WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for The Righteous Gemstones seasons 1-3 & season 4, episodes 1-3.
HBO’s celebrated comedy series The Righteous Gemstones has provided many laughs and memorable moments since it premiered in 2019. With its fourth and final season well underway, the series finale is set to be released on HBO and MAX on May 4, 2025. Series creator Danny McBride has played an integral part in The Righteous Gemstones cast as Jesse Gemstone alongside his immature yet hilarious siblings, Judy (Edi Patterson) and Kelvin (Adam Devine). At the head of it all is John Goodman’s Dr. Eli Gemstone, the face of the Gemstone family church.
Many fans of The Righteous Gemstones would agree that the HBO comedy series one-ups itself with each new season. After a gripping season 1 story that saw Gideon (Skyler Gisondo), the oldest son of Jesse and Amber (Cassidy Freeman) betray his family only to return, season 2 found its footing with increased roles for hilarious supporting characters such as Keefe (Tony Cavalero), BJ (Tim Baltz), and Uncle Baby Billy (Walton Goggins). Season 3 raised the stakes with a villainous estranged family member, Peter Montgomery (Steve Zahn), while season 4 started incredibly strong with an unexpected Bradley Cooper guest appearance.
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Season 2, Episode 2
“After I Leave, Savage Wolves Will Come”
This early season 2 episode was a standout due to its various guest appearances, which included Joe Jonas, Jason Schwartzman, and recurring season 2 cast member Eric André. André was one of the most hilarious parts of The Righteous Gemstones season 2 and some of his best character highlights can be found in episode 2, “After I Leave, Savage Wolves Will Come.”
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With an unforgettable horror-like ending with all the dead bodies and the Gemstones siblings slipping around in blood, episode 2 was equally hilarious and shocking. Jesse, Kelvin, and Judy being unable to figure out how to close their Tesla doors as they try to escape is definitely a season 2 highlight. Later, the Gemstone siblings think Eli killed Schawrtzman’s journalist character, Thaniel Block, when he returned home covered in deer blood.
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Season 1, Episode 9
“Better is the End of a Thing Than Its Beginning”
Jesse’s marriage with Amber is on the ropes at the end of The Righteous Gemstones season 1, which sends Jesse to Haiti to try and bring Gideon back home. Baby Billy goes full villain mode after finding $3 million of Gemstone money and trying to make a break for it with Tiffany. After Eli and the Gemstone siblings confront him, Billy is miraculously struck by lightning. Billy claims that while he was unconscious, he saw his sister, Eli’s dead wife, Aimee-Leigh in Heaven, who asked him to forgive Eli. Kelvin also saves Keefe from returning to a life of Satanism.
8
Season 3, Episode 3
“For Their Nakedness Is Your Own Nakedness”
Commonly referred to as the “Cousin’s night” episode, The Righteous Gemstones season 3, episode 3 opens strong with Baby Billy singing at the Gemstones’ new Zio resort. Meanwhile, Amber pushes her “System” relationship kit on BJ, who is still unaware of Judy’s sexless affair with the tour guitarist Stephen. The unveiling of the Redeemer monster truck was another high point of the episode as Jesse bullies his cousins, Karl and Chuck Montgomery.
Keefe’s fire show is unforgettable before the first round of “Bible Bonkers”, which gets interrupted when Karl chokes and spits into BJ’s face.
Kelvin and Keefe start their latest venture by buying out sex shops to get their products “off the streets.” Kelvin invites Keefe to his family dinner, hilariously saying, “Those inbreds aren’t worthy of your sausage dip.” Baby Billy comes up with and pitches his game show, “Baby Billy’s Bible Bonkers” as the Gemstones kids review it like Shark Tank panelists. Keefe’s fire show is unforgettable before the first round of “Bible Bonkers”, which gets interrupted when Karl chokes and spits into BJ’s face. This leads to the cousins finally having fun together.
7
Season 2, Episode 7
“And Infants Shall Rule Over Them”
The Righteous Gemstones season 2 was much more action-packed than season 1. One of the most memorable scenes was Eli getting shot in a drive-by shooting, which was later revealed to be orchestrated by Eric André’s Lyle Lissons. Season 2, episode 7 “And Infant Shall Rule Over Them” chronicles the aftermath of Eli getting shot, starting with a great opening montage and a hilarious puking scene between the Gemstone siblings.
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Kelvin deals with his thumbs after Eli breaks them, revealing part of his wrestling backstory. Season 2, episode 7 has some of the best Tiffany moments, such as finding out she can’t read and learning about Baby Billy’s other son, Harmon. In the end, Kelvin’s prayer brings Eli back to life, and there’s a really entertaining and adrenaline-pumping ending with an intense shootout and an awesome Gideon motorcycle chase scene.
