The Righteous Gemstones Review: Interlude II (Season 2 Episode 5)
The “Ghost of Christmas Past” trope is well-worn but accurately describes what’s haunting Eli Gemstone. The Righteous Gemstones Season 2 Episode 5, “Interlude II,” reveals what secret the patriarch is keeping from his family.
This installment copies the Season 1 inclusion of a flashback episode that fills in details relevant to the Gemstones’ current problems. For a show interested in how the rise of the Gemstones is also contributing to their downfall, it’s a perfect plot device.
Winding the clock back to the Christmas of 1993, the Gemstones are in the same situation as the present day. Eli feels attacked by the media while also being blinded by his greed for expansion and legacy (a mindset Jesse inherits).
In the present, Eli is the most rational, thoughtful Gemstone, but it’s obvious that wasn’t always the case. Eli’s anger and outbursts make much more sense in the context of seeing him as a younger, scrappier man.
When you strip out most of the chaos of Judy, Jesse, and Kelvin, The Righteous Gemstones becomes a slightly less comedic drama about a messed-up dynasty in the making.
This may seem like a risky move for a comedy series to make, but The Righteous Gemstones benefits from a cast of talented actors with the range to do both. Walton Goggins’ turn as Baby Billy on this episode exposes the character’s wounds for all to see instead of hiding them behind bravado and insults.
While Eli’s conflict with Glendon Marsh drives most of the plot, the time spent on Baby Billy confronting his failings feels almost as important. With the cliffhanger of him leaving Tiffany, is it possible this season is leading up to a Baby Billy redemption story that lets him make peace with both of his children?
Eli’s reunion with Glendon ends up less heartwarming. Initially, Eli welcomes him, and even considers his offer of an under-the-table donation that doubles as money laundering, but he eventually comes to his senses thanks to Aimee-Leigh.
Aimee-Leigh is often revered by her husband and children, but this storyline explores the complexities of her and Eli’s relationship. She is his inspiration but also his keeper, pulling him back from his impure impulses.
As Jesse noted earlier in the season, Eli usually presents the “Hallmark version” of his life and that includes his marriage with Aimee-Leigh. Now we see some of the uglier sides of that relationship including Eli’s resentment about Aimee-Leigh’s ignorance towards the sacrifices Eli’s made.
Normally any tension on The Righteous Gemstones is undercut by some gag or joke just before the audience can get too anxious. This episode lets the audience squirm a while as we watch conflict after conflict.
It all builds up to a shocking ending that allows the audience to see the present-day happenings with a clearer perspective.
Eli’s discomfort when Junior mentions Glendon disappearing jumped out as a red flag earlier in the season, but now we know why. Glendon is murdered but not by Eli.
Instead, when Glendon comes to threaten Eli and his family with a gun, it’s Eli’s father Roy who shoots Glendon in a moment of confusion due to his Alzheimers.
It’s justified, but Roy doesn’t know what he’s doing, which adds to the tragedy. The sadness of the whole event is compounded when a later emotional moment of Roy telling Eli how proud he is of him is cut short when Roy forgets who Eli is during their hug.
With the audience now in on the secret, it feels like a matter of time until the Gemstone children and Junior learn it too.
Watching Eli ride the Exodus in the present, over and over, is fitting. He’s stuck in a repeating loop, and if history is any indication not everyone will make it out alive.
A step into the past is just what Season 2 needs to move forward in the present making Episode 5 a worthy interlude.
Additional Thoughts:
- That accountant really does look like Jim Henson.
- Poor Kelvin. If any of the Gemstones have an excuse for turning out the way they did, it’s him.
- I’d love to see a flashback episode where Aimee-Leigh is the main focus of the storyline.
- Judy getting a set of rollerblades for Christmas is a nice callback to BJ’s rollerblading earlier in the season when he discovers Eli riding the Exodus.
- The casting of the young Gemstones is This Is Us level good.
- It’s never explained what happened to that $3 million Glendon was carrying around. Could it be what ended up paying for the stadium?
What did you think of this episode of The Righteous Gemstones? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Critic Rating:
User Rating:
The Righteous Gemstones airs Sundays at 10/9c on HBO.
Follow us on Twitter and on 
Instagram!
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
Breeze Riley
Breeze Riley is a pop culture enthusiast who decided to turn her love of watching too much TV into a hobby writing about it. Although she's a convention-going sci-fi and fantasy nerd, she's just as likely to be watching an off-beat comedy or period drama. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic.