The Righteous Gemstones (2×03) For He is a Liar and the Father of Lies Review

For our review of the last episode of The Righteous Gemstones, click here.

Synopsis: The Gemstone siblings seek to pull back the curtain on their father’s past. Eli shares a hard truth, and Kelvin grapples with an unruly God Squad. (HBO)

For He is a Liar and the Father of Lies centres around a ride, both figuratively and literally, as The Exodus seems to hold a secret very precious to Eli or is a very strange self-help routine. Continuing Eli’s string of mysterious after-hours events, some of which seem to point to him as the possible murderer of journalist Thaniel Block (Jason Schwartzman), or at least that is how his children perceive him until the real truth comes to light. But most importantly, where would the Gemstone children be without the watchful eye of BJ who is there to report on their father while he was crushing some heel toes, fishtails, slaloms, and hockey turns?

{Side Note: I would love for there to be a 10min cut of BJ just crushing it on his roller blades and/or a blooper reel of just his blading to be released}

But the murder mystery takes a backseat as Kelvin’s leadership among the members of the God Squad is called into serious question from Titus (Miles Burris) which leads to a challenge for the seat at the top. From his family’s perspective, Kelvin’s endeavours are easily seen as the least important of the Gemstone empire which is further emphasized by Eli as a simple struggle of muscular boys vs. muscular men when Kelvin attempts to discuss the legitimacy of his God Squad. For Kelvin, his need to be the alpha dog amongst a larger group of the same is a life-or-death situation that is in jeopardy of destroying all that he and Keefe have built for their ministry.

As the Gemstone children become emboldened to confront their father about his possible murder, Eli is forced to tell him the truth, something all groomed men fear – a deep cut in his nether regions. For them, the largest sin committed wasn’t a shaky hand or lack of focus but the fact that he was attempting to date for the first time since their mother passed. Junior is influencing Eli in interesting ways and we’ve been treated to several showings of his former self that has been suppressed once he became a father and a minister. Even at this early point in the season, it’s become an intriguing push and pull of two lives that is slowly building to a defining choice for his character.

At this point, we are through a third of the season and little has been advanced surrounding the murder of Thaniel Block, Junior, or the Lissons. Adding to the fact that Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin are showing no signs of progressing. In many ways, that’s the point and a portion of what continues to drive the show, but what helped distract from the lack of development with the Gemstones were the hilariously crafted supporting characters, many of whom are normal and albeit, sane, by comparison. Thus far, the season has shown much promise through its high calibre cameos featuring Schwartzman, Eric Andre and Jessica Lowe as Lyle and Lindy Lissons, and Eric Roberts as Junior which only further quell any growing concerns.

But in the end, all will be made whole once Baby Billy and Tiffany come crashing back into the Gemstone family to infuse some much needed chaos back into their household.

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