Is there any current series more polarizing than “Emily in Paris”? Since its 2020 debut on Netflix, the show about a transplanted American staking her worth at a Parisian marketing agency has divided the internet.
The admirers say the Paris-shot series is an escapist retreat full of stunning views, breathtaking fashion and colourful characters. For the detractors, “Emily in Paris” is a superficial and stereotypical depiction of a beloved city, and features a protagonist who’s constantly messing up. One thing both sides seem to have in common? They can’t stop watching.
More than 58 million households streamed that first season, which introduced Lily Collins (daughter of musician Phil Collins) as the titular character. Emily didn’t speak French. She befriended a woman named Camille (Camille Razat), only to sleep with her boyfriend, Gabriel (Lucas Bravo). And she often jeopardized her firm’s relationships with clients under the jaded eye of her boss, Sylvie Grateau (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu).
Yet for every poor decision Emily made, she worked just as hard to make amends. She slowly realized that Americans work too hard — and that her French needed an overhaul.
The second and third seasons brought more needed change. The story made fun of Emily’s clichés, focused more on the star power of her best friend Mindy (Ashley Park) and introduced a secondary love interest, Alfie (Lucien Laviscount). The fashion grew bigger, too, with larger-than-life frocks and indulgent accessories that seemed impossible on Emily’s salary.
It’s a formula that creator Darren Star knows well. Who hasn’t heard of the creative’s other notable titles, “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “Melrose Place” and that little cable show that once aired on HBO, “Sex and the City”?
There was vitriol for that latter series too, which is usually the case for a project about women navigating life, career and friendships. They’re described as “guilty pleasures” or “frothy,” despite many women finding something to relate to.
Sure, “Emily in Paris” isn’t a brilliantly scripted drama featuring a male anti-hero, or an action series with a woman in another bodysuit. But it does contain important themes of career, starting over, redemption, finding yourself and female friendship. And that makes it worth watching, even if the show isn’t a traditional Emmy contender.
In the first part of Season 4, which is now streaming on Netflix, those themes continue to shine against the beautiful French backdrops. Emily chooses between Alfie and Gabriel following that cliffhanger third-season finale, all while navigating the effects her high-profile love life has on a client’s campaign. She also works on repairing her relationship with Camille and tries to be more accountable, which is refreshing for those who have been irritated by her past antics.
One of the best things Season 4 brings is the exploration of the Me Too movement in the world of fashion. Sylvie’s decision to out a former boss with whom she still has professional ties has lasting repercussions on her professional and personal lives. The aftershocks also reach as far as Mindy’s relationship with the son of the accused, Nicolas de Léon (Paul Forman), sparking conversations about solidarity and family.
It’s the show’s longevity that allows it to ditch the lightness for these storylines. Without establishing these characters, their flaws and this setting, these conversations would seem superficial. Instead, they resonate and the stakes feel higher because we’ve spent so much time in this world.
Still, this is “Emily in Paris” and those tonal tweaks don’t overpower the overall vibe. There are exaggerated clients to contend with, a ridiculous French resistance to the mounting Gen Z sober-curious movement and more than a few cheesy sex quips to indulge in. Emily continues to run the streets of Paris, fantasize and dish about all of the hot men in her life, and wear jaw-dropping outfits to her clients’ shindigs. She also messes up, over and over again.
Because that’s life and even in escapist television there has to be something familiar to ground these character and keep us watching.
That’s the secret to the success of “Emily in Paris” and it’s why people have such a love-hate relationship with the show. This is a heightened world and the character choices can be infuriating, but it’s also fun, aspirational and well-intentioned.
You can zip through a season faster than you can wolf down a fresh pain au chocolat, with similar results: both will leave you full and satisfied, but whether you choose to feel guilt is up to you.
“Emily in Paris” Season 4, Part 1 streams on Netflix Thursday. Part 2 drops Sept. 12.
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