After two TV series focused on pompous protagonists ("Eastbound & Down," "Vice Principals") behold the finale of his third, "The Righteous Gemstones."

The HBO series, which follows the hijinks of a famous televangelist family, is wrapping up with its fourth season.

I sent him the script and he called me back pretty quickly,” McBride tells PEOPLE before explaining what happened nextBradley Cooper may have needed just a little nudge to sign on to appear in the fourth and final season of The Righteous Gemstones.