After I Leave, Savage Wolves Will Come
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Episode 2
- Danny McBride
- John Carcieri
- Jeff Fradley
- Michael Simmonds
- Paul Daley
| "After I Leave, Savage Wolves Will Come" | |
|---|---|
| The Righteous Gemstones episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 2 |
| Directed by | Jody Hill |
| Written by |
|
| Cinematography by |
|
| Editing by | Todd Zelin |
| Original air date | January 9, 2022 |
| Running time | 33 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"After I Leave, Savage Wolves Will Come" is the second episode of the second season of the American dark comedy crime television series The Righteous Gemstones. It is the eleventh overall episode of the series and was written by series creator Danny McBride, executive producer John Carcieri and executive producer Jeff Fradley, and directed by executive producer Jody Hill. It was released on HBO on January 9, 2022, airing back-to-back with the previous episode, "I Speak in the Tongues of Men and Angels".
The series follows a family of televangelists and megachurch pastors led by widowed patriarch Eli Gemstone. The main focus is Eli and his immature children, Jesse, Kelvin and Judy, all of whom face challenges in their lives. The series premiere introduced a long-running arc where Jesse is blackmailed for an incriminating video, which was revealed to be part of a scheme orchestrated by his estranged son, Gideon. In the episode, a reporter named Thaniel Block investigates the Gemstones, just as Jesse discovers a disadvantage of his deal with Zion's Landing.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.190 million household viewers and gained a 0.1 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised the new mystery and story arc, tone, humor and performances.
Judy (Edi Patterson) and BJ (Tim Baltz) visit Eli (John Goodman) at his mansion and meet Junior (Eric Roberts). They believe they are in a relationship, prompting Eli to dismiss them. Later, Eli is approached by Thaniel Block (Jason Schwartzman), who is investigating the Gemstones' scandals, particularly Aimee-Leigh's supposed abusive behavior towards the staff. Eli refuses to cooperate with Block.
Jesse (Danny McBride) and Amber (Cassidy Freeman) announce Zion's Landing, which is met with an enthusiastic response. They then attend a fundraising event for Zion's Landing, where they meet Joe Jonas, one of the investors. However, they are taken aback when they find that the initial investment consists of $10 million. They ask Eli for a loan, but he refuses to get involved in the project. Eli in turn informs them that Block is writing a story about them, telling them not to reveal anything. Despite the warning, Jesse, Judy and Kelvin (Adam DeVine) decide that they need to "save" the family from any possible scandal.
They arrive at his rental cabin, where the door is revealed to be open. As Jesse and Judy enter the cabin, Kelvin is too afraid to enter and returns to the car. Kelvin discovers many people that were burned down and enters to warn Jesse and Judy. They find the corpse of Thaniel and accidentally slip in blood before fleeing in a panic. As they struggle to leave in their car, they are approached by a person but flee the scene. They meet with Eli at his mansion, but find him returning with Martin (Gregory Alan Williams). They are shocked to see Eli's hands and pants covered in blood, with him claiming it was due to a deer. When he asks what they want, they remain silent.
Production
Development
In December 2021, HBO confirmed that the episode would be titled "After I Leave, Savage Wolves Will Come", and that it would be written by series creator Danny McBride, executive producer John Carcieri and executive producer Jeff Fradley, and directed by executive producer Jody Hill. This was McBride's eleventh writing credit, Carcieri's fifth writing credit, Fradley's fourth writing credit, and Hill's fifth directing credit.[1]
