31-03-2025
'The Righteous Gemstones' Season 4, Episode 4 recap: Edi Patterson, Tony Cavalero give performances of a lifetime
The Righteous Gemstones Season 4, Episode 4 has some of the best moments of the season, particularly because of how it utilizes Tony Cavalero's character Keefe, and Edi Patterson's character Judy in two of the best scenes of the show. This series is always impeccable crafted, and no other show can handle an outrageous moment like Righteous Gemstones.
From the beginning to the end of the episode, let's just say that we get a more intimate look at a few of our characters. But we also see a significant shift for Tim Baltz's BJ, in the aftermath of his pole dancing accident.
SPOILERS FOR THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES SEASON 4, EPISODE 4 INCLUDED BEYOND THIS POINT
If you thought Baby Billy (Walton Goggins) really exposed himself earlier this season, Episode 4 takes it to another level, with the episode starting as Baby Billy is waterskiing naked, looking like he's having the time of his life.
That's our introduction to Galilee Gulch, the Gemstone family's lake house, with the Gemstones and the Milsap set to have some fun together.
But this isn't just a family and friends lake house visit. Jesse (Danny McBridge), Judy (Edi Patterson) and Kelvin (Adam Devine) are hoping when Eli (John Goodman) gets to the house, which he hasn't been to since Aimee-Leigh's (Jennifer Nettles) death, it will "throw him off his game," ending his relationship with Lori (Megan Mullally).
Corey (Seann William Scott) isn't as upset about Eli and Lori hooking up anymore, telling Jesse that he thought his mom was still dating "Big Dick Mitch," the car salesman at the Mercedes-Benz dealership, and Eli seems like a better fit for his mom, who's been unlucky in love. It doesn't take long for the Gemstone kids to bring that up more publicly, but it actually brings Eli and Lori closer together, officially "going steady."
Meanwhile for BJ he's facing the harsh reality that the Gemstone vacation home is not accessible, now that he's in a wheelchair. Unlike what we've seen in the series so far, BJ is at a place where he's particularly upset and cynical, trying to cope with his injury. But even a bowl full of pool snacks that aren't to his liking will make him angry.
"A completely different dimension that I got to live in [with] the character, ... specifically when he's throwing the snacks and he's mad. That was kind of ... the angriest that he'd been in the whole series," Tim Baltz said. "And I found that was very interesting to have him reach a certain breaking point and go past it."
"And the reactions that everyone had to him all of a sudden being angry, where he's been very restrained for all these years, [it] was very fun to explore that."
So how do the Gemstone kids make Eli and Lori as uncomfortable as possible? Of course, they turn to song, singing a little tune they titled "Mama's Here."
"Mama always loved her daughter and didn't want anyone else in the house that daddy loved more than her," Judy sings.
"She's watching everyone in the room, seeing the choices other have made and wondering, 'Why?'" Jesse sings in the next line.
When they finish, Lori says she liked the song, as she scratches her cheek with her middle finger facing Jesse, Judy and Kelvin.
But Judy has had it with Lori and she says it's time to "turn a bitch out."
It's an evolution in how Judy tries to get Lori to leave. First she's flirty, then she tries to write Lori a blank cheque for $500,000, and then that escalates to Judy trying to set up a scenario where Lori is inappropriately touching her. But Lori sees right through it. She says that's how Judy acted when her mom got sick, and now it's because of BJ's injury.
This is such a phenomenal scene, with both actors being absolutely exceptional, hysterical, but also giving us a pretty sad moment for Judy.
"It's a rollercoaster ride of emotions and actions, and it's pretty crazy and wild," Edi Patterson said about this scene. "And it was really exciting to do it because we started filming it, and we started kind of feeling it, and Danny directed that episode. And I don't know if this is what he had envisioned initially, or if this happened in the moment, ... he decided to do it all with a Steadicam and just kind of follow us."
"It's one action-filled moment. We weren't doing cuts within that. And I think that fed it so much and just made it feel like a real, very awkward and weird moment. And then I feel like, at the end, it gets so genuinely sad. ... That's one of my favourite scenes that I did this season, and it was just a blast."
After those failed attempts at intimidation, Kelvin and Keefe tuck into bed, but Keefe can see that Kelvin is particularly upset. When Keefe asks if there's anything he can do, Kelvin responds by saying, "not unless you can bring my momma back from the dead."
Be careful what you wish for. Because the lake house is still filled with Aimee-Leigh's clothes and accessories, like her signature glasses. And Keefe decides to dress like Aimee-Leigh, sneak into Eli's bedroom, where he's sleeping with Lori, and pretend to be Aimee-Leigh's ghost, telling him to break up with Lori. And then he starts singing "Misbehavin."
When Eli and Lori wake up they scream, Keefe runs out, but he's faced with Baby Billy and Tiffany's nanny for their two kids, Sola, who starts beating up Keefe.
"It honestly makes me want to cry. When you open up a script and you get a gift like that, coming from a sketch comedy background, I'm just like, 'Oh my God,'" Tony Cavalero said. "I remember, literally, I think I screamed into the other room to my wife like, 'I'm going to be dressed up and I basically assault John Goodman!'"
Eli is sick and tired of his kids trying to run Lori out of his life, getting angrier than we've ever seen him. Even telling Jesse's wife Amber (Cassidy Freeman) to "shut the f**k up."
"When the stakes get higher, the lines get crossed even further," Cassidy Freeman said about that moment. "Think of how many times we had to film it and how many times I had to take that in."
"He finally treated me like one of his children. So I think even in the moment, she was surprised, I think she went home and was kind of stoked. I've arrived."
In all honesty, Eli is having trouble separating himself from his old memories with Aimee-Leigh and his kids at the lake house, but it's time for the trip to come to an end.
As Jesse, Kelvin and Keefe are getting ready to leave, Jesse says they need to apologize to their dad, with Judy saying they'll never be able to stop Eli from leaving their mom's memory behind if they're in a fight.
With the Gemstone kids walking to his room, feeling proud of themselves for deciding to apologize, Judy opens the door and they see Eli and Lori 69-ing. Naturally, that sends Jesse, Judy and Kelvin running out disgusted.
When Eli leaves the room, he tells his kids he'll never forget about their mother (as he picks a strand of pubic hair from his teeth). But then Judy says, "Daddy. Your dick is leaking pre-cum and it's leaving a spot on your pants," with Jesse, Judy and Kelvin yelling, "daddy came!"
Now the Gemstone kids are even more disgusted. And we reach the end of the episode with no resolution to this conflict.
