The Righteous Gemstones’ thrilling season 4 premiere set during the Civil War offers a tantalizing glimpse at what a Danny McBride western would look like. The Righteous Gemstones season 4 is set to be the final installment of the acclaimed religious satire, so it begs the question: what will McBride’s next series be? The Righteous Gemstones is McBride’s third show for HBO after Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals, and since they’ve all been hits, the network will surely want to keep him around for another project.

Season 4, episode 1, “Prelude,” is The Righteous Gemstones’ riskiest episode yet. It doesn’t feature any of the main cast and instead goes back to 1862 to explore the origin story of this unscrupulous family of televangelists. The Gemstone clan’s family business of preaching started when their ancestor — Elijah Gemstone, played by Bradley Cooper — murdered a priest and stole his identity as the military chaplain for a Confederate division. After watching this episode, I’m convinced Danny McBride should make a western for HBO.

After The Righteous Gemstones’ Civil War Episode, Danny McBride Should Make A Western Comedy For HBO

“Prelude” Is A Great Little Western

Not only is “Prelude” a fascinating standalone prequel episode that reveals the entire Gemstone empire is built on lies; it’s also a great little western. With gun-toting grifters, bloody fight scenes, and deadly journeys down the trails of a harsh, unforgiving wilderness, this episode captures the grittiness of early American history just as effectively as the best western movies. The Civil War battle sequences are riveting, with truly impressive production values, and there’s an interesting thematic exploration of faith in the face of uncertainty.

After seeing this episode, I’d love to see McBride develop a full-blown western comedy for HBO. The network’s lenient content standards would allow him to make it as relentlessly violent as he wanted. The grimly hilarious scene in which a soldier’s monologue about his firm belief that God has a divine plan for him is punctuated by his gruesome, unceremonious demise proves that a western series with McBride’s signature dark humor could be truly great. Imagine Deadwood with the humor of The Foot Fist Way, or Red Dead Redemption with Kenny Powers in place of Arthur Morgan.

McBride Has Already Toyed With Western Themes In Previous Movies & TV Shows

McBride’s Other Projects Have Had Western Elements

The Righteous Gemstone’s season 4 premiere is the closest McBride has come to making a western, but he’s dealt with western themes in his previous work. Vice Principals is a revenge story that culminates in an armed standoff, Pineapple Express ends with a shootout in the desert, and Eastbound & Down’s Mexico-set second season, in which Kenny goes south of the border and becomes a cockfighter, plays like a neo-western. A western wouldn’t be too far outside his wheelhouse.