6
Season 3, Episode 6
“For Out of the Heart Comes Evil Thoughts”
The Righteous Gemstones season 3, episode 6 is a serious contender for being the funniest episode of the entire series. After BJ blows off some steam rollerblading, Jesse shockingly gives his cousins the keys to his Redeemer, while Kelvin has to carry on with his youth group without Keefe. There’s a hilarious scene in which Jesse and Kelvin “overpower Judy with repetition“ to get her to “take the L” against Stephen.
Jesse also teaches BJ how to punch, which leads to him hilarious getting his ass kicked against a butt-naked Stephen.
One of the most legendary moments of The Righteous Gemstones can be found here: the Aimee-Leigh hologram DMX malfunction. Jesse also teaches BJ how to punch, which leads to him hilarious getting his ass kicked against a butt-naked Stephen. Kelvin also has an all-timer line: “I’ve got more talent in my pubes than you do in your entire being.”
5
Season 1, Episode 8
“But the Righteous Will See Their Fall”
The Righteous Gemstones season 1, episode 8 is arguably the best of the first season. Baby Billy and Tiffany find the $3 million cash that Scotty stole from the Gemstone Vault. Tiffany accidentally shoots and kills Scotty after he crashes into them while making his escape.
Jesse reveals the hidden camera footage of him and his friends doing drugs and spending time with a sex worker, leading to Chad’s hilarious line, “It’s CGI, baby.” Judy is arrested after having a full-blown “Karen” public meltdown, while Jesse gets shot by Amber in the leg, and Kelvin tells off Keefe. All this ends in a fantastic montage with “Oh Lord” by Geordie playing in the background.
4
Season 2, Episode 9
“I Will Tell of All Your Deeds”
Macaulay Culkin has a great cameo as Baby Billy’s adult son Harmon in the last two episodes of season 2. He even punches him in the face in the previous episode. The truth about how Schwartman’s journalist character Thaniel dies is finally revealed in the season 2 finale, showing that André’s Lyle was behind the explosion.
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One of the best season 2 lines can be heard here by one of Lyle’s goons, “With a grenade, all the evidence gets blown up in the blast.” André’s villain arc is exposed and brought to justice, Joe Jonas returns for the opening of Andre and Jesse’s resort, and Tiffany has Baby Billy’s son in a porta potty, ending with the wolves closing in on Lyle.
3
Season 3, Episode 7
“Burn for Burn, Wound for Wound, Stripe for Stripe”
The Righteous Gemstones season 3 features Steve Zahn’s great villain, Peter Montgomery, who reaches a new low by kidnapping the Gemstone siblings. Judy gets kidnapped as the Redeemer crushes her car, one of the best scenes in the series. Eli hilariously won’t pay the ransom, while Baby Billy asks Eli about supporting Bible Bonkers if Jesse gets killed. The Gemstone kids are forced to deliver a horrendous sermon in front of Peter’s militia, who deliver an expected chorus of “All The Gold In California.” Karl calls Mae Mae to bust the Gemstones out and Gideon saves the day in the Redeemer.
2
Season 4, Episode 1
“Prelude”
Forever remembered as the “Bradley Cooper episode”, The Righteous Gemstones came out incredibly strong with its fourth and final season premiere. Although “Prelude” is wildly different and more serious than all The Righteous Gemstones episodes before it, it’s a feat of visual storytelling and adds compelling backstory to the Gemstones’ family history.
“Prelude” reveals how Eli’s Civil War-era ancestor Eli, a crook, imposter, and murderer, ended up finding a life and career in God-worshipping.
“Prelude” reveals how Eli’s Civil War-era ancestor Eli, a crook, imposter, and murderer, ended up finding a life and career in God-worshipping. Cooper is exceptional as always and makes up for the fact that the normal Gemstones crew doesn’t appear at all in the episode. Come awards season, Cooper and The Righteous Gemstones should gain some serious 2025 Emmy buzz.
1
Season 3, Episode 9
“Wonders That Cannot Be Fathomed, Miracles That Cannot Be Counted”
The Righteous Gemstones season 3 finale starts with a New Year’s Eve 1999 flashback, which includes a crazy orgy scene between Baby Billy and Dusty. Chuck later sets off a bomb that blows the glass off a store and returns to apologize to Jesse. With the Montgomery cousins back on the Gemstones’ good side, the ultimate biblical battle takes place in a game of “Bible Bonkers” on the biggest stage as Baby Billy’s TV host dreams come true.
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The Gemstones vs. Simkins “Bible Bonkers” game brings the entire season to a satisfying conclusion. Peter Montgomery threatens to set off another bomb after thinking Chuck had died, only to discover the truth. Another act of divine intervention occurs with a locust attack as Peter makes the ultimate sacrifice after setting off his own bomb with a dead man’s switch. Gideon reveals he wants Eli to be his mentor before a hilarious “Redeemer” ending to The Righteous Gemstones season 3 as Aimee-Leigh’s ghost looks on with a smile.
