Vice Principals: Danny McBride previews 'unhinged and f—ked up' series finale

School is almost out for good at North Jackson High, a.k.a. the school at the center of HBO comedy Vice Principals — but before the final semester ends, there’s the unresolved issue of “Who shot Neal Gamby?”

With the recent discovery of the mask and gun in Lee Russell’s (Walton Goggins) car, all signs point to Gamby’s (series co-creator Danny McBride) “worst fear” of the culprit being his friend-turned-ally. “Imagine what you would do if you found out that one of your good friends tried to smoke you for a job,” McBride tells EW, laughing.

Viewers don’t have to imagine, considering last Sunday’s penultimate episode featured Gamby threatening to shoot Russell, and after he couldn’t go through with pulling the trigger, he attacked his boss, leading to an epic fight throughout the school.

“Lee has been one of the trickiest characters that Neal Gamby has ever encountered in his life,” shares McBride. “He’s learned an immense deal from Lee, and he’s also learned an immense deal of the kind of man he doesn’t want to be because of Lee.”

Gamby learned enough from his conniving former friend to resort to Russell-like tactics. Courtesy of Christine, Russell’s soon-to-be ex-wife, Gamby used the childhood diary of his rival’s sisters, which contains an abundance of embarrassing info, to blackmail Russell into resigning, leaving Gamby as the new principal.

It was actually quite the night for Gamby, as he also got back together with Amanda Snodgrass (Georgia King). And while he may now have the job and the girl, there’s plenty of assignments left to complete in the final episode. “We designed this show to be 18 episodes, and you’re entering the last half-hour of the series,” teases McBride. “And if you thought the rest of the series has been unhinged and f—ked up, then just sit down and watch what’s next.”

Vice Principals’ series finale airs Sunday at 10:35 p.m. ET on HBO.