Television’s depictions of religion have often leaned either toward po-faced dogma or scouring atheism, but here is one that dares to split the difference. The eldest, Jesse, is a pompous hothead whose default response to any insult is light violence and who, despite his persona as a family man, has enjoyed the sort of hard-partying lifestyle that would make early-1970s Led Zeppelin blush. His sister, Judy, is a flamethrowing libertine with a staggeringly foul mouth and a tendency to transgress against her lovingly milquetoast husband. Like a staging of “King Lear” at a monster-truck rally, the show has a loneliness that undergirds its berserk energy. This is not the only fascinating vision of the church on HBO these days.

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Persons: they’ve, McBride, Jesse, Judy, “ King Lear ”, John Goodman, Eli Gemstone —, Aimee, Leigh, Croesus, ”, Gideon, —, Bridget Everett, Sam, Joel, Sam —, Maria ” Organizations: ”, Southern, Gemstone Salvation, HBO, Hollywood Locations: American, Hollywood, Kansas, America