Prelude

Bradley Cooper delivers an absolutely stellar performance in this episode, making it one of the most compelling and emotionally engaging installments of the entire series. His acting is nuanced, drawing viewers into every moment with a level of depth and authenticity that elevates the storytelling. This might just be the best episode yet, setting an incredibly high bar for what comes next. However, that also presents a challenge-where does the show go from here? If they immediately jump back to the present day without addressing the weight of this episode properly, it could feel jarring or even underwhelming. The writers now have the difficult task of maintaining the momentum and ensuring that whatever comes next doesn't feel like a step down in quality or impact. Hopefully, they find a way to transition smoothly and keep delivering at this level.

The acting was pretty solid. But honestly, that's not the main reason I tune in to this show. For me, it's all about those dysfunctional, spoiled evangelical brats and, of course, Baby Billy! I came for the laughs and the absurd family dynamics, not for dramatic moments filled with gore and heavy backstory.

This episode felt like it had a lot of potential as a flashback, but it stretched out for an entire episode! I was hopeful it would connect the dots between the past and the present-day Gemstones, maybe give us some juicy insights into their chaotic family history. But as I watched, it became pretty clear that this backstory didn't really add much to character development. Instead of enhancing the storyline, it kinda dragged on.

I found myself waiting and waiting for the show to get back to the good stuff-the hilarious antics and the crazy family feuds. It felt like the episode left behind the very things that make The Righteous Gemstones so entertaining.

It's no wonder this episode felt flat and dead. The dynamic between Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin is what really brings this show to life. The absurdities they go through while managing their mega-church empire provide the perfect playground for comedy and satire.

I get that sometimes shows want to dive deeper into backstories, but when it takes the entire episode, it can take away from the humor and charm we're all here for. There's an art to balancing moments of drama with the hilarious chaos that defines this series, and this episode felt a bit off. It's like I was left waiting for the punchline, and it just never landed.

That said, I'm still optimistic the next episodes will steer us back toward that mix of humor and heartfelt moments that made this show a fan favorite. The characters are fantastic, and their interactions are where the magic happens. I just want to see more of that wild, chaotic family fun that makes us laugh and cringe at the same time.

Naturally, you watch Gemstones to get a laugh. However, it always provides its best when it goes back in time to understand why things are the way they are. In that sense, this episode is a true gemstone. Somehow, McBride is able to get some humor about the tragedy of the civil war, while making you feel the tragedy that it was and how tragedy can create faith. In that sense, we can understand faith and how powerful and sticky it is. This episode makes me hope that some day McBride would work on the subject of war and human nature.

In sum, just excellent work. Maybe McBride's best episode across all of his series.

This episode was so good and so far removed from the present life shenanigans of the Gemstones that if I wasn't the one to actually press play on it I would've sworn it's a different series.

In this "Prelude" you see a man go from a malfeasant and a swindler to someone that's still holds the same attributes honestly, but with a newfound will for self discovery and a curiosity to actually step into the shoes of the man he was impersonating. All set during de civil war era, which was surprising considering we never got that far back with none of the previous flashbacks.

Is this still a comedy; the answer is yes, gallows humor if you will.

I hope for more of this from the writers.

Bradley Cooper is great in this! But t I truly don't understand what is appealing about extreme gore, bullets to the head, murder by strangling, and the insensitivity it must require to enjoy watching an hour of bloody dismemberment reenactments of the Civil War. The purpose and aesthetic of the episode would have been the same without 90% of it. Violence sells though, I guess. This isn't the only episode where I have a similar comment but it was on display here throughout the entire episode, right up to the machine gun executions at the end. What was the point? I didn't turn on The Righteous Gemstones for anti-war realism.