The Righteous Gemstones season 4’s premiere episode was a massive risk, and while it continued one of the show’s most beloved trends, it did so with a huge twist. The Righteous Gemstones is one of the most beloved HBO shows that is still airing, with it being one of HBO’s most critically acclaimed comedy series of all time. Throughout The Righteous Gemstones‘ four seasons, the Danny McBride series has established a lot of familiar trends. The Righteous Gemstones season 4, episode 1 continues one of the most popular ones, although it does so in a unique way.

The Righteous Gemstones season 4 is finally here, with it continuing the story of Jesse, Judy, Kelvin, and the rest of the characters in the wake of Eli’s retirement at the end of The Righteous Gemstones season 3. The Righteous Gemstones season 4 will be the final season of the hit series, with it coming to a close after the newest batch of episodes. Fans of the series now know that season 4 will be the last time that they get to spend with the beloved cast of characters featured in The Righteous Gemstones, making this premiere choice all the more shocking.

Every The Righteous Gemstones Season Has A Prequel Episode (But Season 4’s Takes Place Earlier Than Ever Before)

It Is Set During The Civil War

The Righteous Gemstones season 4, episode 1 continues one of the best trends in the show’s history, with it kicking off the final season with a prequel episode. Prequel episodes have become a staple of The Righteous Gemstones, with all three of the prior seasons having them. “Interlude,” “Interlude II,” and “Interlude III” are considered to be some of The Righteous Gemstones‘ best episodes, with each of them exploring the Gemstone family decades before the show’s main timeline. Since these episodes are so great, news of season 4 starting with a prequel may have at first seemed exciting.

However, The Righteous Gemstones season 4, episode 1, “Prelude” is a massive deviation from the show’s previous prologue episode. Firstly, “Prelude” takes place far earlier than ever before. “Prelude” takes place in Virginia, 1862. The episode centers around the Civil War, with it following Bradley Cooper’s Elijah Gemstone as he kills a priest, takes his identity, and joins the Confederate army as a chaplain. Every other prequel episode in The Righteous Gemstones at least took place in the lifetimes of the main characters, making “Prelude’s” 1862 setting a huge twist.

Season 4’s Civil War Prequel Is The Season’s Premiere Rather Than The 5th Episode

Changing The “Interlude” Formula

Another major change for The Righteous Gemstones season 4’s “Prelude” is its placement within the season. The aforementioned “Interlude” episodes were all released halfway through their respective seasons. Episode 5 of each The Righteous Gemstones season was the “Interlude” episode, breaking up the first half and the second half of the story. This came to be expected from The Righteous Gemstones, with many fans of the series expecting the pattern to hold true in season 4, with a potential “Interlude IV” being the fifth episode.

Instead, “Prelude” was the premiere of The Righteous Gemstones season 4, with this being another major twist for the show. After over a year and a half without seeing any of The Righteous Gemstones cast, many fans were excited to spend more time with Jesse, Judy, Kelvin, Baby Billy, and the rest of the gang. The season premiere being a prequel episode wasn’t announced before its release, meaning that it shocked many viewers. Although “Prelude” has been praised by fans and critics alike, it was a risky move to kick the season off with it.

Will The Righteous Gemstones Season 4 Have Its Own Interlude Episode?

Casting Calls Provide A Hint

The inclusion of “Prelude” makes things interesting for The Righteous Gemstones season 4, raising questions about if the season will have its own “Interlude” episode. It is possible that “Prelude” could take the place of “Interlude IV,” with the rest of the season going uninterrupted.

Only the titles of the first four The Righteous Gemstones season 4 episodes have been released, leaving the slot that “Interlude IV” would probably fill a mystery. It seems as if the show is intentionally attempting to keep this fact a mystery, with many fans speculating on the topic after the release of “Prelude.” A casting call for The Righteous Gemstones season 4 also referenced a flashback to 2002, with this being evidence for another “Interlude” episode (via allcasting). However, this will remain a mystery until HBO announced more info about The Righteous Gemstones season 4.