By Sarah Osman

The fourth and final season of Danny McBride’s demented comedy comes to a satisfying conclusion.

Uncle Baby Billy (Walton Goggins) hosting “Uncle Baby Billy’s Bible Bonkers”. Photo: HBO

Danny McBride’s trio of deranged comedies, Eastbound & Down, Vice Principals, and The Righteous Gemstones, all examine facets of American culture. Eastbound & Down dissected how fleeting fame is as it critiqued toxic masculinity; Vice Principals delved into how convoluted the education system can be (and, as a teacher, I can testify to how eerily accurate it was); and The Righteous Gemstones analyzes the evangelical faith and the people behind the “megachurch.” All three shows are filled with gallows humor and outrageous moments. But what really makes McBride’s shows work so well dramatically is the complexity of their characters. Yes, these people do despicable things but, at the same time, they are vulnerable, often aching for love and acceptance. And, as the fourth and final season of The Righteous Gemstones winds down, McBride’s brilliance shines, not just his talent as an actor, but as the creative force behind a thoughtful meditation on grief, family, and forgiveness.

When we last left the notorious Gemstones, a televangelical family who own a megachurch in South Carolina, all seemed well. They had reunited with their cousins and celebrated the get-together by climbing into their monster truck (aptly named “The Redeemer”) and smashing stuff. After a rather unusual season premiere, the narrative focuses back on the clan, some of whom are doing better than others. Patriarch Eli (John Goodman) is living out his best The Beach Bum fantasy in the Florida Keys; Kelvin (Adam DeVine) and his now-boyfriend, Keefe (Tony Cavalero), are running a new LGBTQ+ friendly church; BJ (Tim Baltz) is taking pole dancing classes, which his wife Judy (Edi Patterson) loves, and Jesse (Danny McBride) and his wife have created “prayer pods,” akin to lactation pods but for prayer. And, of course, Uncle Baby Billy (Walton Goggins) is now hosting “Uncle Baby Billy’s Bible Bonkers”; he is also pitching a new series about teen Jesus, aptly named “Teenjus”. This is the kind of insanity we have come to know and love from the Gemstones.

This season, Megan Mullally and Seann William Scott join the cast in what may be their most normal roles yet. Mullally plays Lori, the best friend of late matriarch Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles), while Scott plays her son, who adores the Gemstones (warts and all). He thinks of them as his de facto siblings. Considering that both Mullally and Scott are usually cast as nutballs, it’s surprising to see them in such subdued roles, especially Mullally as the soft, gentle Lori. Still, though they are not as boisterous as the Gemstones, Mullally and Scott easily fit into the show’s mythos — they add a breath of fresh air to the customary cacophony.

No spoilers here about the fourth and final season. I can say that, once again, Goggins steals every scene he’s in. He parades around in the buff and is determined to make “Teenjus” a success, no matter how absurd the idea is. Goggins infuses a nuanced bitterness into Baby Billy; the character is still hilarious, but there are suggestions he is not a very happy person. As fun as Uncle Baby Billy is, he has indulged in questionable behavior throughout the series. In the hands of a lesser actor and with weaker scripts, Uncle Baby Billy wouldn’t be delightfully dastardly as he is — he’d just be despicable.

New questions are delved into this season. One of the most poignant is the matter of homosexuality in the church. Kelvin is now thriving, but he’s still shunned — not by his family, but by persistent homophobia. Another is the question of finding love later in life — and how that impacts your family.

So, even though the Gemstones still misbehave and continually hurl insults at each other, they do love one another. Their weird affection for each other stands at the heart of the series. It is sad to see the Gemstones pack up their Bibles and leave the HBO pulpit, but I look forward to whatever American topic McBride decides to examine next.

Sarah Mina Osman is based in Los Angeles. In addition to the Arts Fuse, her writing can be found in Huffington Post, Success Magazine, Matador Network, HelloGiggles, Business Insider, and WatchMojo. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and is working on her first novel. She has a deep appreciation for sloths and tacos. You can keep up with her on Instagram @SarahMinaOsman and at Bluesky @sarahminaosman.bsky.social.