The Righteous Gem stones ended its four-season run final weekend in a means I by no means noticed coming: a glimmer of real, earned character development for the Gemstone siblings. For a very long time, the best elevator pitch for the sequence was “Succession, however make it a comedy,” and that is still largely true. In the long run, although, the Roy siblings by no means surpassed their shortcomings and by no means gained the keys to their father’s empire. In Gem stones, Eli did finally hand his ministry over to his children, although they remained wholly undeserving — and that, in itself, was a commentary on the character of megachurches and the unholiness of the holy. What the ultimate episode proves, nevertheless, is that there’s nonetheless hope for Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin, as they every acknowledge their private demons in a prayer over a dying good friend. A prayer that was satisfying by itself, but additionally served as a name again to “Prelude,” the standalone Civil Battle-era origin story of the Gemstone dynasty, starring Bradley Cooper, that kicked off the season.
All season lengthy, I puzzled whether or not that episode may tie into the present-day storyline in some style. It confirmed that the Gem stones have been all the time hucksters and conmen, however apart from establishing the importance of the household’s gold-plated bible, it didn’t appear to have any larger bearing on the season — till the finale proved that “Prelude” had provided us a capsule-sized roadmap of the Gemstone siblings’ final character arc. Cooper performed Eli’s namesake, Elijah Gemstone, who murdered a preacher in a theft, solely to be conscripted into the Accomplice Military as a chaplain whereas posing as that preacher. He pretends to be a person of God whereas overlaying his tracks, till his unit is captured by Union troopers, who announce they’re going to execute everybody besides Elijah himself, as a result of his place as clergy. Saved by his nice lie, he’s requested to guide his males in a prayer earlier than their demise, and for the primary time, he finds true phrases of consolation by reflecting on his personal life. He asks God to forgive these males, who might have killed individuals, however solely as a result of they needed to. “It’s higher than killing for cash, or out of meanness,” he says, referring to himself. He then muses about God’s plan, and why sinners are left on Earth whereas good males go to Heaven, and in that second we see him turn into a real believer. God’s mercy has spared him, and now he has an opportunity to reside a extra righteous, or at the very least barely higher, life.
Within the current, our Gem stones expertise a far bloodier brush with mortality earlier than their come-to-Jesus second. Corey Milsap (Sean William Scott) goes off the deep finish after killing his father to save lots of Eli, revealing that he was his father’s confederate in disposing of Lori’s beaus. Whereas the remainder of the household is out on the lake, Corey shoots Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin, then leaves to seek out extra ammo so he can end what he began. And I do know I’m right here to speak in regards to the previous rippling into the current or no matter, however I should be sincere: the siblings dragging their bloody our bodies round the home moments after I believed they have been goners is the toughest I’ve laughed in ages. That’s what I’ll miss about this present, the way in which it seamlessly whiplashes from high-stakes violence into sheer absurdity. Effectively, that and watching John Goodman strive to not break whereas the siblings describe his penis.
One other massive payoff within the finale is the Chekhov’s monkey of all of it, because the siblings use Dr. Watson to fetch Jesse’s gun earlier than Corey returns. The second he walks by the door, Jesse shoots him within the head (the blood, the way it spurts!), and as he lies dying, he asks them to hope for him — and about him. Nonetheless, they every in the end communicate of their very own shortcomings. Judy talks about how ache could make you loopy, addressing the opening inside her since her mom’s demise. Kelvin talks about letting go of fears, and Jesse in regards to the corrupting impact of jealousy. They might not have pretended to be believers in the identical means Elijah did all these years in the past, however that is nonetheless the primary time their religion has felt real. The primary time they linked to God by an sincere appraisal of themselves.
The ultimate season was largely in regards to the household, and Eli particularly, discovering methods to maneuver on from the demise of Aimee-Leigh, which was a worthy notice to finish the sequence on. Danny McBride and co. have a means with flawed characters, shading in simply the correct amount of depth with out ever redeeming them, and The Righteous Gem stones hit that candy spot in its final hurrah. Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin are nonetheless undeserving of the ministry, and their church stays a monstrous sham, however they inched just a bit nearer to God anyway, and that’s alright. If God does have a plan, it’s in these private victories. There is no such thing as a one true path, there’s simply progress. And each little bit counts.