'The Righteous Gemstones' Recap: A Dysfunctional and Divine Finale

CNET

05-05-2025

After four seasons, The Righteous Gemstones has concluded its sermon. The HBO comedy, created by series star Danny McBride (who also wrote and directed a handful of episodes), followed the dysfunctional, profane, sometimes violent and always funny misadventures of the Gemstone family and their thriving megachurch business.
As disrespectful as the lead characters were, McBride always strived to portray the religious communities that inspired the show with respect. Instead, it was the Gemstones and those surrounding them that seeped with dysfunction: Themes like grief, workaholism, unprocessed trauma and internalized homophobia are just a handful of the issues that kept the show relatable amid all the chaos.
Season 4 delivered nine formidable episodes that successfully tied up every loose end, provided closure to the characters who needed it, threw some unpredictable curveballs along the way and made that epic first episode in the season make much more sense.
Spoiler warning: Before I continue, let this be your warning that major story spoilers are below. Proceed with caution.
Read more: Max Streaming Service Review: Load of Content, but You Have to Make It Fit You
Getty Image/Zooey Liao/CNET
Jesse's duel of dysfunction
The rivalry between Jesse Gemstone (McBride) and Vance Simkins (Stephen Dorff) finally came to a head in the finale, titled That Man of God May Be Complete, and it did so in the form of a classic two-man duel. Yes, the kind with guns.
After Vance lost the Christ-Following Man of the Year award to Kelvin (Adam Devine), who stood in front of the cameras and crowd and pronounced his sexuality to the world, he unraveled. He dropped a yellow handkerchief on his foot in front of the Cape and Pistol Society, which was the provocation that led to the two men pointing weapons at each other.
Danny McBride and John Goodman as Jesse and Eli Gemstone in the series finale of The Righteous Gemstones.
Jake Giles Netter/HBO
Neither man succeeded in hitting their targets. Instead, Jesse fired his weapon, looked around, and realized that this pomp and circumstance wasn't his bag. And then, he quit.
Uncle Baby Billy's come-to-Jesus moment
Whether it was pursuing his Christian trivia game show, Baby Billy's Bible Bonkers, or going all in on his cinematic opus, Teenjus, Baby Billy's (Walton Goggins) workaholism has always been front and center. This season, all his focus was on the movie about teenage Jesus, which he ended up starring in, ridiculous wig and all.
But remember, Baby Billy is also a husband and father, and throughout his story arc this season, his addiction to work conflicted with his responsibilities to his children and wife. I didn't expect Baby Billy to come to his senses, but surprisingly, he did, and in the end, he chose family over another one of his silly productions.
Edi Patterson as Judy Gemstone in the series finale of The Righteous Gemstones.
Jake Giles Netter/HBO
The monkey on Judy's back
BJ (Tim Baltz) becoming a competitive male stripper definitely wasn't on my bingo card, but it happened in season 4. After an accident on the pole left him paralyzed and wheelchair-bound, he and Judy (Edi Patterson) welcomed a therapy monkey named Dr. Watson into their home. Lo' and behold, the animal's help improved BJ's spirits and led to his ability to walk again.
But the bond between Dr. Watson and BJ sparked jealousy in Judy, which led to the monkey's exit from their home. That break-up didn't last too long because after Judy discovered Dr. Watson had lost his mother, she found common ground with the animal and admitted out loud the reason she put up such a front was to fill the hole inside left by the death of her mother, Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles).
The Gemstones' gold Bible conundrum
I've been trying to make sense of the Bradley Cooper-starring season premiere, Prelude, for some time now. The episode took us back to Civil War times and explored the violent origin story of the Gemstone family. Elijah Gemstone (Cooper), a con man masquerading as a preacher, stole a gold-plated Bible from one of his victims before pretending to be a man of god to the soldiers dying around him.
After a life of crime, the final moments of the premiere found Elijah turning toward religion and taking an interest in the book's lessons.
Cut to the finale, and that gold Bible resurfaced.
Adam Devine, Danny McBride and Edi Patterson as Kelvin, Jesse and Judy Gemstone in the series finale of The Righteous Gemstones.
Jake Giles Netter/HBO
Earlier in the season, it was revealed that Cobb (Michael Rooker), the unhinged ex-husband of Lori Milsap (Megan Mullally), broke into the Gemstone compound when the siblings were children, vandalized the property and stole that gold Bible. This is an essential detail because all hell broke loose once present-day Kelvin discovered the book in Corey Milsap's bag.
Traumatized by the experience of killing his father to save Eli and Baby Billy in a very horror movie-style plot point in episode 8, Cory cracked. He admitted that he assisted his father in all sorts of crimes, including murder. And then, he proceeded to hunt the Gemstone siblings down with his gun.
Each of them suffered gut shots. But thanks to the assistance of one intelligent little therapy monkey, Jesse could retrieve his gun, and this time, his aim was perfect. He took Cory down with a headshot.
The impromptu battle ended with the trio praying over their childhood friend in a fashion similar to Elijah praying over the dying Civil War soldier in the premiere. This was when the siblings, without ulterior motives, turned toward religion to deliver peace to a man in need selflessly.
Adam Devine and Tony Cavalero as Kelvin Gemstone and Keefe Chambers in the series finale of The Righteous Gemstones.
Jake Giles Netter/HBO
Kelvin and Keefe, sitting in a tree
They got married. They dressed like Siegfried and Roy. It was glorious.
Eli Gemstone finds his happy ending
Last but not least, there's Eli Gemstone. The ghost of his deceased wife, Aimee-Leigh, has been with him every step of the way. Season 4 found the family patriarch stepping away from the church to live a Jimmy Buffett lifestyle on a boat. His kids lured him back in, but you could tell his passion for the family business had dwindled.
The return of Aimee-Liegh's best friend Lori Milsap, into Eli's life dug up old memories and new feelings. A romance was sparked that led to a consistent will-they, won't they theme that flowed through to the final moments of the series. After all was said and done, Eli went to Florida to live out the rest of his days on that boat. Lori, it seems, will be by his side.
Closure was the main thing on the minds of McBride and his creative team when they mapped out these final episodes. I feel like they pulled it off. The Righteous Gemstones has solidified its legacy as one of the decade's best TV comedies, and it rode off into the sunset as only the show could -- on its own foul-mouthed, hilarious and heartfelt terms.