S03.E01: For I Know the Plans I Have for You

[MMLEsq]

Quote

With Eli's semi-retirement in full swing, his children find themselves in charge of the Gemstone empire.

Original air date 2023.06.18

[MMLEsq]

So glad the show is back!  It took me a second to recognize Kristen Johnston.  

[aghst]

So they have a similar theme to Succession, siblings bickering over taking over the empire daddy created.

But they really lean into the bickering.

Already the natives are restless, the ministers don't have confidence in the children.

Judy says she's been on a break while on tour.  She's channeling Ross when he tried to explain to Rachel.

She's been making out with the guitarist with frosted tips.

Gemstones kids have to try to keep the big donors from deserting.  I guess tithing is a thing with these evangelical megachurches.  I though it was just the donation plate they showed in one of the early episodes, it was like Easter or some other holiday and they collected so much money that there was a caper to hijack the armored truck..

Judy's husband is encouraging the worshippers to have automatic deductions from their paychecks.  Again, I thought only Mormons and Catholics tithed but why wouldn't these grifter evangelical preachers do the same?

I'll tip 15% even if I'm going to pick up food for takeout but I'll be damned if I give even 1% of my entire income to a church.

[thuganomics85]

Hallelujah and Praise the Lord!  The Righteous Gemstones are back, baby!

To the surprise of probably, well, no one, the kids are struggling with being the ones in charge (to put it mildly.)  A lot of it is clearly because it is obvious to everyone that there is a hostility there amongst the three and the need to outshine the other (although, I still think there is a bond and even love there that they just don't want to ever admit out loud.)  But I also think that, for whatever flaws he has, Eli has/had a way about him that could make the followers feel comfort and believe in him, and I don't think the kids have that or will ever have that.  Curious to see how they will counteract this weakness or is the Gemstone legacy destined to crash and burn.

Of all of the dumb schemes, "Smut Busters" might be Kelvin's worst one yet, which is saying something!

I know no one here is ever going to be a good person, but Judy cheating on BJ (even if they never moved past the "dry humping" phase) does feel low in a way that I was actually happy Jesse and Kelvin laid into her: even if they did it in their normal immature way.

Curious about the new rivals in the form of the Vance Simkins and his siblings.  I think them serving as a mirror to the Gemstone kids will help it not feel like just a retread of the Lissons from last season.  Always good seeing Stephen Dorff!

Got another former Vice Principals here with Shea Whigham as Dusty Daniels!

Those dinner scenes will never get old for me.

Can't remember the last time I saw Kristen Johnson, so that was a pleasant surprise!  I guess they'll explore more about what went down with May-May and Aimee-Leigh "back in the day."  Noticed Jennifer Nettles was billed as a regular this time, so I'm guessing we'll get more flashbacks.

[aghst]

Kelvin and that other guy can't stay away from dildos and what looked like molds of male buttocks.

 

 

[SHD]

There are so many ridiculous lines in this show, but I laughed when Judy accused Jesse’s wife of Munchausen Syndrome and Jesse said to her “Maybe you need to stop talking about Baron Munchausen…”

Also, calling Kelvin’s sidekick “slow eyes”!

[Laurie4H]

18 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Curious about the new rivals in the form of the Vance Simkins and his siblings.  I think them serving as a mirror to the Gemstone kids will help it not feel like just a retread of the Lissons from last season.  Always good seeing Stephen Dorff!

Stephen Dorff still sexy af imo.  Hope he gets more screen time.  

This show is a mix of hilarious and a bit over the top but I enjoy it.  
to me the funniest line was Jesse response “Even that bitch” to Kelvin asking if they had to include Judy.  

[tennisgurl]

Its great to see this show back, as wild and ridiculous as ever! Not surprisingly, the kids are already not inspiring confidence in how they are going to run the ministry empire. Investors and the other ministers clearly don't have any confidence in them and the cracks in their sibling threesome are already painfully obvious to everyone. Say what you will about Eli and his many faults, he has a charisma and a confidence in his convictions that would make people want to follow him. The siblings are all such a mess of insecurities and selfishness that there is no way that they can copy him. 

I always like seeing Aimee-Lee flashbacks and how they show how their ministry kept getting father and farther away from what they wanted it to be as they became more focused on spectacle and money than on faith. Eli's sister showing up is going to be very interesting, cant way to see what went down with all of them and why things got so bad between them that she tried to beat Aimee-Lee to death with a wrench! 

The Simkins are going to be interesting antagonists as a sort of shinier and better version of the Gemstone siblings.

[laurakaye]

I love the dinner scenes at the family restaurant, with the three siblings  - who are running a church - dropping profanity every other sentence, along with the faces they make at each other, while long-suffering Eli sits at the head of the table just trying to enjoy his baked potato in peace.

So glad this show is back!