‘The Righteous Gemstones’ Understands That John Goodman Has Always Been Hot

John Goodman has been a lot of things throughout his storied career. In the late ’80s and ’90s, he was America’s lovable dad. Throughout the 2000s, his work with the Coen brothers proved that he was capital “A” Actor. 10 Cloverfield Lane hammered home that point even more, bringing us a performer who could terrify viewers as effortlessly as he could make a studio audience laugh. Now in 2022, The Righteous Gemstones has proven that Goodman has always had another trick up his sleeve. “Interlude II” reveals the truth that John Goodman is, and has always been, hot.

“Interlude II” marks the second time The Righteous Gemstones has paused its typical narrative for a flashback episode. Back in 1993, Eli (Goodman) is desperate for money to expand his religious empire. That desperation is what makes him listen to an offer from his old mentor and wrestling boss, Glendon Marsh Sr. (Wayne Duvall). Glendon promises Eli $1 million on the condition that Eli will let him launder money through his church. For about half the episode, Eli seriously considers it before Aimee-Leigh’s (Jennifer Nettles) fury catches up to him. While telling Glendon no, things go from bad to worse as they always do in this wild show, and Eli has to decide exactly what he’s willing to do to keep his family safe.

Thanks to the magic of technology, every one of Eli’s scenes features a de-aged version of Goodman. It’s some truly great CGI work. Young Eli doesn’t look overly smooth or off like Henry Cavill’s upper lip in Justice League. But more than anything else, this choice highlights that when John Goodman was younger, we couldn’t appreciate him for being a smokeshow, because we couldn’t look past Roseanne. He was good, solid Dan, the sarcastic patriarch of the Conner household. He was a better written version of a certain kind of good dad, an archetype that’s lovely to watch but is rarely judged for its sex appeal.

It wasn’t until Goodman’s later years that his public image changed. In the 2000s and 2010s, Goodman started to star in movies like Argo, The Artist, The Monuments Men, and Trumbo, films defined by complex, brooding, and eccentric men, aka exactly the side of side characters that would one day make Twitter swoon. By the time Goodman entered the world of potentially crush-worthy characters, it was too late. He was already older than the typical Hollywood leading man and defined by decades of people seeing sexless Dan Conner first.

The Righteous Gemstones marries these two versions of Goodman, the good dad and the secretly terrifying badass. Throw in some great CGI work, and you have an episode all about a former scammer who’s willing to do anything for his family, even cover up a murder. Yes, that’s intense and upsetting. But it’s also hot.

John Goodman has always been an honorary member of the Hollywood hotties club. Danny McBride clearly knew it. It’s just taken the rest of us a while to realize it.

Watch The Righteous Gemstones on HBO and HBO Max