Debapriya Bhattacharya
Helmed by Danny Brocklehurst, ‘Parish’ is the adaptation of the British series ‘The Driver,’ which Danny created alongside Jim Poyser. The show stars Giancarlo Esposito as Gray Parish, a former mob driver who gives up his old life to start a family. However, things go off-road when Gray agrees to drive a Zimbabwean gangster infamous for exploiting undocumented immigrants. He loses a member of his family as a result, forcing him to get back to his old ways in search of revenge and retribution. The 2024 AMC crime drama is a thrilling watch, following an aging man who gets back in the game when the stakes get personal. If you’re in search of more shows similar to ‘Parish,’ the following list has been curated for you.
10. Snowfall (2017-2023)
Created by John Singleton, Eric Amadio, and Dave Andron, ‘Snowfall’ chronicles the first crack epidemic in Los Angeles between 1983 and 1986. In the tumultuous period, Franklin Saint (Damson Idris) rises as a young drug kingpin in charge of crack cocaine manufacturing and supplying in the South Central region. In his line of work, he comes across Lucia Villanueva (Emily Rios), heiress to the Mexican Villanueva Cartel, and her enforcer, Gustavo Zapata (Sergio Peris-Mencheta). The CIA, through its operative Theodore McDonald (Carter Hudson), keeps watch over their business, attempting to utilize them in their war against communism. Similar to ‘Parish,’ the underworld is seen in turmoil as the players get involved with one another.
9. Tulsa King (2022-)
From the mind of Taylor Sheridan, ‘Tulsa King’ follows Dwight “The General” Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone), a Mafia capo from New York City who goes to prison for 25 years to shield his boss’ son. When he gets released, he finds the Family has moved ahead without him and has almost nothing to offer him for his loyalty. He gets shunned to Tulsa, Oklahoma, essentially to live out his days. However, Dwight decides to go down a different road and start his own operation. Soon, he recruits a new crew and begins to build his empire. Much like ‘Parish,’ the show is about an elderly man getting his hands dirty as he goes down the old trodden path of crime and violence.
8. Your Honor (2020-2023)
Adapted from the Israeli TV series ‘Kvodo’ by Shlomo Mashiach and Ron Ninio, ‘Your Honor’ by Peter Moffat centers around New Orleans judge Michael Desiato (Bryan Cranston), who is revered for his work. However, he is forced to consider bending his principles when his teenage son, Adam (Hunter Doohan), gets involved in a hit-and-run accident, killing the son of a mob kingpin. Desperate to save his son’s life at any cost, Michael engages in an elaborate scheme of lies and deceit that soon spirals out of control. The tragic situation that the judge finds himself in resonates with what Gray Parish goes through in ‘Parish.’
7. Justified (2010-2015)
Inspired by ‘Fire in the Hole’ and other works of Elmore Leonard, ‘Justified’ stars Timothy Olyphant as Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens. A straight-shooting lawman, Raylan is known for his old-fashioned sense of justice. He gets assigned to the Eastern District of Kentucky Marshal’s Office in Lexington after he shoots mob hitman Tommy Bucks in Miami in a quick draw, creating an uproar in the underworld. However, the place where Raylan ends up is his home in Harlan County. In ‘Parish,’ the titular character is forced to return to his work roots as a result of circumstances. Raylan ends up in a similar situation in ‘Justified,’ created by Graham Yost.
6. Animal Kingdom (2016-2022)
Helmed by Jonathan Lisco, ‘Animal Kingdom’ is based on the eponymous 2020 film directed by David Michôd, and draws from the true stories of the Pettingill crime family in Australia. After losing his mother at the age of 17, Joshua Cody (Finn Cole) moves to Oceanside, California, to live with his grandmother Janine “Smurf” Cody (Ellen Barkin) and her sons, Barry “Baz” Blackwell (Scott Speedman), Andrew “Pope” Cody (Shawn Hatosy), Craig Cody (Ben Robson), and Deran Cody (Jake Weary). He soon realizes that they run a criminal organization associated with incidents like armed robberies. Similar to Gray Parish, Joshua finds himself involved in the happenings of the underworld as a result of his circumstances.
5. Godfather of Harlem (2019-)
‘Godfather of Harlem’ by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein is a dramatized retelling of the life of Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker), a New York City crime boss who ran Harlem in the 1960s. The narrative follows Bumpy’s return to his neighborhood after being incarcerated for a decade, and finding that the Italians have taken control of the streets. He sets to work at once reclaiming them, making new alliances with the mob families in the process. However, throughout this time, he remains a steadfast family man, similar to Gray Parish in ‘Parish.’
4. Mayor of Kingstown (2021-)
Created by Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon, ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ is set in the titular fictional town, which is built around prisons. Kingstown is run by the McLusky family, who act as mediators between the law enforcers and the underworld. Following the untimely death of his older brother, Michael McLusky (Jeremy Renner) becomes the “Mayor” of the region. His personal experience of being incarcerated helps him better bridge the gap between the two opposing groups, as he desperately tries to bring order to a lawless place. As in ‘Parish,’ Michael has to shoulder the responsibility of dealing with the underworld after facing a personal loss.
3. Gangs of London (2020-)
Adapted from an eponymous video game by Gareth Evans and Matt Flannery, ‘Gangs of London’ chronicles the criminal underworld of London, where Finn Wallace (Colm Meaney) has ruled with an iron grip for decades. His assassination heralds chaos, as every crime family starts to fend for itself. Finn’s wife and son, Marian Wallace (Michelle Fairley) and Sean Wallace (Joe Cole), attempt to control the situation along with his right-hand man, Ed Dumani (Lucian Msamati). However, things are easier said than done, and the family is forced to keep their head under pressure, much like the protagonist in ‘Parish.’
2. Mr Inbetween (2018-2021)
Based on his 2005 feature film ‘The Magician,’ Scott Ryan created ‘Mr Inbetween’ and stars in it as Raymond “Ray” Shoesmith, a hitman mercenary who is determined to balance his work alongside time for his family. He shares a loving daughter, Brittany (Chika Yasumura), with his ex-wife, Jacinta (Natalie Tran), while also dating his terminally ill brother Bruce’s (Nicholas Cassim) caretaker, Ally (Brooke Satchwell). He wishes to leave behind a better world for his kid, and thus deals with social miscreants in his own brutal ways. Similar to ‘Parish,’ the show highlights the protagonist being unafraid to get his hands dirty for the sake of his family.
1. The Driver (2014)
The original mini-series created by Danny Brocklehurst and Jim Poyser, ‘The Driver,’ follows Vince McKee (David Morrissey), an English cab driver whose life changes after he accepts a job with the mafia. Driving around people and luggage for the underworld boss significantly increases his earnings and allows him to better provide for his family. However, it also greatly increases the dangers that he has to undertake, making his behavior shifty and igniting the suspicions of his wife. However, getting out of the world of crime is far more difficult than getting in, and Vince keeps digging himself into a greater hole. The show has inspired ‘Parish,’ which is helmed by the same creator. Thus, they have many points of similarity, with both focusing on family men who get involved in a life of crime because of the circumstances that present themselves, and try to make the best of it.
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