Danny McBride has created three fantastic shows for HBO, butThe Righteous Gemstonesmight be his crowning achievement. The exuberant comedy about three siblings, Jesse (McBride), Kelvin (Adam DeVine), and Judy (Edi Patterson) going to ridiculous lengths to take over theirtelevangelist father Eli’s megachurch, is not only one of the funniest shows on TV, but it’s also an incredibly smart satire of the hypocrisy of for-profit religion. The show’s creative team does a brilliant job of balancing a wide array of tones as it beautifully fluctuates between over-the-top absurdist humor to heartfelt family drama.
Part of the show’s lasting appeal comes fromThe Righteous Gemstones' supporting cast. From Walton Goggins' shameless huckster Uncle Baby Billy to Tim Baltz’s oddly endearing weirdo BJ, the series has myriad memorable characters. But it’s Skyler Gisondo’s Gideon who is the real highlight of the seriesand his storyline in season 3 showed why he is by far the most righteous of all the Gemstones. As the oldest child of Jesse and Amber (Cassidy Freeman), his character has had the biggest transformation over the course of the three seasons, and he deserves more screen time.
Gideon Is Different Than The Other Gemstones
Skyler Gisondo Still Gets To Be Hilarious As The Most Grounded Gemstone
Gideon has always felt like the outlier in the Gemstone family. He is more grounded and normal compared to thecartoonish buffoonery of the other Gemstonesand is the only one who desires a career outside of the family business. But while his personality is more cool and collected than the other Gemstones,Gideon still shares their penchant for creating elaborate schemes, wild ambition, rebelliousness, and deep insecurities.
Gideon started season 1 by blackmailing his dad with a video of him snorting coke with sex workers and planning a heist of the church. While Gideon told himself he was doing this for money, in reality, he wanted to expose Jesse’s false virtue. He was angry because he felt rejected by his father, and all he ever wanted was his family’s acceptance. In season 2,Gideon makes a big leap toward achieving this goal, but he still feels like he doesn’t belong. It takes taking down Eli’s assassins with his unparalleled dirt bike skills to finally gain his dad’s respect.
Gideon Finally Got His Family’s Approval In The Righteous Gemstone Season 3
Gideon Riding Redeemer Is One Of The Righteous Gemstones' Best Moments
While Gideon’s role was slightly diminished inThe Righteous Gemstonesseason 3, he had the most satisfying arc. He starts the season back at home and gets a position as Eli’s driver. For the first time in the series, Gideon begins to come around to becoming part of the family business but still struggles with feeling like an outsider looking in. He finally gets his chance to shine in episode 7, “Burn for Burn, Wound for Wound, Stripe for Stripe” when he rescues Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin from the militia compound with the help of Jesse’s prized monster truck,Redeemer.
It’s an amazing action sequence anda culmination of Gideon’s arc over the three seasons, ashe finally gains his dad’s approval. For the first time in the series, Jesse takes pride in his son’s abilities.
What’s Next For Gideon In The Righteous Gemstones Season 4
Gideon Will Learn From Eli & Possibly Go Up Against His Father
HBO announced thatThe Righteous Gemstoneswill end with season 4,set to premiere in March 2025. Although the zany Gemstone clan will be missed,Danny McBride has always been a proponent of ending his shows on a high note.The series finale of his first show,Eastbound & Down, is still considered one of the best series finales of all time. While not much is known about the final season ofThe Righteous Gemstones, HBO released this official synopsis:
“When the spoiled Gemstone children finally get their wish to take control of the Church, they discover leadership is harder than they imagined and that their extravagant lifestyle comes with a heavy price.”
The most exciting part of the new season is thatthe season 3 finale set up a fantastic storyline for Gideon, which should lead to a prominent arc in the upcoming episodes. At the very end of the season, Gideon is shown asking his grandfather Eli to take him under his wing and teach him how to be a preacher.Gideon going up against Jesse, Kelvin, and Judy for control of the church is an incredible setupand should lead to some amazing comedic moments.
The Righteous Gemstones Season 4: Release Date, Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know
The Righteous Gemstones season 4 will bring back the hypocritical Gemstone clan, and there’s already a ton of news regarding the satire’s return.
McBride promises that the final season ofThe Righteous Gemstoneswill do justice to the series, with plenty of twists and turns in store for fans, tellingVariety,
“The Lord spoke to me and said it’s time to wrap this sucker up. The story this season made the themes, ideas, and characters in ‘The Righteous Gemstones’ feel whole and complete. I have loved every second of working with this team for the past eight years, and there are some incredible payoffs, twists, and turns in store over the course of this wild final season.”
As long as the show’s most righteous Gemstone, Gideon, has a prominent role,the final season has the potential to beThe Righteous Gemstones' best yet.
