During my senior year of high school, my mom and I were looking for a new show to binge-watch together. You see, my mom and my’s favorite thing to do together is find a show to watch and talk about it together. We had just finished watching seasons one and two of Yellowjackets and loved that series. We had no idea what to watch next and had been in a slump until a family friend had recommended The Righteous Gemstones. So, we decided to give it a try… and it became one of my favorite shows ever. Recently, I started rewatching The Righteous Gemstones since HBO started releasing weekly episodes of the fourth (and final) season. Currently, I’m almost done season three after binge-watching the entirety of season two last Tuesday; if that doesn’t tell you anything about how good this show is, I don’t know what else will.
The Righteous Gemstones is about a world-known televangelist family that lives quite the comfortable lifestyle (especially for a preacher’s family). The show follows the Gemstones as they navigate life. The father, Eli, is the head of their church. His adult children, Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin, prepare to fill in their father’s shows as he starts to head into retirement. However, the Gemstone family isn’t as holy as the present themselves as. Each season, the Gemstones face a new threat to the dynasty they’ve made for themselves.
I love The Righteous Gemstones for a multitude of reasons. First, it’s absolutely hilarious. There are moments when I’ll be watching an episode and I physically can’t stop laughing because of a scene. I swear my roommate must be so annoyed with me because of how much I’ve laughed watching The Righteous Gemstones. Danny McBride and Walton Goggins add most of the comedy element, in my opinion. Although a lot of the humor is raunchy, I find myself laughing at every single one. Another reason I love this show is because of how it displays dysfunctional family dynamics. The writers perfectly captured how competitive siblings are, how family arguments can quickly escalate in a dysfunctional family. I also love how the writers aren’t afraid to explore LGBTQIA+ relationships with major characters, especially when it’s looked down upon in many religious families.
My last reason for loving The Righteous Gemstones as much as I do is because of the main characters. I know this kind of seems like a boring last reason (and a long one), but the main reason I keep watching is because of them. Not only can they be relatable at times, but they add so much humor and joy to the show that makes it easy to click the “Next Episode” button. Every time Jesse makes a joke, I find myself laughing harder than I’ve laughed in awhile. Every time Judy and Kelvin try to prove themselves as worthy and showcase their talents, I see myself in them and have realized they’re my comfort characters. Every character in The Righteous Gemstones has a certain pizzazz to them that makes them unique and more enjoyable to watch.
Now that you’ve read my reasons for watching The Righteous Gemstones, I hope you’re convinced to give this show a try. With four seasons and only nine episodes every season, it’s pretty easy to binge-watch if you’re looking for a new show to watch. Even if it doesn’t seem like your cup of tea, there’s elements in this show that cater to everyone. If you’re a fan of comedy, you’ll love this show. If drama shows are more your thing, you’ll also love this show. Although this show isn’t as popular as some of HBO’s other big hits such as The White Lotus and The Last of Us, it’s certainly one of HBO’s hidden gems. Hopefully I’ve convinced you to find your new favorite show in The Righteous Gemstones.