"I Speak in the Tongues of Men and Angels" is the first episode of the second season of the American dark comedy crime television series The Righteous Gemstones.
The series premiere introduced a long-running arc where Jesse is blackmailed for an incriminating video, which was revealed to be part of a scheme orchestrated by his estranged son, Gideon.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.291 million household viewers and gained a 0.1 ratings share among adults aged 18–49.
After the fight, Maniac Kid's employer, Glendon Marsh (Wayne Duvall), and his son, Junior (Tommy Nelson), take him to a house.
Eli (John Goodman) attends a meeting with other megachurch pastors, discussing a sex scandal regarding one of its members, Makawon Butterfield (Victor Williams).
Jesse (Danny McBride) and Gideon (Skyler Gisondo) have returned to the United States, with the former reconciling with Amber (Cassidy Freeman).
In December 2021, HBO confirmed that the episode would be titled "I Speak in the Tongues of Men and Angels", and that it would be written by series creator Danny McBride, and directed by executive producer David Gordon Green.
Club gave the episode a "B+" grade and wrote, "While McBride's whiplash blending of comedy, drama, and horror does not jibe in his and Green's reboot of the Halloween franchise, when you're dealing with subject matter as way-out as religion, out-of-touch rich people, and the family dynamic, it all feels right on.
"[4] Scott Tobias of Vulture gave the episode a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "This episode is bookended by Coen-brothers moments: Butterfield running from a meeting to jump off the balcony is a nod to The Hudsucker Proxy, only he falls two stories rather than 45 floors (not counting the mezzanine), and Goodman's transformation from gentle preacher to violent, thundering beast recalls his salt-of-the-earth insurance man in Barton Fink.
"[5] Breeze Riley of Telltale TV gave the episode a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "It's hard to not want to compare the Gemstones to another HBO family full of drama and dysfunctional dynamics, the Roys.
From Eli as the scrappy patriarch disappointed in his spoiled children to Jesse as the would-be successor feeling stifled by his dad’s control, there are plenty of parallels to explore.