Warning! The following contains spoilers for The Righteous Gemstones episode "He Goeth Before You Into Galilee." Stream it with a Max subscription, or read on at your own risk!
The Righteous Gemstones is firing on all cylinders after its latest episode, and this season has been a hilarious entry on the 2025 TV schedule. Unfortunately, the show will end with this latest batch of episodes, though I think this could all be leading to an A+ sendoff. While I love how it's played out so far for most of the characters, I have to talk about what's been done to my favorite character, BJ.
I've rooted for Tim Baltz's character throughout the series and even expressing hope he'd leave Judy after she cheated on him. He's made me laugh more than any character, but his latest storyline involving life after his traumatic pole-dancing injury has bummed me out. As such, I can't help but complain and talk about how this development has impacted my enjoyment of the character in a significant way.
BJ's Perpetual Optimism Has Faded Since His Injury, And He's Been Treated Poorly
BJ is currently paralyzed from the waist down following his injury. As characters on The Righteous Gemstones repeatedly bring up, it's unclear as to whether or not he'll ever recover and be able to walk again. That has, understandably, left BJ in a pretty sad state, as he struggles to adjust to a new way of life around people who aren't all that sympathetic to what he's going through.
When Jesse and Kelvin mocked BJ for his baptism romper or for getting married at Disney World, I found those situations funny When he's being bullied for his disability and being ignored because his wheelchair doesn't allow him to enjoy the Gemstone vacation home, the insults don't sit well with me.
Granted, The Righteous Gemstones isn't doing anything wrong with its story. The characters are acting the same way they always have since John Goodman and Danny McBride first teamed up for this show. They're behaving exactly how I would expect, but BJ's resignation to it all makes it all feel a little more cruel than comedic.
I'm Hoping BJ Smiles Again Before The Righteous Gemstones Ends
There's still reason to hope that BJ will recover before The Righteous Gemstones ends, which would bring back his patented optimism. Or, if he does remain wheelchair-bound, let's hope he adapts and begins to find a way to find happiness in his new life. I don't like this sad arc for BJ, and it's the sole complaint I have about this season so far.
Beyond that, I wonder where The Righteous Gemstones' final season is headed. Past seasons have featured a pretty straightforward villain for the siblings to take on, and the lack of one this season adds to the Gemstones questions I had before the season even began. Maybe there isn't one, and that'd be fine because this internal family drama in Season 4 has been truly exciting. On that note, let's take a cue from the titular family by getting together and praying that there are brighter times ahead for BJ.
Catch new episodes of The Righteous Gemstones on HBO on Sundays at 10:00 p.m. ET, or stream them on Max at the same time. We're just halfway through the final season, so there's plenty of time for this season to get even wilder than it already has been.
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