Giancarlo Esposito’s Much-Maligned Thriller Remake Begins the New Year as a Surprise Global Streaming Hit

Ever since he broke out as the vicious Gus Fring in Breaking Bad on AMC, Giancarlo Esposito has built an impressive resume on television. He's been nominated for six Emmys to date, including three for playing the narcotics kingpin in Vince Gilligan's hit series and its similarly acclaimed spin-off, Better Call Saul, as well as two nods for joining the dark side as Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian and one more for The Boys. Guy Ritchie's acclaimed The Gentlemen spin-off series and Rian Johnson's Poker Face Season 2 have also counted him among their ranks. Though he's thrived as a supporting presence, 2024 gave him the chance to lead his own series when he reunited with AMC for the crime thriller Parish, a remake of the BBC One series The Driver. His presence ultimately wasn't enough to make it a hit, but that hasn't stopped viewers from powering it back up the television charts on Netflix.

Heading into the weekend, Parish rose to #8 on the platform globally, sitting just behind Rick and Morty. Its return to streaming reflects the difference between the opinions of critics and audiences. While the former was largely negative about the series, giving it a 34% on Rotten Tomatoes, the latter was more on board for the adrenaline-pumping adventure into the criminal underworld, resulting in a much rosier 77% score. Often compared to Breaking Bad, the show didn't get past its six-episode first season despite an ending that hinted that Gray Parish wasn't done, and Esposito being outspoken about his interest in continuing the story. Netflix has at least given it a place to find a bit of redemption and showcase the star's talents when playing a "good man in a bad situation" compared to just a villain.

In an interview with Collider's Christina Radish following the finale, Esposito opened up about why he loved working with AMC and why he was completely on board with finding a way to build on Parish. Even though the network has delivered other successful dramas of its ilk, he also shared his belief that the series still stood out among its past offerings with how it mixes crime and violence.

"As an actor and someone who’s put the amount of energy, truth and organic sense of life into this piece, of course, I would love a second season. We talk about that because when you speak about it and work on it, it comes. It’s like inviting it. I know the piece is different than anything we’ve seen before, and you certainly haven’t seen me in this light before. I’m hoping that people will watch and see it, and that AMC will give us the vote of confidence to go for a second season. So, yes, we talk about different scenarios and discuss it, so that we stay excited and stay warm surrounding it. Then, when the call comes, we’ll be ready to share our ideas with a great partner. AMC has been a terrific partner. Every part of this organization believes in character-driven drama. Have they ever had a drama like this, that has all this edge and is a crime story that has violence in it? I don’t know if they’ve had anything like it. But they certainly have an appetite for this particular show, and they’ve been so behind it that we wanna be ready to collaborate with them and get their ideas as well, when that time comes."

What Is 'Parish' About?

Parish follows the titular Gracián "Gray" Parish, a New Orleans car service owner and generally good man, who is trying to leave his troubled past behind for his family. However, everything changes when his son is brutally murdered. Haunted by the tragedy, Gray begins slipping back into his old ways and re-entering the criminal underworld. Though he sets out with moral intentions, employing his skills as a getaway driver and car thief once more to support his loved ones and struggling business, his journey quickly spirals into something altogether more dangerous, with grave consequences for himself and those around him.

Danny Brocklehurst, who co-created The Driver with Jim Poyser, also developed Esposito's series based on their work. Joining the Breaking Bad and Abigail alum, meanwhile, is a strong cast including Scream icon Skeet Ulrich as a member of Gray's former crew, alongside Zackary Momoh, Paula Malcomson, Ivan Mbakop, Bonnie Mbuli, Arica Himmel, and Dax Rey.

All episodes of Parish are available to watch now on Netflix. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on the biggest film and television streaming hits to begin the new year.