‘The White Lotus’ Fans Need To Watch Walton Goggins in ‘Vice Principals’

Walton Goggins gave a superb performance in the critically acclaimed HBO series The White Lotus. The two-time Emmy-nominated actor portrayed Rick Hatchett, an American traveling to Thailand in search of some semblance of peace. Similar to previous seasons, the third season of The White Lotus was filled with shocking revelations and a soul-crushing finale involving Goggins’ character and Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood).

After that heartbreaking finale, a little humor is a must. Following his performance, the actor has gained even more attention, and he has a number of incredible films and television series that can help lift viewers out of a depressive slump. Goggins has been able to meet the demands of any role that comes his way. Whether it’s the Ghoul in Fallout (2024-) or Baby Billy Freeman in The Righteous Gemstones (2019-), the actor has delivered exceptional performances. The most notable and hilarious is another HBO series, Vice Principals.

The HBO original comedy series premiered in 2016 and follows the story of two vice principals, Lee Russell (Goggins) and Neal Gamby (Danny McBride), competing for the principal position at North Jackson High School after Principal Welles (Bill Murray) retires to tend to his terminally ill wife. The show ran for two seasons until 2017. The second season received a fresh 100% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and an 87% score from viewers — a 23% increase over Season 1’s 64%. Eight years after the series’ conclusion, it currently sits at #10 on the streaming platform. Joining Goggins and McBride are Busy Philipps, Shea Whigham, Susan Park, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, and several others.

What Is ‘Vice Principals’ About?

HBO’s Vice Principals is centered around Neal Gamby (McBride) and Lee Russell (Goggins), two rival vice principals competing for the authoritative principal position at North Jackson High School. Gamby is a divorced father and the disciplinary vice principal who wants the principal position to fulfill his authoritarian agenda. The series introduces him as he’s experiencing a low point in life and trying to co-parent with his ex-wife, Gale Liptrapp (Philipps). Gamby is a “rules are rules” kind of guy; he’s direct and doesn’t have much of a social life outside of work. His insecurities motivate him to pursue the leadership role, and by landing the gig, he’s proven himself.

Russell is the polar opposite of Gamby. He’s a charmer but has aggressive tendencies that limit his ability to be an effective principal. He’s hilariously overdramatic but can be insensitive and cruel. He has a wife named Christine (Park) and his mother-in-law, Mi-Cha (June Kyoto Lu), with whom he has a tumultuous relationship. He might appear to be a people person, but looks can be deceiving — he’s a true menace to society. Gamby and Russell team up to oust Dr. Belinda Brown (Hébert Gregory) after she was offered the principal position at North Jackson High, creating a fascinating dynamic between the completely different characters. Vice Principals is comedy gold thanks to these two unhinged characters, who wouldn’t be nearly as compelling without Goggins and McBride’s brilliant portrayals.

‘Vice Principals’ Isn’t the First Time Goggins and McBride Have Collaborated

Vice Principals isn’t the only project that’s brought Goggins and McBride together to create comedic magic — much like the dynamic between Steve Martin and Martin Short. The comedic duo is currently working together on another series for HBO called The Righteous Gemstones. The series premiered in 2019 and is the third satirical comedy from McBride for HBO. The comedy series explores Christian televangelism by focusing on the famous yet deeply dysfunctional Gemstone family. McBride portrays Jesse Gemstone, and Goggins gives an unforgettable performance as Baby Billy Freeman.

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Other cast members include John Goodman, Adam DeVine, Edi Patterson, Cassidy Freeman, and Tony Cavalero. The Righteous Gemstones is in its fourth and final season after McBride revealed that he felt satisfied with the project earlier this year. In an interview with Variety, McBride said:

“The Lord spoke to me and said it’s time to wrap this sucker up. The story this season made the themes, ideas, and characters in ‘The Righteous Gemstones’ feel whole and complete. I have loved every second of working with this team for the past eight years, and there are some incredible payoffs, twists, and turns in store over the course of this wild final season.”

Why ‘Vice Principals’ Ended After Season 2

The only downside to watching Vice Principals is that the story ends after two seasons. During its run on HBO, the series gained a loyal following and was successful, leaving viewers wondering what happened. In a 2016 interview with Variety, McBride revealed that the storyline was always intended to be two seasons and that HBO never canceled it.

“The whole series is only 18 episodes and that’s it. We just wanted to make a really long movie. It’s one school year and a complete story.”

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The series does feel complete after the final episode of Season 2, but you can’t help but want to see more of these unhinged characters and what mischief they could get into should the story continue. Goggins and McBride are a comedic duo whose chemistry electrifies the screen. Vice Principals is streaming on Max.