---
name: "Paris Barclay"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/paris-barclay"
fi1m_id: "paris-barclay"
imdb_id: "nm0054077"
tmdb_id: 45649
wikidata_id: "Q951531"
roles: ["Director"]
born: "30 June 1956"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 14
average_fi1m_score: 75
average_as: "director"
average_over: 14
updated: "2026-10-23T04:07:09.630909+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Paris Barclay

## Identity

Paris Barclay

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/paris-barclay
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** paris-barclay
- **IMDb ID:** nm0054077
- **TMDB ID:** 45649
- **Wikidata ID:** Q951531
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Barclay, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q951531, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0054077/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/45649

Director. Born 30 June 1956 in Chicago Heights, Illinois, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Director
- **Born:** 30 June 1956, Chicago Heights, Illinois, USA
- **Active:** 1990–present
- **Also known as:** Paris K.C. Barclay
- **Frequently works with:** [Lesli Linka Glatter](https://film.one/person/lesli-linka-glatter.md), [Elodie Keene](https://film.one/person/elodie-keene.md), [Christopher Misiano](https://film.one/person/christopher-misiano.md), [Félix Enríquez Alcalá](https://film.one/person/felix-alcala.md), [Guy Ferland](https://film.one/person/guy-ferland.md), [Kevin Hooks](https://film.one/person/kevin-hooks.md), [Nelson McCormick](https://film.one/person/nelson-mccormick.md), [Rod Holcomb](https://film.one/person/rod-holcomb.md)
- **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 2 Emmys (2 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 75, as director, over 14 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 82 (4), 2000s 76 (8), 2020s 58 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 75 to 70 across 13 titles
- **Score spread:** 6 at 80+, 7 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 14, Crime 6, Action & Adventure 3, Mystery 3, Comedy 2
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Barclay, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q951531, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0054077/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/45649

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*ER*](https://film.one/tv/er.md) (88), [*The Shield*](https://film.one/tv/the-shield.md) (84), [*Lost*](https://film.one/tv/lost.md) (81), [*House*](https://film.one/tv/house-2004.md) (78), [*The Mentalist*](https://film.one/tv/the-mentalist.md) (71), [*Glee*](https://film.one/tv/glee.md) (68), [*Sons of Anarchy*](https://film.one/tv/sons-of-anarchy.md) (67)
- **Paramount+:** [*The Good Wife*](https://film.one/tv/the-good-wife.md) (84), [*Weeds*](https://film.one/tv/weeds.md) (76)
- **HBO Max:** [*The West Wing*](https://film.one/tv/the-west-wing.md) (86)
- **Hulu:** [*Law & Order*](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md) (72)
- **Netflix:** [*The Night Agent*](https://film.one/tv/the-night-agent.md) (64)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Paris Barclay

> Paris Barclay’s strength is patient work with actors inside an established programme. We rate his adaptability and care with ensembles, though an overinsistent camera move can undo the discretion he values.

A circular Steadicam shot in *The West Wing* draws attention because it breaks the programme’s established style. The episode is *The Indians in the Lobby*, and the director is Paris Barclay. It is an instructive lapse for someone who aims to fit his work to each series and keep himself out of the way. Here, the movement is too conspicuous. A director joining an established series has to judge how much the audience can be asked to notice before the actors cease to hold its attention.

In *The West Wing* (1999), the actors make an earnest programme absorbing and funny. We warmed to the speeches because the cast finds the human feeling in them, even when the dialogue sounds pleased with itself. That is precisely the sort of work an unobtrusive director ought to protect. Those virtues belong to a series and its ensemble, however, and cannot all be credited to Barclay. His preference for adapting to an established programme makes sense here, though even the most attentive direction cannot entirely rescue dialogue that congratulates itself.

