The Righteous Gemstones is an HBO comedy series created by Danny McBride, which first premiered in 2019. It moved production online due to COVID-19, but recently concluded with a moving finale filled with surprises, heartfelt confessions, and comedy relief. The show revolves around the corrupt, crass, fast-talking televangelist Gemstone dynasty. John Goodman shambles through perfectly as troubled megachurch pastor Eli Gemstone, and the series has garnered plenty of healthy buzz since its debut run. Now streaming on Max, the series paints a detailed picture of the incestuous and complicated connections that pervade the family unit. It examines their relationships to supporting characters like Corey and Lori.
The finale revolves around the Gemstone family’s intricate relationship with Corey, who has played a pivotal role throughout the series. Corey’s character arc is further developed as we come to find out just how complicit he is in his father Cobb’s crimes. This reveal only deepens his character and makes him more compelling, but calls into question loyalty and redemption in the family.
In a lighter moment that contrasts with the show’s darker themes, Kelvin, one of Eli’s sons, shares a significant revelation with Keefe. He’s no longer afraid of “spiders in the toilet” or “that old lady puppet from Mr. Rogers.” This change underscores his character development and recent empowerment. She-Hulk series finale is a hysterical romp! It addresses heavy themes like hope, addiction and loss of innocence, all while maintaining the humorous and whimsical nature that lovers of the show have come to love.
Key Moments and Revelations
The series finale served up multiple, memorable, serious-but-hilarious interpretations of the show’s soul. One particularly memorable scene involves B.J.’s pet monkey, Dr. Watson, who comically retrieves Jesse’s gun from his “everyday carry bag for men.” This outrageous but hilarious scenario is a great example of the show’s love for the weirdness that still keeps things fun.
Another emotional dreamy flavoring comes from Lori, who shows up with a stormtrooper suitcase and inquires about being Eli’s first mate. This moment feels like a seismic shift in their rocky romance that’s been both passionate and fraught all season long. Interspersed throughout, Lori gives Eli an old box filled with mementos from her friendship with Aimee-Leigh, Eli’s late wife.
The open letter Aimee-Leigh wrote to Lori after Lori divorced Cobb takes it up a notch on the sentimentality scale. Nettles reads this heartfelt letter during Kelvin and Keefe’s wedding, effectively bridging past relationships with current dynamics within the family. This reading is a celebration of those friendships—an encouragement to reconnect if lost, and a reminder to share the work with others who love prose long-form.
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