As the storm unleashes its fury at the onset of this week's episode of "The Righteous Gemstones," prompting a poignant Keefe monologue about the devil's "malevolent rainfall," a scene unfolds that demands its own reflective space. The storm's aftermath reveals Kelvin's cherished childhood treehouse in such disrepair that the Gemstones' esteemed groundskeeper has commenced its demolition. Kelvin, moved by an impulse of nostalgia and defiance, halts the workers and later ventures to the treehouse with Keefe. Amidst melancholic reflections, Kelvin bemoans the harsh whims of fate ("We are but helpless pawns in life's unpredictable chess game."), recalling that this secret place had been a haven from his childhood troubles. "sanctuary This once made me feel invincible," he muses, oblivious to its precarious state on the brink of collapse. In literature terms, this serves as a poignant metaphor.
The fourth and final season of "The Righteous Gemstones" hints at the impending demise of this quintessentially American dynasty, mirroring the sorry plight of Kelvin's treehouse. Much like Kelvin, the Gemstone offspring remain blissfully unaware of their crumbling inheritance, clinging to a once-grand mansion whose foundations are eroding. Denial, a potent religious crutch and a deep-seated human instinct, continues to cloud their judgment. Despite attempts to shore up dwindling finances with money-spinning Telethons or flashy ventures like Prism and the Prayer Pods, the family's financial stability remains tenuous. Eli's withdrawal from pastoral duties and the absence of anyone with the charisma, intellect, or acumen to counteract threats like Vance Simkins suggest a gradual disintegration of their congregation. The once-holy temple risks becoming a mere "squirt yurt."
Admittedly, the Gemstones have navigated treacherous waters before — a metaphor now literally embodied by Jesse's fleeting masturbation huts — and divine intervention has bailed them out in past seasons. Yet, the accumulation of costly debacles, such as the Prayer Pods, poses a formidable challenge. Eli's solemn gravitas during the Aimee-Leigh Telethon served as a stark reminder that their offspring might not sustain the flock with mere flashy spectacle for much longer. The looming specter of Simkins is particularly ominous, akin to a shark sensing impending chaos. His benevolent comparison of his strip mall operations adjacent to Gemstone ministries to opening a Burger King beside a McDonald's is disingenuous. In truth, Simkins aims to emulate Daniel Day-Lewis's character in "There Will Be Blood," relishing the opportunity to devour Jesse's Shamrock shake and usurp his throne.
A faint spark of trouble looms on the horizon in the form of Prism, a tale of triumph that may harbinger future disasters. As Kelvin basks in the radiant glow of being nominated as a Top Christ-Following Man of the Year for his courageous efforts in "centering individuals often marginalized by society," the Gemstone family might be overlooking the perpetrators of this marginalization within society.
During a gathering of The Cape and Pistol Society, where Jesse's mastery of neither pistol nor cape is on full display, Simkins targets Kelvin's endeavors. Initially, it's a mocking aimed at Jesse ("I suppose your homosexual brother is the Gemstone with the clout these days"), but later, when mentioning BJ's pole-dancing mishap, it morphs into a mocking taunt aimed at the Gemstones as a family perceived as queer. As usual, Jesse remains oblivious to the underlying bigotry, puffed up with pride. However, it's captivating to observe how deeply-ingrained prejudice might shape the Gemstones' future.
This week, the show introduces Seann William Scott as Lori's son, Corey Milsap, and Arden Myrin as his wife, Jana, who forces a nervous laugh as the Gemstone siblings mercilessly tease each other for sport. At a cookout, the humiliation of Jesse's Prayer Pods, rejected by malls and airports as solemn havens for public masturbation, dominates the conversation. "Our buddy here even stocked them with lotion," Judy quips, hinting at Jesse's embrace of the pods' unintended purpose. Yet, Corey falters at the art of teasing. Telling Jana her dress is "fucking dumb" lacks humor, and neither does his observation about Eli's hickey. At least, it wouldn't have been funny if Eli's children hadn't already found the notion of their dad hooking up hilarious. Even when Corey, Jana, and the Gemstone kids catch Eli and Lori seemingly affectionate on the driveway, Judy snarks, "Just imagine sweet Miss Lori, you know, nude in her bathroom, splashing on CK One to get pounded by Eli's big, old, floppy dad-dick."
Indeed, Miss Lori has been pounded, and the announcement of their union during the weekly Gemstone lunch at Jason's Steakhouse is met with anything but enthusiasm. Corey condemns his mother and storms out, while the Gemstone kids retreat to the freezer at Jason's to hash things out. In a show where most laughter stems from salty dialogue or grand visual spectacles, it's noteworthy that perhaps the funniest scene of the entire episode is Kelvin listening intently to his father's emotional pleas, his glasses still fogged up from the freezer. Though horrified by the idea of Eli finding another woman, and especially a family friend, they feel sympathy for his confessions of loneliness and appear willing to give him a chance. Jesse apologizes for calling him a "slut." They are a family that forgives as freely as they sin.
"No matter what," Jesse declares in the sermon that concludes the show, "we never turn our back on family. That is our Gemstone commitment to you." The lingering question remains: Will this commitment be returned in kind?