The route to that work ran through music videos for LL Cool J and Janet Jackson, followed by his first feature, *Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood* (1996). Series television, entered through John Wells on *ER* and *NYPD Blue*, gave Barclay a more sustained place to work with casts. On *In Treatment* (2008), he was both executive producer and a frequent director, directing dozens of episodes across three seasons with a theatrical rehearsal process. That attention to preparation helps explain why actors and ensembles are central to our view of his work. His background in musical theatre and music videos also informs his work with ensembles and musical numbers, where keeping track of several performers is part of the job.

The sustained involvement continued on *Sons of Anarchy*, where he was executive producer and primary director for seasons four to seven. His work also takes in *Glee* and Ryan Murphy’s *Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story* (2022), placing him with markedly different ensembles and material. Calling him unobtrusive should not mean overlooking how much responsibility those producing posts carry. Start with *The West Wing*, provided its fondness for an earnest speech does not put you off.

## Biography

Paris Barclay (also credited as Paris K.C. Barclay) is an American television director, producer and writer. He studied English at Harvard University and began his career directing music videos before moving into film and television in the 1990s.

He has directed episodes of numerous series including *The West Wing* (1999), *NYPD Blue*, *ER*, *Lost* (2004), *House* (2004), *Sons of Anarchy* (2008), *Glee*, *American Horror Story* (2011), *How to Get Away with Murder* (2014), *Station 19* (2018) and *DAHMER – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story* (2022). Barclay won two Primetime Emmy Awards for directing *NYPD Blue* and served two terms as President of the Directors Guild of America from 2013 to 2017, the first African-American and first openly gay person to hold the post.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, deadline.com, televisionacademy.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (14)

- *The Night Agent* (2023), Fi1m 64, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-night-agent.md)
- *DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story* (2022), Fi1m 51, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/dahmer-monster-the-jeffrey-dahmer-story.md)
- *Glee* (2009), Fi1m 68, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/glee.md)
- *The Good Wife* (2009), Fi1m 84, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-wife.md)
- *Sons of Anarchy* (2008), Fi1m 67, Producer, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/sons-of-anarchy.md)
- *The Mentalist* (2008), Fi1m 71, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-mentalist.md)
- *Weeds* (2005), Fi1m 76, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/weeds.md)
- *House* (2004), Fi1m 78, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/house-2004.md)
- *Lost* (2004), Fi1m 81, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/lost.md)
- *The Shield* (2002), Fi1m 84, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-shield.md)
- *The West Wing* (1999), Fi1m 86, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-west-wing.md)
- *ER* (1994), Fi1m 88, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *NYPD Blue* (1993), Fi1m 82, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/nypd-blue.md)
- *Law & Order* (1990), Fi1m 72, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)

