Of the TV shows that are ending in 2025, one that I'm going to really miss is The Righteous Gemstones. The series just wrapped up its four-season run this past weekend, and I'm already hoping for more adventures featuring the titular family of televangelists. That includes more NSFW jokes for John Goodman and incredibly catchy songs. Co-creator and cast member Danny McBride wouldn't openly commit to making a potential follow-up film, but he has an idea I think is actually more exciting.
While we'll always be able to revisit the Gemstones and their adventures with a Max subscription, McBride threw out an ambitious idea for a live show featuring the cast of the TV series. McBride mentioned it during his conversation with Decider, when asked about potentially writing a movie:
I think what would be fun to do is a live show. It’d be fun to do a traveling tent revival with the Gemstones. Maybe that’s how we’ll show back up. We’ll see.
Imagine attending an actual service held by Gemstone Ministries, and how wild that would be to witness in person. I would purchase a capuchin to forcefully feed me pretzels and wear a baptism romper just for the occasion! (BJ fans will understand those references.) I'd also love to be able to join a chorus of people in belting out some of the notable songs from the show. That would truly feel like a religious experience, despite the clear sacrilege of the entire notion of showing up to celebrate a show with a fake church service.
Of course, the idea sounds great, but is it actually viable? Cast member Walton Goggins, for example, is one of Hollywood's biggest names. I doubt he'd be able to pause his busy schedule for a traveling road show, and you can't do this without the man who played Uncle Baby Billy. I'd also question how willing 72-year-old John Goodman would be for this type of project. Fellow cast member Adam DeVine seemed to have the same skepticism when the interviewer mentioned Danny McBride's plans for a stage show:
That’s what Danny was saying, and I was like, ‘Okay, man!’ I think he just doesn’t want to write a whole movie right now (smiles).
I think Adam Devine is onto something, as Danny McBride mentioned to Deadline that he'd like to take a break before working on whatever is next in his ongoing relationship with HBO. That said, I think that organizing a traveling stage show would almost be more ambitious than doing a movie, especially with the theoretical scheduling issues one might have to work out with Walton Goggins and other stars.
That's not to say I don't think Danny McBride shouldn't move heaven and Earth to try and make it happen, because I would love to witness a spectacle like that. I could also easily see HBO signing on to record one of the shows for a special to air on the network. Just imagine being amongst a crowd of people singing "Misbehavin'," and how incredible that would be to witness, be it in person or via TV.
One question I would have is how a stage show would balance the Gemstones characters with how they act in public and behind the scenes. Maybe between stage performances, we'd get scripted moments on the jumbotron in which the characters don't realize they're being recorded or something of that nature.
I'd also have to wonder how beloved characters who are on the show but not part of the Gemstones Ministries service would be included. Perhaps my favorite character, BJ, could have a pre-show with some competitive pole dancing? Can actor Tim Baltz actually perform all of those moves? I'm not sure, but I would love a chance to find out!
For now, The Righteous Gemstones is finished and available to stream in its entirety on Max. Here's hoping fans receive some sort of follow-up to this show, whether it's a movie or the live stage show Danny McBride is pitching.
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