Connie Parish (Michelle Gomez) is the main villainess from "Bubble Wrap," episode 24.18 of Law & Order: SVU (airdate April 6, 2023). She is the mother of Martin Parish and the ex-wife of Peter Parish.
Backstory & Introduction[]
Connie Parish's backstory revealed that her father was a wealthy tycoon who spent too much time into his company that he neglected her as a child. As an adult, she inherited her father's company and got married to a Peter Parish, with whom she had a son named Martin. Connie had aspired to be better than her father, by balancing out parenting and conducting business. While she had a loving family, it was not enough, and she started to emotionally suffocate her husband to control him. However, this didn't sit well with him and Peter seemingly began affair that further drove Connie over the edge. Peter soon left her for the nanny, moving out of the country for twenty years.
The episode's opening saw Connie and her son going to therapy for their issues. She is seen being depicted as smothering mother who often keeps her grown son in line, but he does not like this and often yearns for freedom. However, they were in agreement in not being the other after therapist recommended an exercise.
When Martin comes home frantic, Connie consoles him after he states he hurt someone, and she tells him that she'll handle it. After Martin is arrested for rape, Connie tells Captain Benson that she researched her and knows of her being a mother too, she makes it clear that she will protect her son. Connie then bribes Mona and her friend with a new apartment and a fortune to keep them quiet and they withdraw their accusations, but SVU pressure them.
Heel Turn[]
When Mona is found dead, SVU decide to bring Martin in but discover Martin in bed with his mother, being cradled by Connie and become disgusted at the sight before they bring them both in for questioning. At the precinct, Connie tries to defend her actions while Benson tells her that she is delusional. Much later, it is revealed Mona died of poisoning from the drugs she took with Martin and the detectives realize he could be at risk too. They inform him and his lawyer, as Martin quickly rushed to the hospital and its confirmed that he was in poisoned and it was making his asthma worse though the doctors save him in time.
SVU soon discovered the poisoned was linked to Connie from a previous employee. Connie is arrested but she denies the accusation.
Climax and Arrest[]
When Peter is found, he reveals that the reason he left Connie is because he discovered her sexually abusing their son as a child when the nanny informed him of his wife's poisoning him to keep him quiet. He also tells the detectives that he and the nanny feared Connie's wrath and fled, though voiced how he wanted to take Martin from his overbearing mother, he felt it wrong to deprive him of his mother. Connie then arrived and was reunited with Peter and a tense moment form between them, as she sees him healthy and now has a family with the nanny who he married over the years. Connie is so angry that he found happiness and tried to get Martin to come with her but he refuses her, upsetting her. Connie was shocked that her hold on him was gone, she declined her lawyer's attempt to accompany her in talking to Benson.
Watching Martin bonding with his father and new half-sister, Connie talked about how she sought to be better than her own parents with her child before she blames Benson for causing her to lose her grip of her son. However, the latter tells Connie that fell solely on her and expressed at Connie's way of parenting. Connie said nothing in response and seeing that she had nobody left, she accepts her loss.
In the end, she took a plea to spare Martin the act of testifying against her in exchange for a lesser sentence. Connie is then imprisoned for Mona's murder, bribery, and her ex-husband's poisoning. Martin also took a plea for rape and was imprisoned.