of how this show keeps the violence surprising and hilarious. Season 1, unlike subsequent seasons (all excellent), told a really full story with Skyler Gisondo, following Gideon’s journey from black sheep to the family’s purest Christian believers. Subsequent seasons haven’t really had a place for him, unlike every other character in this series, which does such a great job giving each person a clear purpose for existing. I think they just haven’t been able to generate a meaningful “why” for him, which is too bad — Gisondo is just as amazing as the rest of this cast.
Peter is so weak, even his men call him out openly. After this attack, he must surely have a tenuous hold on his leadership. I’m confused as to why they’d burn off the final two eps at once. I mean, strikes notwithstanding, doesn’t HBO/Max thrive on week-to-week buildup to generate interest/excitement and viewership? And, given the strikes, I’d think they’d welcome the chance to eke out an additional week of fresh content.
I’m confused as to why they’d burn off the final two eps at once
I would guess it’s because one is mostly set-up for the other. The same way they aired the opening two episodes on the same night.
Mrs. F. and I picked this for one of our shows to watch this fall because of the writers’ and actors’ strike. She’d never heard of it but is definitely interested and I just haven’t made time for it.
I wonder if this is an ominous sign of the end by burning two episodes in one week. S3 seems to be a cutoff point for a lot of shows that aren’t super major hits.
Can someone help me out here and explain how exactly Peter evade prison for murder of a security officer after a botched bank robbery? I don’t think they explained it, but it seems like a weird detail to just handwave away.
My guess is that he didn’t, but how he isn’t dead or still awaiting execution in a southern state prison is as big of a question.
He didn’t avoid prison at all. There’s a line in his first appearance about how he recently got out, and May-May was very concerned at the prospect.
I would have to rewatch to be certain , but I’m pretty sure one of the early conversations between Eli and May May this season mentioned Peter recently getting out of prison and soon after her boys left her to go live with him.
Ah, thank you, I must’ve missed that. Still weird that he got out of prison after that, but at least they through out something.
Yes that was definitely a part of the initial set up. When Mae Mae and Eli first talked, she was telling him that she was worried about the boys since they left her to go be with their dad after he got out of prison. It was literally the set up their entire storyline.
Have no comment, except to say that all the comments here are just Grade A stuff.
Programming note: The final two episodes of Gemstones air next week. I’ll review both in one recap. I kinda hope the last episode is an actual episode of Baby Billy’s Bible Bonkers
Gotta be Gemstones vs Simkins on Bible Bonkers.
Am I the only one hoping Keefe would have gonna full commando, and stormed the farm and just started killing folks to rescue his “Man” I mean it’s pretty clear, to me at least, he is legit in love with Kelvin.