Previous: Episode 3.8, Continued: Kelvin's tender bits, Chuck's butt, Peter's van, and coming out to the world
Episode 3.9 seems rushed -- it could easily be three hours long. The marital-problem and sibling-problem plots have been resolved, but we still have Uncle Peter, The Simkins, Dusty Daniels, and Bible Bonkers, and the writers have to find some way to tie them all together!
Title: "Wonders that Cannot be Fathomed, Miracles that Cannot be Counted." From Job 5,9, NIV. Many terrible things have happened to Job, including physical ailments and the deaths of his children, but Eliphaz assures him that God can perform "wonders and miracles," and rescue him. We'll see what wonders and miracles God performs here.
Baby Billy is Bi: Still trying to sell the siblings on his Bible Bonkers game show, Baby Billy (Walton Goggins, top photo), reveals he is friends with Dusty Daniels, the racing champ. We cut to a scene of the two, plus famous actor Gene Hackman (played by Kevin Murray) in Monte Carlo on New Years' Eve, 1999. They're awaiting the Y2K bug, hugging, dancing, and dropping acid as if it's the end of the world.
We zero in on the guys facing each other as they get blow jobs. Baby Billy's partner is a woman, but Dusty's may be a man -- remember that he was established as bisexual back in Episode 3.2.
"I doubt it, but you never know...we might have touched dicks. That's not the important part of the story." The important part: he can talk Dusty Daniels into leaving his fortune to whoever wins at Bible Bonkers, the Gemstones or the Simpkins.
So Kelvin came out to the family yesterday after years anguish, angst, self-doubt, backing-and-forthing, and annoyed viewers, and he still hasn't said the word. Now Baby Billy comes out as bi with utter nonchalance. Why couldn't he have said something to his nephew during Cousins' Night, or back in Season 1?
El Molino: We cut to a locust splatting on a windshield. It's Uncle Peter and Chuck, driving the U-Haul full of explosives. Peter has finally come up with a plan, He doesn't specify what it is, but since it involves the Gemstones and explosives, it's not hard to figure out. They're nearly out of gas, and the militia took all of their money, so they stop at El Molino, a real Hispanic supermarket with two locations in Charleston, to use the cash-counting machine.
While Peter is inside, the U-Haul explodes! He thinks that Chuck has been killed.
Out to the Family: The family gathers in Eli's parlor to watch a tv news report about Chuck's death.
They used to be very careful to avoid public displays of affection, holding hands under the table and forehead-pressing instead of kissing. Now they casually cuddle in front of everyone, even family members who did not see the kiss.
They discuss the Bible Bonkers Family Feud-style game show. The siblings will compete, but they need two more. They were going to ask Chuck, a big Bible nerd, but he's dead, so it will have to be Karl and May-May.
More Bible Bonkers after the break
Cut to Jesse and Vance Simpkins (Stephen Dorf) at the Cape and Pistol Society, sniping at each other over who will win the Bible Bonkers game. Vance claims that he has the entire New Testament memorized. When I was in the Nazarene church, we did the Jump Quiz based on a single book, and some very competitive types did try to memorize the whole thing.
"We're going to humiliate your family," Vance proclaims, "On your own network. Let's see how far the mighty Gemstone Empire has fallen. They're all going to leave you. Even God will forsake you." God will forsake him for losing a Bible trivia game?
Of all the gas stations in South Carolina: Homeless, friendless, abandoned by his family, Peter sits outside a convenience store. He prays: "I am in my darkest hour. I am but a lost sheep in need of a shepherd. Please give me a sign."
At that moment, Keefe pulls up in the Smut Busters van. He's using that van for everyday chores? Surely he and Kelvin have a dozen cars.
He's listening to the song "Holy Lightning Rod" by Blesst, a Christian metal band (created for this episode?). In Season 1, he considered metal music Satanic. He's come to realize that you don't need to give up things that you love to be a Christian, like heavy metal, Goth/Fetish outfits, and sex with guys.
Did God send him as the sign, to bring Peter back to Christ? If so, it doesn't work -- they don't recognize each other. (After all, they have only seen each other once). So no soul-winning for Keefe. But Peter does steal the Smut Busters van.
God saved you: In the wilderness church, Karl and May-May mourn Chuck's death, clear off brush, and pray -- then she crosses herself Surely somebody on the staff knew that only Catholics use that gesture. Suddenly Chuck walks in! He's alive!
Cut to the family back in Eli's parlor. This time it's just Eli, the siblings, and the Montgomerys. Chuck explains that he made sure the parking lot was empty, then set off the explosion and ran away, so his Dad would think he was dead and he could escape.
It still caused a lot of property damage, and no doubt terrorized the shoppers, who thought they were being targeted by a hate crime. On August 3, 2019, a gunman opened fire in a Hispanic Wal-Mart in El Paso, Texas, killing 23 people and injuring 22. Surely the writers were thinking of that incident when they specified a Hispanic supermarket.
"Why were you super-mean to us, while we were in captivity?" Chuck doesn't explain, but he avers that he didn't actually want them to die. Then why were you shooting at them? Besides, he blew up the van to save them. Doesn't that make up for the kidnapping? I thought you blew up the van to save yourself.
So, about Bible Bonkers? Chuck is a Bible expert, so May-May can drop out. The team will consist of Jesse, Judy, Kelvin, Chuck, and Karl.
Later, at the amusement park, Chuck tries to apologize to Jesse. They bond over having Daddies who are embarrassed by them.
The Bible Bonkers Filming: Apparently several weeks have passed. The Bible Bonkers set is finished, and they're going to film the first episode. Isn't it a conflict of interest for the Gimstones to sponsor the show and compete in it? But I guess they'll be donating the prize money to the church.
As Gideon drives Eli and May-May to the filming, they see Peter in the stolen Smut Busters van. He's up to no good! Follow him! Why didn't Keefe report the van missing?
On set, the band starts to play and the dancers twirl about. Showtime! Baby Billy does a cheesy stand-up bit, then introduces the Gemstones vs. the Simpkins.
Notice Kelvin's textured single-breasted green coat, "The Attico" from Farfetch, "The global destination for modern luxury." It will become important later.
The Simpkins team includes siblings Vance, Shay, and Craig, not seen since Episode 1, plus two young Asian girls. Apparently they are ringers: there is no indication that any of the siblings has a partner or children. Compare with the Gemstones, who, for all their faults, have devoted partners.
Baby Bill asks easy fill-in-the-blank style Bible questions to Jesse-Vance and Judy-Shay. The Gemstones lose.
Now it's Kelvin-Craig's turn. First Kelvin does a self-aggrandizing coat-swirling dance. Keefe, watching from the VIP section with the other partners, responds with a weird robot thing. It looks like he's following along with the move they practiced.
Meanwhile, Gideon, May-May, and Eli follow Peter to the Salvation Center. Couldn't they have called the police from the car? Don't these people have cell phones? He drives to the loading dock, on a day when there are no services, so he probably expects the church to be empty.
When the Gemstones confront him, he announces that he has filled the Smut Busters van with explosives, triggered by his fitbit watch. Wait-- where did he get a second batch?
May -May yells that both his sons are inside. Chuck is alive after all. At this point, Peter would probably give up the plan, but he is interrupted by......
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Whew! I'm so anxious to get on with the story that I don't have time to look at any dicks. Well, maybe one.
See: Showering with Portuguese boys at a church conference in Switzerland
Next: Episode 3.9 Continued: Five plot resolutions and a funeral. With collegiate jock cocks
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