Becoming The Muse

Parish TV Series Review

Parish is an American crime drama television series based on a BBC One series The Driver. The show premiered on AMC on the 31^st of March 2024.

The series is about Gray Parish, a man with a dark past, trying to look out for his family… When a friend from the past reaches out for a one time favour and an offer he cant refuse, Parish is drawn back into a world he had left behind…

The Good

Giancarlo Esposito… If there is one reason to watch the series its because The Breaking Bad breakout star carries this series on his back. . Gracian Parish is his next role after being in the Guy Ritchie crime drama series The Gentleman as  Mr Stanley Johnston with a T. Those familiar with his work know how he manages to bring about an intense performance that is subtle yet darkly captivating.

Parish is a gripping show which feels familiar like a cross between The Transporter, a heist gangster series with bit of crime shows you have seen Giancarlo in… but with a twist that keeps you riveted to see how it all plays out.

The storyline about an international gangster syndicate family with Zimbabwean roots held a bit of appeal to it as I was curious as to how they would develop that aspect of the plot as well as get a read on what the outside world thinks about Zimbabwe.

Every episode is not without action set pieces that will have you on the edge of your seat, buckle your seatbelts for an adrenalin pumping ride as Gracian Gray puts his hands on the steering wheel and takes control…

I’m tired of being a passenger in my own life

-Gracian Parish

The Bad

Outside of Gracian Parish’s character the others are rather two dimensional without enough character development for us to get fully invested in what happens to them, the people from Gray’ past, his family, the immigrants in New Orleans….

The Tongai family seems to have interesting dynamics and an intriguing back story but it is never fully explored… and this being one of the reasons I watched the series for that Zimbabwean angle, I felt let down.

The show’s central theme which should be on morality and redemption from past mistakes is lost in the muddled narrative and erratic pacing of the show which cant seem to make up its mind on what its about, a family drama or gangster series ending up as neither.

The show sets up for what should be an epic showdown in the grand finale but instead turns out to be rather anti-climatic fest, mostly concerned about setting up for a potential second season.

The Ugly

The accents – I almost stopped watching because of how atrociously the Shona accents were butchered. I am of the opinion a voice coach or ideally getting Zimbabwean actors to play the roles, would have boosted the production instead of making other African actors mangle the ChiShona language. Maybe, even removing the superfluous token Shona phrases, which dont push the story forward but only make it a cringefest for those familiar with the language…

The series explores the not so glamourous side of the immigrant life where people leave their homes in pursuit of a dream which ends up being a nightmare; human trafficking, undocumented labour and other indignities… Its almost a modern day slavery tale, with digs at how we enslave our fellow men and women then see it as empowering them.

It’s a morally grey themed show whose redemption arc zig-zags blurring morality.

Final Thoughts

Parish is a fast paced crime drama series which can be a compelling watch if the atrocious Shona accents can be overlooked, and fans of Giancarlo Esposito can forgive a lot of the show’s shortcomings.

The series primes viewers for a second season by teasing at unresolved plot points, that we will see more of Gracian “Gray” Parish.

~B