17-03-2025
'The Righteous Gemstones' Season 4, Episode 2 recap: Welcome Megan Mullally and the romance we've waited for
The Righteous Gemstones Season 4 premiered with a surprising flashback episode, a phenomenal welcome back with Bradley Cooper playing the crook, Elijah Gemstone, during the U.S. Civil War. But now it's time to get back to our present day story of the Gemstone family, with Eli (John Goodman) living the retiree life in Florida, while Baby Billy Freeman (Walton Goggins) is organizing a show to celebrate his late sister, Eli's wife, Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles).
This week's episode also introduced us to a new character, Lori Milsap, played by Megan Mullally. Lori was Aimee-Leigh's best friend, and even though she's lost touch with the Gemstones, she's still beloved by the family when she reappears in their lives.
SPOILERS FOR THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES SEASON 4, EPISODE 2 INCLUDED BEYOND THIS POINT
While Righteous Gemstones has featured race cars and monster trucks, we're moving on to jet-packs in Season 4, Episode 2, titled "You Hurled Me Into the Depths, Into the Very Heart of the Seas."
Jesse (Danny McBride), Judy (Edi Patterson) and Kelvin (Adam Devine) are dressed like angels, rehearsing for the Aimee-Leigh Birthday Celebration Give-A-Thon, "raising money" and "lifting spirits," organized by their uncle Baby Billy.
For the big finale, the idea is that all three of Aimee-Leigh's kids rise up with jet-packs, but there is a malfunction, which sends Jesse flying forward and then spinning in circles on the ground. Kelvin shoots up in the air and into a screen showing pictures of his late mother, and Judy flies back into the choir.
In addition to Baby Billy needing his nephews and niece to learn how to use the jet-packs, he's also concerned because Eli is nowhere to be found, and won't answer calls from his kids.
Fans of Righteous Gemstones will remember Baby Billy's nude introduction in Season 1, Episode 3, but for the last season of the show we're back to full-frontal nudity for Goggins' character, with Baby Billy taking off his pants as he's talking to Judy, Jesse and Kelvin about the Give-A-Thon.
"This is what a f**king man looks like. This is how I roll, balls out and claws out," Baby Billy says, a his niece and nephews look away with disgust. "People in this family need to recognize which side of the bread's got butter on it.'
"We didn't have to pay for as many pairs of pants this year, but you know what? We spent that money on importing some of the finest elderly penises we could to double for Walton," the show's star and creator, Danny McBride told, reporters ahead of the show's release. "Walton would not show his junk, which I respected, so we had to put out an international casting call to find the biggest and the best."
Form there we head to the Florida Keys, with a long-haired Eli waking up on a boat and making eggs for a women who spent the night.
"Just thought I'd get you on your way with some sunny sides," Eli tells her, before saying that while he's had fun, he's not interested in anything more serious, eventually just flat out saying, "I don't like you. Sorry." And she storms off the boat, much to Eli's excitement.
Wearing a robe, smoking a cigar, letting his long hair flow in the wind, it looks like Eli is having a great time without the responsibilities of the church. But he gets a reality check when he kids interrupt his fishing time.
Judy, Jesse and Kelvin are disgusted by his appearance, the amount of alcohol on the boat and the pink bra they find, which Eli says he uses for bait. A satisfactory answer for his kids, who think it's impossible for their dad to be romantic with anyone after their mother's death.
"All your d**k juices are gone because mama got 'em in a jar up in heaven," Judy says.
While Eli said he's not going to the Give-A-Thon, his kids aren't having it. So what makes him change his mind? Hearing Jesse, Judy and Kelvin repeatedly say "pussy."
While Eli may have stepped away from church responsibilities, Kelvin and Jesse, in particular, are trying to be more successful.
Righteous Gemstones Season 4 has now given us the moment we've all been waiting for, Kelvin and Keefe (Tony Cavalero) are officially a couple, and they've started Prism.
"Maybe the Bible of ancient times doesn't work for us anymore," Kelvin says to his Prism members. "As modern young adults, we see the world different than older, lamer generations. We're more open, understanding, and accepting. And let's face it, some of the stuff in the Bible is not."
"Let's get rid of that yucky stuff and focus on the good stuff," Keefe adds, before Kelvin pulls out a copy of the Kelvin Gemstone-edition Bible.
But while they're a successful couple, Keefe asks Kelvin if they can maybe be more affectionate in public, maybe even get married, but Kelvin maintains that they're so successful because they keep their relationship "right down the mids." Meaning, leaving their romantic relationship up for interpretation, for some.
"We're like the Ross and Rachel," Tony Cavalero and Adam Devine told reporters.
"We sort of knew at the end of last season that we were going to go this direction, but it could have went a lot of different ways," Devine added. "I was very happy that Danny landed on us finally being together and being open and out in the church, and leading Prism, which was our sect of the church that is very inclusive in bringing everyone into the fold."
While Kelvin is more successful than ever, Jesse has his own idea that he thinks will be his next big hit, Prayer Pods. They look like photo booths, but they are spaces to watch Gemstone content, like exclusive sermons, quick prayers, "Baby Billy's Bible Bonkers," Gemstones on digital demand, and of course, it has a donation button.
But so far they're not rolling out as quickly as Jesse hoped, particularly after putting them in airports didn't work out.
Ponitus ( Kelton DuMont) is also back with the family after flunking out of the Citadel for, as Jesse describes, making viral videos with his friends sticking firecrackers up their a**holes.
"He came back worse and now he knows how to kill people," Jesse says about Pontius' return home.
"It is a good skill to have if you're judicious," his wife Amber (Cassidy Freeman) says in response, adding that maybe Jesse should be more supporting of their son.
While Pontius spends most of his time skateboarding outside the Gemstone church, Gideon (Skyler Gisondo) is trying to follow in his dad and grandfather's footsteps. But he's struggling with his preaching, and his first solo sermon doesn't go very well, getting completely flustered.
Jesse also starts to feel threatened by his father, because Gideon isn't seeking much advice from him, but he sees Eli as a "mentor figure."
Then we're back to the Give-A-Thon, with Baby Billy bringing on Aimee-Leigh's best friend Lori Milsap to sing at the event, which makes Judy, Jesse and Kelvin absolutely giddy. But Eli's kids are quick to point out that their father's cheeks are getting red as he gives Lori a hug, and Eli and Lori bond over missing Aimee-Leigh.
When when it's time for big show, Eli does in fact come out on stage with his kids, and speaks about how much Aimee-Leigh loved everyone at the church, with the phones ringing off the hook with donations.
After Lori performs, she shares a flirty moment with Eli in his dressing room, which ends in a handshake goodbye. But that's not enough for Eli. He runs out to the parking lot as Lori heads to her car and kisses her, and she kisses him right back.
The episode ends with the kiss, and Jesse flying high with his jet-pack.
