It’s safe to say we’ve all seen them at least once or twice—especially, you perennial night owls. Wedged in amongst infomercials featuring a family decked out in Snuggies of all colors and actors masquerading as a host of medical professionals are multiple colorful characters in action. Guys with names like Peter Popoff—Benny Hinn—Robert Tilton. The sights and sounds of their programs are pretty common across the board, too— the laying on of hands to rid men and women of debilitating ailments—theses same people convulsing in fits on the ground— and the glorious aftermath in which all praise is given to God. Hallelujah!
Scenes like this might as well be fresh out of a religious revival and constitute one aspect of the lifestyle of a televangelist. The lives of such individuals are exactly what executive producers Danny McBride and David Gordon Green (“Vice Principals”) are bringing to HBO with their new series “The Righteous Gemstones.” Speaking of revivals, McBride and Green are no slouches when it comes to something like this. Last year, the pair brought the boogeyman incarnate Michael Myers—someone not exactly in dire need of being brought back to life—with the 40-year remake/reboot “Halloween.”
Here is the official synopsis for the series:
The Righteous Gemstones follows “the world-famous Gemstone televangelist family, which has a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work, all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
McBride and Adam DeVine play brothers Jesse and Kelvin Gemstone, respectively, while Edi Patterson (“Vice Principals”) portrays Judy Gemstone, and John Goodman serves as the family’s patriarch, Eli Gemstone.
The series, McBride’s third on HBO, is set to premiere on August 18. Take a look at the trailer below and prepare to bear witness to the almighty power of “The Righteous Gemstones.” Testify!