HBO's The Righteous Gemstones - Episode 1.08 "But the Righteous Will See Their Fall"
Jesse deals with the fallout of the dramatic events of Easter Sunday. Judy attempts to win back BJ after receiving some harsh words from Baby Billy. Kelvin has a crisis of faith.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of HBO's The Righteous Gemstones.
"But the Righteous Will See Their Fall" was written by Danny McBride, Kevin Barnett & Chris Pappas and directed by David Gordon Green
Baby Billy doesn't care that Gemstone Ministries has just been robbed or that his wife Tiffany has just shot a man to death. Instead, he believes he's gotten exactly what he has long deserved when a van full of millions of dollars crashes into him. This is the treasure he has long sought out. His efforts over the years have finally paid off. He no longer needs anyone from this family. He can simply run off with no remorse whatsoever. He is very selfish in that regard. It's a character note Walton Goggins delights in playing. Baby Billy is so narcissistic. He only cares about how any particular action can give him pleasure. He's been exploiting Judy. As such, his rejection of her leads to a major implosion on her part. She was volatile before Baby Billy propped her up as someone of genuine beauty and talent. Once he takes that away from her though, she lashes out in glorious fashion. She may truly care about BJ. However, she has been so horrible to him throughout their relationship. It's understandable why he would want to take a break from her. He has endured so much because she believes she constantly has to be tough and demeaning. That's the way she was raised along with brothers who constantly picked on her. She had to push back just as hard. She doesn't have that vulnerable side. When she wants to express herself in that way, she instead lashes out at the vehicle driven by the person she instantly wants to blame for her misfortune. Judy is responsible for the destruction in her life. She once again has to rely on her father to bail her out of prison. That's his responsibility at the moment. He sees himself as a failure who has created monstrous and selfish children. Again, these impulses aren't new. They have defined this family for a long time. Eli could see it clearly when it came to Baby Billy. He knew that his brother-in-law was always looking for some angle in order to con and exploit people out of their money. Of course, the church is the exact same way. They profess this as the only proper way to pray and believe in God. Right now though, the church is under attack. Eli doesn't believe he can involve the police because he knows that will only invite more suspicion into this business. He doesn't want that. On some level, he must understand just how shady all of this can be. And yet, he believes it's all justified because of the good work he is spreading throughout the world. He is corrupt though. He enjoys this lavish lifestyle that has stunted the emotional growth of his children. He now thinks it's all because he lost the love of his life. He doesn't know how to do any of this without Aimee-Leigh by his side. But again, this family has had problems for a long time. Kelvin feels it's his responsibility to console his father and come across as the loyal and pious son during this time of uncertainty. The church has been robbed. Scandal is on the verge of coming out. Kelvin believes it's a burden he must carry alone. He is willing to do so in service of his family and the church. Meanwhile, Jesse is of the mindset that he has to come clean about his misdeeds in order to be fully forgiven. He believes all he has to do is share the evidence. To him, it's not possible that anyone would react harshly to this news. And yet, the wives are completely justified in their vitriol towards their husbands. The men are the ones who ruined this sacred bond between them. That means Jesse closes the episode getting shot in the ass while Amber pushes Gideon away without knowing the full story. Gideon may ultimately be better off without his family's influence. Eli can't believe his own grandson would go against the church in this way. However, it all shows just how hypocritical the entire family can be. Forgiveness may come because of outward pressure. But these personal dynamics are only going to explode forever as the future grows more complicated.
