Danny McBride's The Righteous Gemstones Season 3 premiere hinted that the three children would struggle running Eli's empire after he retired (ironic given John Goodman is working hard as ever these days), and Episode 4 showed the shoe finally drop in how it impacts their personal lives. Judy Gemstone faced the biggest reckoning of the bunch, as she was forced to reveal the affair she had on tour with former church guitarist Stephen to her husband, BJ. Now that the secret is out, I'm really hoping that BJ ends up leaving Judy.
It may seem weird for me to wish for this outcome, especially given the tone of the HBO series. After all, this show is a comedy. Should I really be rooting so hard for a specific character's marriage to fall apart? I'll admit that I'm shocked that I feel this way, but I have some good reasons for feeling that way and think it'd better serve the show.
BJ Being A Doormat Is Played Out
While it was initially hilarious to see BJ constantly get dunked on by the Gemstone family and struggle to fit in, the schtick has gotten old. Sure, BJ is eccentric and can rock a romper straight out of the Barbie movie with zero awareness of what people may say, but I find that there's a lot more I like about him. The more I learn things I like about the actual Gemstone family, the longer this show goes.
To be honest, after revisiting old and new episodes with my Max subscription, the show is definitely working to make BJ more likable this season than in the past, which could be the cause. I'd just like to see BJ get a little bit more respect, or at least acknowledgment that he's loyal to the Gemstone family, if nothing else.
I Legitimately Want BJ And Judy's Marriage To Be Better Or End
Judy's affair has been one of the most disappointing storylines in The Righteous Gemstones Season 3 for me. That's because I loved the fact that Judy was always pressuring BJ to be better to be accepted into the family, and the affair almost signaled she'd given up on that. In reality, she was just trying to live like a rockstar, but it's a bad sign for her marriage that she so easily threw her vows away.
I want BJ and Judy to either be a strong couple or not one at all. What I love best about their characters is how they're on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of personality as some of the most toxic 90 Day Fiancé couples. Now that it's not working, I'm not a fan, and it's almost painful to watch this season as Judy tried to hide the affair. It doesn't feel funny, so I'd sooner see it end than keep going if it's going to be like this.
Judy Needs Consequences For Actual Character Growth
If The Righteous Gemstones ultimately wraps Season 3 with BJ letting Judy off the hook, then I consider that a failure. All of the Gemstone children need to grow up, and this arc has given Judy a chance to rectify some of her worst character traits, such as being generally apathetic to others over her own needs and her immaturity.
Judy's love for BJ was one of her few redeeming qualities, and now with the affair out in the open, I feel like we've lost that. I'd love to see her work to try and improve her relationship, and ultimately grow from the experience and become a better leader and person overall. I don't see that happening unless BJ leaves her for at least a little while, if not permanently. I could be surprised, though, so we'll just have to wait and see!
The Righteous Gemstones airs new episodes on HBO on Sundays at 10:00 p.m. ET. Summer television is in full swing, and those looking for things beyond this series to watch definitely need to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what's on the way.
