Critic’s Rating: 5 / 5.0
5
Ever since its premiere in 2019, The Righteous Gemstones has had this insane ability to be both funny and tug on the heartstrings simultaneously.
Few shows can accomplish that goal, but The Righteous Gemstones was the HBO hit at the top of its game.
Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin, who were organizing a trip to the lake house to derail their father’s relationship with Lori, were short-sighted because they didn’t consider the variables.
There was so much that could go wrong, and it highlighted that Eli is willing to ice out his children if they continue to mess with what he believes could be good for him.
Lori is a bit of an enigma because she isn’t forthcoming about her life. We’re getting little snippets in passing, even from her son, Corey.
The siblings needed his little nugget of information about Mitch and how Lori was shacking up with this man in the lead-up to her relationship with Eli to craft a narrative their father would believe.
But Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin are too reactionary to let anything soak in and formulate a plan that could pack a punch.
Eli’s Children Made a Big Mistake on The Righteous Gemstones
If anything, the trip to the lake house pushed Eli further toward a full-fledged romance with Lori, one that could stand the test of time, or until Lori gets what she wants.
Lori was open to Eli about how rough the last few years of her life have been, so if she is looking for money, there’s a chance that her plan has been in the works for a long time.
She’s also known Eli’s children since birth, allowing her to think more about what could go wrong and how she can navigate their outbursts.
Judy’s actions were both heinous and on-brand, and you could tell that Lori wasn’t even shocked by them, signaling that she knows Judy more than she knows herself.
Judy’s behaviors have been out of pocket throughout the series, and she’ll have to wise up if she wants to get the upper hand.
Lori perfectly played up her concern for Judy, but I’m getting the impression that she wants to find a way to romance Eli to the point that he trusts her with his finances.
From there, she’ll find a way to cut his children out of any big decisions and leave them with a stipend that isn’t enough to sustain the life they’ve lived for since birth.
This season, there’s an ambiguity about who the villain is because we still don’t know the full extent of Lori’s plans for the family.
What Is Lori’s Master Plan?
Of course, she could have accepted Judy’s offer of $500,000 to leave and never be heard of again, but her revelation that she could hold out for more money was either a way to ruffle Judy’s feathers or assert what she’s there for.
It’s interesting because there’s this warm and motherly side of Lori that she tried to play with the Gemstones initially, but it’s slowly starting to look like this has all been a massive act.
There are many, many directions that this storyline could go, but the last thing I expected was for Keefe to wear Aimee-Leigh’s clothes and channel Eli’s dead wife to try to drum some sense into him.
The hilarity that ensued from that development alone was enough to make The Righteous Gemstones Season 4 Episode 4 one of the series’ best.
Keefe has always been a bit more eccentric than everyone else on the show, but I can’t imagine what he hoped to accomplish with his actions.
In Eli’s mind, he feels that everyone is poking holes in his relationship with Lori for the sake of it and I believe the moment that illustrated that was when he cussed at Amber.
The pair have had a great relationship throughout the series, and in many ways, Amber has looked up to Eli as a visionary, a businessman, and a family man.
A part of her seemed on board with his relationship with Lori because she believes that she’d like her husband to find happiness if anything ever were to happen to her.
Amber Deserves a Bigger Presence
But the wind was taken right out of her when he spoke so disgustingly at her, to the point that she tried to throw the blame on Keefe.
Granted, Keefe’s actions were something, but are we about to see Amber step more into the mission to take down Lori?
I’m all for it because Cassidy Freeman has been criminally underused lately and deserves more prominence.
With five episodes left, many of the more secondary characters would benefit from more emphasis on their lives.
My biggest hope is that Corey is out of the loop about what his mother is up to because he has been this pure soul that understands Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin.
I think the show intentionally makes him seem like Eli’s fourth child, only for the mask to slip when Lori kicks off her plan of attack to get the money and power she thinks she can get from being associated with Eli romantically.
Then there’s the Baby Billy of it all. Walton Goggins somehow elevates his performance each episode to send the character in different directions.
But his view on Lori showcased that he’s more analytical than I’ve given him credit for.
Sure, he makes the stupidest decisions, but he knows something’s off with Lori and could be instrumental in unraveling the mystery.
That’s all I got, The Righteous Gemstones Fanatics.
There’s so much to discuss in the comments!
What are your thoughts on Lori at this point? Do you think she has an ulterior motive?
Do you believe Eli’s children are going about exposing her in the wrong way?
Hit the comments below.
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