HBO has given a series order to The Righteous Gemstones, the Danny McBride-created half-hour comedy about a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed and charitable work — all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
John Goodman stars the patriarch Eli Gemstone, and the order comes as his other series, ABC’s Roseanne Barr-less The Conners, preps for its season premiere October 16. The plan is to shoot Gemstones after production on Conners is complete; he is able to do both series.
McBride also is the writer, producer and director/executive producer with his Rough House Pictures partners Jody Hill and David Gordon Green. The trio were behind the McBride-starring baseball comedy Eastbound & Down, which aired on HBO from 2010-13.
McBride stars as Jesse Gemstone, Eli’s eldest son and heir to the throne who walks in his father’s shadow while simultaneously blazing his own path. He also fancies himself a maverick in the ministry game, taking what Eli has built and expanding it for a more modern audience.
Edi Patterson is set as Judy Gemstone, the daughter of Eli and Amy Leigh; Adam Devine plays Kelvin Gemstone, Eli and Amy’s youngest who’s the edgy one; Cassidy Freeman is Amber Gemstone, wife of Jesse Gemstone; Tony Cavalero is Keefe Chambers, an ex-Satanist saved by Kelvin. Tim Baltz is Judy’s fiancé BJ, and GregAlan Williams plays Martin Imari, a conservative Kenyan and Eli’s right hand.
