Critic’s Rating: 4.15 / 5.0
4.15
After feeling a little short-changed about excluding characters we’ve grown to love from The Righteous Gemstones Season 4 Episode 1, the follow-up made up for it in a big way.
The Righteous Gemstones Season 4 Episode 2 re-introduced everyone and kicked off the final arcs for the Gemstones in their orbit.
I’m going to be honest: I’ll miss every one of these characters because they bring this beautiful, chaotic energy into the narrative.
(Jake Giles Netter/HBO )
The series doesn’t take itself seriously — at all. It allows the characters to have a lot of fun, culminating in a show that is as close to perfect as we’re going to get.
We’ll start with Eli because his storyline was the most changed between seasons as he embraced retirement and headed off to the high seas in Florida on a boat that didn’t look befitting of someone of his status.
(Jake Giles Netter/HBO )
Eli’s life has found him in front of the media for decades, meaning that his every move was open to scrutiny.
If anything, he knows the pitfalls of making the wrong moves and how they can negatively affect the family’s perception in the media.
Aimee-Leigh’s Death Changed The Righteous Gemstones
Since Aimee-Leigh’s death, his time had mostly been taken up by keeping their less-than-spectacular children in line.
It would weigh down anyone, but he understands that time is more precious than ever at his age. As a result, his newfound aim is to find happiness, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
(Connie Chornuk/HBO )
His kids showing up to derail his happiness like a group of Pokemon villains wasn’t on my bingo card, but it was a feast for the eyes, showcasing what the season premiere was sorely missing.
In the past, Eli has cut the trio off but always relented to get some peace in his life, so it wasn’t too surprising that they managed to get him to attend their mother’s memorial telethon by yelling “p—y” at him.
Sometimes in life, you find peace by letting some things slide, and boy, there would have been questions from the church’s people if he hadn’t attended such a pivotal event.
Aimee-Leigh was adored by her family and the church, and it was a fantastic event to allow everyone to understand that even in death, she remains close to their hearts.
(Connie Chornuk/HBO )
The big problem is that Eli will struggle to move on with someone else because he’s so widely associated with Aimee-Leigh’s husband.
From the moment Megan Mullally’s Lori Milsap arrived on-screen earlier in the episode, it was apparent there was a spark between her and Eli.
Is Eli Really Headed for a Final-Season Romance?
I spent the bulk of their scenes analyzing their body language and the words they said because everything indicated that something had happened between them or they had refrained from acting on their feelings before.
Lori has been MIA from the family and the church for years, so are we to assume that Eli got rid of her, or she took a self-imposed exile?
(Connie Chornuk/HBO )
There’s so much we don’t know about this woman or her place in this universe, and I’m intrigued to find out every little answer.
Eli running after Lori and kissing her in the parking lot showcased that he’s done caring what other people think, but I can’t shake the feeling that Lori will blossom into the final season’s villain.
Has someone in the church wronged her, and she’s returned to take what she believes to be hers?
Only time will tell, but this is a fascinating new role for Megan to sink her teeth into, one that feels tonally different from any she’s played before.
(Connie Chornuk/HBO )
I can’t be the only one who thought Jesse would burst through the church ceiling on his jet pack and get a glance of his dad and mom’s best friend locking lips.
But this show likes to play with viewer expectations, and his decision to go higher indicates that he’ll again disagree with Kelvin and Judy about their place in the family.
The siblings have had their squabbles in the past, but they were seemingly unified last season when they agreed to be equals, so there’s no telling where things will go for them if Jesse does try to take a much bigger piece of the church pie.
Will Pontious Betray His Family?
This brings me to Pontious, poised to be the biggest instigator of The Righteous Gemstones Season 4.
(Jake Giles Netter/HBO )
He doesn’t like rules and doesn’t care about the family, regularly ridiculing them whenever he gets the opportunity.
All signs point to him betraying the family in order to escape from them and earn some money for himself.
The final season ending with one of Jesse’s kids betraying the church would be quite the throwback to Gideon pulling a similar move on the series premiere.
Over to you, The Righteous Gemstones Fanatics!
(Jake Giles Netter/HBO )
What are your thoughts on Lori’s arrival?
Do you think she and Eli have a history, or have they waited all this time to start something?
What’s your take on Jesse searching for more power?
Do you think I’m right about Pontious?
Hit the comments below.
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