AMC’s new series “Parish” contains a new wrinkle never before seen by the TV Blog in any organized crime TV show or movie.
Not that the TV Blog has seen every gangster movie and TV show ever made over the last 100 years or so, but in “Parish,” the “mob” making its presence known on the streets of New Orleans is made up of Zimbabweans.
They can now take their place in the celluloid pantheon alongside the Italians, Jews, African Americans, Russians, Albanians, Mexicans, Venezuelans, Arabs and presumably others.
Why the Zimbabweans have come to southern Louisiana instead of, say, anywhere else is not explained in Episode One of “Parish,” which the TV Blog previewed on Wednesday.
“Parish” is about a one-time criminal named Parish who lives in the land of parishes.
Played by Giancarlo Esposito (pictured above), Parish owns a limo company and also happens to be a retired driver whose skills were once highly prized in the criminal underworld.
But wouldn’t you know it? He thought he was out, but now they want to pull him back in.
Or to be more specific, he is pulling himself back in because the limo service is not profitable and he owes money on the business and on his home. And so, he falls in with the Zimbabweans.
But wait, there’s more. This show contains layer upon layer of subplots, one of which has to do with the violent death of Parish’s teenage son.
Is Parish hatching a revenge plot of some sort? Stay tuned, as they used to say.
AMC is promoting the six-part “Parish” as a “high-octane” thriller, which makes sense given the show’s emphasis on driving skills.
The phrase also raises expectations for “high-octane” action, which Episode One delivers in at least two suspenseful sequences.
Esposito gained fame for the role of Gus Fring in “Breaking Bad” and its prequel, “Better Call Saul.”
His relationship with AMC Networks continues with “Parish,” on which he is credited as an executive producer.
Also appearing in “Parish”: Paula Malcomson as Parish’s wife, Rose; and Skeet Ulrich as a friend from Parish’s criminal past who connects him with the Zimbabweans.
Source: Media Post
