Creator and star Danny McBride’s riotous satire of American megachurch culture and the adventures of the highly dysfunctional Gemstone family reach their conclusion in the fourth and final season. Tymon Smith spoke to McBride about what it feels like to leave the Gemstones behind and what’s in store for the show’s many fans as it takes its last bow.
What is it about the show that’s made it popular with religious and non-religious audiences alike?
At it’s core it’s a comedy, and because it’s about religion I didn’t intend to make it a statement about what people should write about their existence; I didn't want the jokes to come at the expense of what anybody believes in. The butt of the jokes are the Gemstones and people who benefit from religion in some way. There’s a sense that without making them too goofy and just buffoons, by making them flawed and egotistical and misinformed, this allows everyone to laugh at them, and at the end of the day it gives you the opportunity to explore something that’s a bit more interesting — flaws in people.
Knowing that this would be the final season, did you feel that you had to go crazier and bigger, or was it more about being loyal to the overall arc of the story?
Ultimately, it's about servicing the story. Having the first episode take place entirely in the Civil War is something that comes with telling the last instalment of the show. That was an idea I'd had in my head before the season began, and this was the time to do it. There was something fitting about it being the last season and starting the end with “how it all began”. In that regard you don’t want to leave anything on the table — if we’re getting ready to finish up this world, if there’s any gas in the tank you want to use it, but ultimately it’s about making sure the story connects and completes what it set out to do.
In what seems to be a crazy and scary time in America and the world, what role do you think comedy can play?
Comedy can do what’s it’s always done, which is offer a chance for people to laugh about things that are very serious, take a breath, and perhaps try to find a logical way to think about things. It’s such a relief when you have that unexpected moment of laughter with loved ones through tears that helps you understand that as much as something sucks, there probably is a way out of it. When times are tumultuous and people are unsure of the future, comedy is more important than ever to help bring people together, get them to laugh and hopefully feel happier about their own lives.
What are you going to miss about making the show?
I hated going to church as a kid. I'd sit drawing pictures on the pastor’s face in the program, waiting to be done with it. As I got older I saw what I got out of going to church — there were certain morals and ethics that, even if I wasn’t paying attention, found their way into my head. While I wrote the show I read the bible, looking for inspiration for themes, stories and characters. I looked at the bible as a piece of literature, and what the stories meant was interesting. To reread the stuff I missed as a kid — and didn’t grasp the message of — was an interesting part of doing the research for the show. I’ll miss that element, it was fun.
- The Righteous Gemstones Season 4 is streaming on Showmax.