## Complete filmography (63)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It* (2026), Executive Producer, Director, Writer
- *Doctor Odyssey* (2024), series, Executive Producer, Director
- *Brilliant Minds* (2024), series, Director
- *Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story* (2024), series, Director
- *American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez* (2024), series, Director
- *The Night Agent* (2023), series, Director — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-night-agent.md)
- *The Watcher* (2022), series, Director, Executive Producer
- *DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story* (2022), series, Director — Fi1m 51, [page](https://film.one/tv/dahmer-monster-the-jeffrey-dahmer-story.md)
- *With Love* (2021), series, Director
- *The Normal Heart* (2021), Director
- *Station 19* (2018), series, Director, Executive Producer
- *Pitch* (2016), series, Director
- *The Bastard Executioner* (2015), series, Director, Executive Producer
- *Empire* (2015), series, Director
- *How to Get Away with Murder* (2014), series, Director
- *Manhattan* (2014), series, Director
- *Extant* (2014), series, Director
- *Smash* (2012), series, Director
- *American Horror Story* (2011), series, Director
- *The Chicago Code* (2011), series, Director
- *Miami Medical* (2010), series, Director
- *NCIS: Los Angeles* (2009), series, Director
- *The Good Wife* (2009), series, Director — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-wife.md)
- *Glee* (2009), series, Director — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/glee.md)
- *The Mentalist* (2008), series, Director — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-mentalist.md)
- *Pedro* (2008), Executive Producer, Story
- *Sons of Anarchy* (2008), series, Director, Producer — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/tv/sons-of-anarchy.md)
- *In Treatment* (2008), series, Director, Co-Executive Producer, Executive Producer
- *Dirt* (2007), series, Director
- *Weeds* (2005), series, Director — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/weeds.md)
- *Numb3rs* (2005), series, Director
- *Hate* (2005), Director, Writer
- *House* (2004), series, Director — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/house-2004.md)
- *Huff* (2004), series, Director
- *Lost* (2004), series, Director — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/lost.md)
- *TV Revolution* (2004), series, Actor
- *Cold Case* (2003), series, Director
- *1MMs* (2003), series, Director
- *The Street Lawyer* (2003), Director
- *The Big Time* (2002), Director
- *American Dreams* (2002), series, Director
- *Fastlane* (2002), series, Director
- *Monk* (2002), series, Director
- *The Shield* (2002), series, Director — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-shield.md)
- *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation* (2000), series, Director
- *City of Angels* (2000), series, Producer, Director
- *The West Wing* (1999), series, Director — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-west-wing.md)
- *Will & Grace* (1998), series, as Director
- *Brooklyn South* (1997), series, Director
- *The Cherokee Kid* (1996), as #1 Bad Cowboy · Director
- *Clueless* (1996), series, Director
- *America's Dream* (1996), Director
- *Second Noah* (1996), series, Director
- *Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood* (1996), Director
- *Sliders* (1995), series, as Bureaucrat · Director
- *ER* (1994), series, Director — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *Diagnosis: Murder* (1993), series, Director
- *NYPD Blue* (1993), series, Producer, Supervising Producer, Director — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/nypd-blue.md)
- *Moon Over Miami* (1993), series, Director
- *Angel Street* (1992), series, Director
- *Silk Stalkings* (1991), series, Director
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, Director — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *Dead Lawyers*, Director

## Gallery

- ![Paris Barclay](https://film.one/media/person/61491/gallery-4fabb79b97f8.png) Paris Barclay — Richard Berg, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Paris_Barclay.png/1280px-Paris_Barclay.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Paris Barclay and Warren Leight 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY USA May 17, 2010](https://film.one/media/person/61491/gallery-79998fbe0ecf.jpg) Paris Barclay and Warren Leight 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY USA May 17, 2010 — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/In_Treatment_%288266116467%29.jpg/1280px-In_Treatment_%288266116467%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Paris Barclay and Warren Leight 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY USA May 17, 2010](https://film.one/media/person/61491/gallery-885c0e5e01ff.jpg) Paris Barclay and Warren Leight 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY USA May 17, 2010 — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/In_Treatment_%288266117353%29.jpg/1280px-In_Treatment_%288266117353%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Paris Barclay and Warren Leight 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY USA May 17, 2010](https://film.one/media/person/61491/gallery-af5ea0a7dbd3.jpg) Paris Barclay and Warren Leight 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY USA May 17, 2010 — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/In_Treatment_%288267179460%29.jpg/1280px-In_Treatment_%288267179460%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Paris Barclay and Warren Leight 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY USA May 17, 2010](https://film.one/media/person/61491/gallery-5de3c5e96e09.jpg) Paris Barclay and Warren Leight 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY USA May 17, 2010 — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/In_Treatment_%288267186054%29.jpg/1280px-In_Treatment_%288267186054%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Paris Barclay and Warren Leight 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY USA May 17, 2010](https://film.one/media/person/61491/gallery-11f80f039b12.jpg) Paris Barclay and Warren Leight 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY USA May 17, 2010 — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/In_Treatment_%288267186712%29.jpg/1280px-In_Treatment_%288267186712%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 2 won

- 1999: Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (won), for *NYPD Blue*
- 1998: Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (won), for *NYPD Blue*

### Other awards — 1 won

- GLAAD Stephen F. Kolzak Award 2001: GLAAD Stephen F. Kolzak Award (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/paris-barclay