This week on The Righteous Gemstones, the family seemed to move closer together which means something bad is about to happen.
Honestly, this is the part of the story where things seem to be moving in the right direction for everyone involved and that can’t end well. Honestly, the episode set up everything perfectly so that the last scene felt more ominous than it would otherwise.
First of all, the entire storyline with the blackmailer Scotty (Scott MacArthur) and Gideon (Skyler Gisondo) working together seemed to slip away from the bad guys this week. Jesse (Danny McBride) learned that there was no tape to use for extortion and then the episode took it one step further.
Jesse and Gideon shared a moment where they admitted they liked each other and then the entire family took photographs and then played games together at night. This was the first time that Jesse and his family seemed happy and even Gideon was smiling and seemed happy.
Sadly, Gideon can’t seem to escape Scotty and that is where everything looks like it will break down in the next episode as he infiltrates the Gemstone’s estate.
The other part of the story this week involved Judy (Edi Patterson), who still seems to be the same spoiled little brat that she was as a child. However, as an adult, it is obvious that she just wants acceptance and to feel like she is a part of the Gemstone family.
That made the moment that Baby Billy (Walton Goggins) invited her to perform with him at the Wednesday night service so great. She looked like she finally had someone say they wanted her to do something important.
The best part came when Eli (John Goodman) confronted Baby Billy and made a veiled threat. However, when Eli attended the service and saw Baby Billy and Judy singing and dancing to the same song that Billy did with Aimee Leigh so many years ago, it brought a smile to his face.
This can’t last. A scene early on with Rev. Seasons (Dermot Mulroney) shows he is not quite finished with the Gemstones, and one wonders if he will cause more problems, ruining the breakthrough that Eli and Judy might be on the verge of making.
Overall, this was a perfect episode of The Righteous Gemstones at this point of the season, giving what has to be a false look at hope while planting the seeds that something very bad is about to come roaring down the path to blow up the entire family.
The Righteous Gemstones airs on Sundays at 10/9c on HBO.