For He Is a Liar and the Father of Lies
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Episode 3
- Danny McBride
- Kevin Barnett
- Chris Pappas
| "For He Is a Liar and the Father of Lies" | |
|---|---|
| The Righteous Gemstones episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 3 |
| Directed by | David Gordon Green |
| Written by |
|
| Cinematography by | Michael Simmonds |
| Editing by | Sam Seig |
| Original release date | January 16, 2022 |
| Running time | 32 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"For He Is a Liar and the Father of Lies" is the third episode of the second season of the American dark comedy crime television series The Righteous Gemstones. It is the twelfth overall episode of the series and was written by series creator Danny McBride, Kevin Barnett and Chris Pappas, and directed by executive producer David Gordon Green. It was released on HBO on January 16, 2022.
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 depicts the family's past and scandals, which unleash consequences. In the episode, Jesse, Judy and Kelvin start investigating Eli, believing that he was involved in Block's death.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.327 million household viewers and gained a 0.1 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, who praised the humor, but criticized the pacing and lack of character development.
Eli (John Goodman) and Martin (Gregory Alan Williams) accompany Jesse (Danny McBride), Judy (Edi Patterson) and Kelvin (Adam DeVine) to Block's cabin, only to discover that the cabin has been engulfed in flames. Eli tells his children not to say anything to anyone, and also refuses to make any more contact with Junior (Eric Roberts).
During a performance, Kelvin and the "God Squad" get into an accident, which prompts some to question Kelvin's leadership. Delving into his past, Jesse, Judy and Kelvin find that Eli was involved in wrestling with Junior and start to wonder if he was involved in Block’s death. After checking his DMs where he assigned Martin to do something for him, the children confront him. They tell him that they support his decision of killing Block. A shocked Eli tells them he did not kill Block. In reality, Eli and Junior went bowling and Eli left with one of Junior's girls. Seduced, he tried to shave his groin but ended up accidentally cutting himself. The children are disturbed by the thought of their father moving on from Aimee-Leigh's death.
Kelvin is challenged by Titus (Miles Burris), who refuses to do any of his tasks. He allows Titus to prove him wrong by carrying a cross, which Titus fails to do due to his injury, so he places him in isolation for his actions. At his car, Eli is approached by Junior. Eli claims he is not a criminal anymore, ever since he met Aimee-Leigh. Junior leaves his car, but declares that they are now enemies.
Production
Development
In December 2021, HBO confirmed that the episode would be titled "For He Is a Liar and the Father of Lies", and that it would be written by series creator Danny McBride, Kevin Barnett and Chris Pappas, and directed by executive producer David Gordon Green. This was McBride's twelfth writing credit, Barnett's third writing credit, Pappas' third writing credit, and Green's sixth directing credit.[1]
