‘The Righteous Gemstones’: Danny McBride Explains Season 3 Finale & Future Plans for Comedy

[This interview was conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike authorization.]

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Righteous Gemstones Season 3, Episode 9, “Wonders That Cannot Be Fathomed, Miracles That Cannot Be Counted.”]

The Righteous Gemstones came together for a surprisingly sweet Season 3 finale that felt almost like a series finale if we didn’t know the show was renewed for Season 4.

After vying for the loyalty of racer Dusty Daniels (Shea Whigham) all season, the Gemstone siblings, Jesse (Danny McBride), Judy (Edi Patterson), and Kelvin (Adam DeVine), came together to win the man over by playing a game of Baby Billy’s Bible Bonkers, hosted by their Uncle Baby Billy (Walton Goggins).

Things went awry when a swarm of locusts entered the building, but when Jesse helped Dusty, that won the old man over. But the saving didn’t end there. Jesse also helped protect his father Eli (John Goodman), who he’d been at odds with most of the season as he took over the leadership position at the family’s evangelical megachurch.

(Credit: HBO)

Once the bugs had parted, one problem remained: the bomb in the back of Kelvin and Keefe’s (Tony Cavalero) Smut Busters van, placed there by Eli’s brother-in-law Peter (Steve Zahn), who initially had ill intentions but had since seen the light. Seemingly sacrificing himself, he drove the van away with moments to spare before detonation.

Ultimately, Peter survived and Dusty ended up dying, leaving his fortune to the Gemstones. With all goals achieved, the family concluded the finale by convening on the Gemstone property to all take turns driving the monster truck named The Redeemer. It felt like an ending, but McBride, who is a co-creator, writer, and star, isn’t packing up anytime soon.

“One of the worst parts about television is the idea that people don’t feel confident in telling a complete story in a season,” he told TV Insider. “They really have to rely on what comes next to get people to tune in. And to me, I personally like don’t like that when I watch a show.” Hence the complete story told in Season 3.

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“I hate watching a whole season of something that’s promising me an ending and then just sort of delays it. It feels cheap,” McBride continued. “It feels like what a soap opera would do. And so for me, I want every one of these seasons to feel final.” But fret not, because the end of the Gemstones is nowhere in sight for McBride.

“I want you to be able to tune in, watch this, and know that by the end of it, there will be a sense of completion, that you went on a journey,” McBride explained. “I think that is what I’m trying to do with the show overall. I like the idea that every chapter of it has its own distinct story and its own distinct wrap-up.”

While we spoke to McBride prior to Season 3’s release, he promised, “For me, I feel like we’re still just getting warmed up.” We’ll take his word like the Gemstones take the lord’s.

The Righteous Gemstones, Season 3, Streaming now, Max