The Righteous Gemstones is back with its fourth and final season, bringing more drama and comedy. The first episode of Danny McBride’s popular show is finally here, and fans are excited to see what happens next. It has been nearly two years since viewers last saw the extravagant megachurch family on screen.
Season 3 gave fans a deeper look at the characters, especially siblings Jesse (Danny McBride), Judy (Edi Patterson), and Kelvin (Adam DeVine). With their father, Eli (John Goodman), stepping back from leading the church, the Gemstone siblings had to learn to work together.
Season 3 introduced new challenges, relationships, and conflicts, including a reconciliation with their long-estranged relatives, the Montgomery family. From wild monster truck moments to a Bible-themed game show, the previous season delivered unforgettable scenes. Here are the major moments that shaped Season 3 and set the stage for the upcoming final season.
Also Read: The Righteous Gemstones Season 3 Release Date & Everything We Know
Jesse Struggles as a Leader After Eli Steps Back
As the oldest of the Gemstone siblings, Jesse naturally takes charge when Eli steps away from leadership. However, he struggles to gain respect and often argues with Judy and Kelvin over who should be in control. Without Eli’s presence, the church’s influence begins to fade.
Dusty Daniels (Shea Wigham), a professional race car driver and a major financial backer, removes the Gemstones from his will and joins their rivals, the Simkins family.
The ministers at the church do not trust Jesse and his siblings as leaders. Jesse takes out his frustration on his family. He scolds his wife, Amber (Cassidy Freeman), for focusing too much on marketing her relationship counseling kit, The System, rather than spending time at home.
He assigns their eldest son, Gideon (Skyler Gisondo), to be Eli’s driver while he recovers from a neck injury. Jesse also pressures their second son, Pontius (Kelton DuMont), to be more responsible and stop copying Pete Davidson’s appearance.
A Flashback Reveals the Source of the Gemstone-Montgomery Feud
Each season of The Righteous Gemstones includes a flashback episode that explains important past events. Season 3’s flashback, titled “Interlude III,” reveals the origin of the long-standing feud between the Gemstones and the Montgomerys.
Over twenty years ago, during the Y2K scare, Eli and his wife Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles) sold doomsday survival kits to their church members. May-May Montgomery (Kristen Johnston), Eli’s sister, discovers that her husband, Peter (Steve Zahn), secretly spent $25,000 on these kits. She becomes furious, believing that Eli knowingly took advantage of them.
Desperate to recover his losses, Peter asks Eli for financial help. May-May refuses to accept it, angered by her brother’s actions. Peter then attempts to rob a bank, which results in a police officer’s death and Peter being shot in the cheek. This crime sends Peter to prison for years.
Peter’s release from prison starts the main conflict of Season 3. May-May, fearing for her sons Chuck (Lukas Haas) and Karl (Robert Oberst), asks Eli for help. Peter recruits them to join his doomsday prepper militia, Brothers of Tomorrow’s Fires.
After the FBI raids their compound, Chuck and Karl try to make peace with the Gemstones. Eli reluctantly allows them to stay with the family. The flashback shows that money has always been the root of the conflict between the two families.
The Gemstones Escape a Kidnapping and a Swarm of Locusts
Peter takes his revenge by ordering his followers to kidnap Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin. He demands $15 million from Eli for their release. Eli refuses to pay, believing Peter will not actually harm his children. However, one of Peter’s men offers to kill one of them.
While held captive, the three siblings share an emotional conversation. Meanwhile, their cousin Karl secretly contacts May-May, who arrives to rescue them. Gideon follows May-May to the compound and helps them escape. Using Jesse’s monster truck, The Redeemer, Gideon crashes through the property and rescues his family.
Throughout the season, Uncle Baby Billy (Walton Goggins) tries to get more involved in the church after growing tired of working at the Gemstones’ luxury resort, Zion’s Landing. In the season finale, Jesse finally allows Baby Billy to host his game show, Bible Bonkers, which resembles Family Feud. The Gemstones compete against the Simkins siblings to win back Dusty’s support.
During the game, Peter arrives in a van loaded with explosives, intending to destroy the church. Suddenly, a massive swarm of locusts overtakes the building. After the swarm clears, Peter has a change of heart and apologizes. However, he accidentally activates the bomb’s timer and quickly drives away to prevent casualties.
During the chaos, Dusty falls to the ground. The eldest Simkins brother ignores him, but Jesse helps him up.
In the final moments of the season, the Gemstones attend a funeral. Surprisingly, it is not for Peter but for Dusty. Jesse’s act of kindness leads Dusty to leave his estate to the Gemstones in his will. Meanwhile, Peter survives the explosion but loses a leg. Gideon tells Eli that he wants to become a preacher, bringing the families together in a heartwarming ending.
Judy and BJ Face Marital Problems
Judy’s main storyline in Season 3 focuses on her affair with her guitarist, Stephen (Stephen Schneider), during her music tour. She ends the affair when the tour is over, but Stephen refuses to leave her alone. He even offers to leave his wife for her, despite her marriage to BJ (Tim Baltz).
Judy struggles to keep her secret, but BJ finds out the truth when Stephen approaches him. Heartbroken, BJ is encouraged by Jesse to fight Stephen. Judy tries to fix things and prevent the scandal from spreading. She apologizes and pays Stephen’s wife $500,000 to keep the affair private. After Judy is kidnapped, BJ forgives her, and The System helps them reconnect.
Kelvin and Keefe Confirm Their Feelings for Each Other
Kelvin and Keefe (Tony Cavalero) have always shared a close relationship. They are affectionate and almost inseparable. In Season 3, they create Smut Busters, a church group that buys out adult store inventories to shut them down.
Their friendship faces difficulties when Kelvin fires Keefe from his position as assistant youth pastor. Rumors spread that they are romantically involved, and Keefe decides to move out. However, after the kidnapping, they reconcile.
In the second-to-last episode, the Gemstone siblings prepare to return to the stage. Jesse and Judy kiss their spouses before performing. At the last moment, Kelvin turns back and kisses Keefe for the first time. Jesse, Judy, and BJ react positively. In the final episode, Eli gives Keefe a thumbs-up, showing his approval of their relationship.
The Righteous Gemstones Season 4 is now airing on HBO and Max. Fans can expect more chaos, heartfelt moments, and an unforgettable conclusion to the story of the Gemstone family.
Also Read: The Righteous Gemstones Season 3 Episode 1: Release Date, Preview & Streaming Guide
