Giancarlo Esposito brings the drama in AMC's "Parish"

May 10, 2024

Courtesy AMC Networks

(Warning: spoilers ahead)

Parish is AMC's newest crime thriller set in New Orleans, adapted from the BBC One series "The Driver." It tells the story of Gracian "Gray" Parish, a family man haunted by his son's death who has unwittingly returned to a life of crime as a getaway driver after he accepts the offer from an old friend and former associate, Colin, played by Skeet Ulrich. 

Giancarlo Esposito's portrayal of the titular character is nothing short of perfect. He breathes life into the tormented Gray Parish, a man burdened by financial debt and desperate to prevent his house from being seized in foreclosure.

His struggling limousine business, his relationship with his wife, Rose (Paula Malcomson), and his daughter, Makayla (Arika Himmel), heighten the tension throughout the series.

Of course, Gray is in way over his head as the getaway driver for the villainous Tongai family, a trio of human trafficking siblings who smuggle African immigrants to America to work in their organization.

Courtesy AMC Networks

The tension in Parish escalates as Gray finds himself in a perilous situation, compelled to dispose of a body with Colin's help after his first job. Horse, the head of the Tongai family, is immediately interested in Gray's unique 'skill set' and seeks to involve him further in their illicit operations, which puts Gray's family at risk. When Gray rescues Horse's son following an assassination attempt on Horse, he is thrust into a dangerous feud between the Tongais, another criminal organization, and Anton, Gray's former criminal boss. 

Finding the mole in the Tongai organization takes center stage. Gray is the one accused of working with Anton to kill Horse, as Rose kills two of Anton's men who were sent to their home. After Gray convinces Horse that he is not the mole, he enlists Colin's help to dispose of more bodies. As Gray and his family leave their home, memorable flashback scenes ensue to fill in the gaps in the history the Parishes have shared throughout the years.

After the real mole is revealed, we see through a series of flashbacks where connecting plots are interwoven to fill in the gaps missing from previous episodes with the Tongais, including highlighting the horrors of human trafficking and the exploitation of illegal immigrants. The scenes surrounding the truth of his son's death are also revealed in climaxing fashion, prompting Gray to seek a path of vengeance.

With Gray taking matters into his own hands, the ending sets the stage for a potential season 2, as Gray has thoroughly entranced himself deeper into a life of crime. With the corruption of New Orleans exposed and the patriarch of the Tongais coming to America to enact revenge on Gray, enough content is provided for viewers to eagerly anticipate Parish's continuation if AMC wishes to pursue season 2.

Watch the official trailer here:

All episodes of "Parish" are currently streaming now on AMC and AMC+.