Danny McBride ends Righteous Gemstones with emotional finale and unexpected final scene

HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones, a dark comedy about a dysfunctional televangelist family, concluded its fourth and final season with a fittingly outrageous and emotional finale. Created by and starring Danny McBride, the series ended on its own terms after a production marked by hurricanes, cast challenges, and years of creative evolution.

Speaking to Variety, McBride recalled how the reality of wrapping hit him unexpectedly after a heartfelt exchange with co-star Gregory Alan Williams. “I was like, ‘F—, I’m about to start crying,’” he said.

The finale, titled “That Man of God May Be Complete,” centers on a tense showdown at the family’s lake house, Galilee Gulch. Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin are each shot by family friend Corey Milsap before being saved by Dr. Watson, a capuchin monkey and unlikely hero. McBride said he chose a stripped-down, unsettling climax over the show’s typical spectacle to focus on emotional impact. “It should feel haunting... and oddly grounded,” he explained.

The episode also deepens the show’s themes of legacy and faith, connecting back to the season premiere’s Civil War-era flashback. Co-written with longtime collaborators John Carcieri and Jeff Fradley, the finale ties in the Gemstones’ spiritual lineage and explores redemption beyond their flashy image.

The finale ends on a hopeful note with Kelvin’s wedding to Keefe, giving each Gemstone sibling a moment of happiness. Eli (John Goodman) finds closure in a romantic subplot with Lori (Megan Mullally), offering emotional resolution for the entire family.

While McBride considered a darker ending for the morally flawed characters, he chose optimism. “Ultimately, the fun thing about the Gemstones is they win,” said cast member and writer Edi Patterson.

McBride now shifts focus to new projects, including an adaptation of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, continuing his creative run with Rough House Pictures.