The Righteous Gemstones – 5 Facts About HBO’s Tale of the Successful Family Megachurch 

Quick Facts

Net WorthNot Known
SalaryNot Known
HeightNot Known
Date of BirthNot Known
ProfessionShowbiz and TV

The Righteous Gemstones is an HBO comedy series that hopes to tackles hypocrisy among televangelists and in megachurches. It is another collaboration with the network after his series Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals. He co-wrote the series with his frequent collaborators, Jody Hill and David Gordon Green, all of who also serves as executive producers and directors. McBride also stars in the series as Jesse Gemstone.

The TV series revolves around a dysfunctional televangelist family, one fueled by power rather than by faith. Each member of the family has a secret sin of their own and though they preach righteousness, they do so for profit. Led by Eli Gemstone, the series depicts the family as one with a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work, typical of today’s church McBride hopes to mirror. Other than highlighting just hypocrisy in religion, the series also shed light on other societal issues like motherhood, gender inequality, as well as drugs.

The Righteous Gemstones – 5 Facts about HBO’s Tale of the Successful Family Megachurch

1) All the Season 1 Episodes Titles Provides Hints about the Events within, Using a Fitting Biblical Verse

The series was ordered by HBO in October 2018 with a 9-episode pickup. It premiered on the 18th of August 2019. All nine episodes were written or co-written by Danny McBride. Each episode title in the season foreshadows what to expect as one goes in, mostly with a bible verse. McBride goes all the way out to take us to church with his new series.

The episodes are titled as follows: The Righteous Gemstones, They are Weak but He Is Strong, Wicked Lips, Interlude, Now the Sons of Eli Were Worthless Men, And Yet One of You Is a Devil, But the Righteous Will See Their Fall, and the season finale, Better Is the End of a Thing Than Its Beginning.

2) It has Already been Ordered for a Second Season

Righteous Gemstones will be coming back for a second season. HBO ordered the comedy series for a second season on September 9, 2019, less than a month after it premiered. With the crescendo slowly building up from the last episodes, it wouldn’t be surprising if we are left with a tantalizing cliffhanger going into season 2.

The series creator, McBride said that he intends the series to run longer than anything he has done before including Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals. He sees the first season as chapter one, an introduction to what would supposedly become an epic. Here’s to more memorable The Righteous Gemstones seasons.

3) Righteous Gemstones Assembles a Rich Cast

With a dysfunctional family of greedy televangelists led by the patriarch, Eli Gemstone () at the center of the show, Righteous Gemstones rounds an impressive cast. Joining him is the rest of the Gemstone dynasty; Danny McBride as Jesse Gemstone, Edi Patterson as Judy, as youth pastor Kelvin, in the role of Jesse’s wife Amber, portrays Jesse’s son, Gideon and Jennifer Nettles as Eli’s late wife, Aimee-Leigh.

Other notable casts include Rev. John Wesley Seasons (), ex-Satanist saved by Kelvin, Keefe Chambers (Tony Cavalero), Eli’s estranged brother-in-law “Baby” Billy Freeman (), Judy’s fiance BJ (Tim Baltz), and Martin Imari (Greg Alan Williams).

In future seasons, McBride hopes to introduce us to every other person in the Gemstone family, including cousins, great uncles, among others. That means more amazing cast on the way.

4) The Storyline May Not Be Based on a True Story but It Comes From a Real Place

In The Righteous Gemstones, Danny McBride creates a world where extreme wealth is lampooned by extreme behavior. The series is not based on any specific family or church in mind rather, it draws inspiration from various modern megachurches. Thus, you may find bits and pieces of reality sprinkled throughout the series. The actor cum creator claims that today’s televangelists with their multimillion churches, private jets, and exquisite lifestyles inspired him to create the series.

With the family megachurch tale, McBride hopes to tackle rich, hypocritical televangelists, but with the least intention of lampooning them. Coming from a very religious background with relatives who still attend or are church ministers, he hopes that with The Righteous Gemstones, he has made something anyone, including the religious ones, can still enjoy.

5) The Righteous Gemstones Boast of Some of the Memorable Quotes in TV History

Though still in its first season, the comedy series already has a slew of memorable quotes that will leave you rolling in laughter, and thoughtful at the same time. Jesse, who thrives as an instigator is always handy to deliver, whether he is criticizing his brother or bragging about his accomplishment. Here are some of them:

  • “Everybody in your line keeps getting water up their nose — nobody’s coughing [in my line]. You’re dipping them back too far.”
  • “Come on, don’t get your panties in a bunch, sis. Flying around on private planes, being leaders. That’s men’s business.”
  • “You see, a foe can plan your destruction, but only a loved one can break your heart.”
  • “Don’t take glee in it. I’m being blackmailed!”
  • Your past as a Satan worshipper was washed away when you accepted Jesus Christ, Our Savior, into your life.”
  • “Well, Land of the Rising Sun is Japan. That would’ve been awesome”
  • “I know I shouldn’t feel self-conscious about my nose, but I am.”
  • “Listen to what God wants. Are you listening?”
  • ” Remember when we were kids and we wanted to be Double Dragons?”

Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.