Emily in Paris (Netflix)
Emily In Paris, the show every serious TV critic loves to hate, returns in August with a whirlwind of brightly hued designer outfits and romantic frivolities.
The first half of season four, starring Lily Collins as the eponymous Emily, is now streaming on Netflix, and fans (myself included, unashamedly) have been binge-watching it.
We’ve waited almost two years for the final installment (the third season premiered in December 2022) and this one picks up where the last one left off.
Emily is still torn between her two loves, ‘Hot Chef’ Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), whose bisexual fiancée Camille (Camille Razat) stormed out of their wedding and announced her pregnancy in the final moments of season three, and handsome businessman Alfie, played by British actor Lucien Laviscount.
Emily’s best friend, aspiring Eurovision singer Mindy (Ashley Park), is caught in her own love triangle, while the boss of her marketing firm, the indomitable Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) is struggling with personal and professional loyalties, chain-smoking over long Parisian lunches.
The first half of season four, starring Lily Collins as the eponymous Emily, is now streaming on Netflix and fans have been binge-watching it.
We’ve waited almost two years for the final installment (the third season premiered in December 2022) and this one picks up where the last one left off.
Emily is still torn between her two loves, ‘Hot Chef’ Gabriel (Lucas Bravo, pictured) and handsome businessman Alfie, played by British actor Lucien Laviscount.
Viewers can expect a masked ball, mistaken identities, glamorous events, passionate sex scenes on a rooftop and, as always, more lurid fashion than you’ll find at any French Olympic opening ceremony.
Creativity in the costume department seems to have peaked, with some of Emily’s outfits truly defying belief: in one scene, she’s dressed in a Morph suit that resembles a zebra crossing.
Then there are her coworkers, Luc and Julien, each with their own chaotic history. Not to mention the fact that Camille has a new girlfriend, Greek artist Sofia, who moves into the flat she shares with Gabriel, below Emily’s apartment, creating the ultimate ménage à quatre.
Viewers can expect a masked ball, mistaken identities, glamorous events, steamy rooftop sex scenes and, as always, more lurid fashion than you’ll find at any French Olympic opening ceremony.
Creativity in the costume department seems to have peaked, with some of Emily’s outfits truly defying belief: in one scene, she’s dressed in a Morph suit resembling a zebra crossing; in another, she has a large frilly doily strapped to her chest.
And location scouts must have had a blast selecting the sets for the action, with scenes taking place on the Roland-Garros court, in a nightclub themed to look like an indoor beach, and on the boating lake outside Claude Monet’s home.
Reviews are starting to come in for the new season of Emily In Paris on Netflix
Lily Collins returns as the title character, Emily Cooper, a young American woman from the Midwest who uproots her life and takes a new job in Paris.
Of course, this isn’t real life, with Emily strutting around a Paris filled with tropes and fantasies that only belong on the small screen, and previous series of the rom-com have been criticised for their superficial take on Parisian life.
But there’s a reason thirtysomethings like me love this show: It is, in a world where the news is often horrific and distressing, the ultimate escapism: inconsequential, absorbing, fabulous nonsense.
Of course, this isn’t real life, with Emily strutting around a Paris filled with tropes and fantasies that only belong on the small screen, and previous series of the rom-com have been criticized for their shallow take on Parisian life.
But there’s a reason thirtysomethings like me love this show: It is, in a world where the news is often horrific and distressing, the ultimate form of escapism: inconsequential, absorbing, fabulous nonsense.
Creator Darren Star, the genius behind Sex and the City, deserves praise for sticking to his guns. This is Emily in Paris at its finest: fun, fluffy stories that tackle real issues (betrayal, commitment, insecurity, identity; there’s even a brief “#MeToo” plot line), backed by witty dialogue that keeps millions of viewers hooked.
Some of the best lines are from Sylvie, who has more of a role than in previous series, and rightly so. Leroy-Beaulieu’s portrayal of this Anna Wintour-esque PR queen is brilliant: she’s powerful and vulnerable, and never has a perfectly coiffed hair out of place.
The series remains one of Netflix’s most popular romantic comedies, with a love triangle that captivates viewers.
The show continues to inspire audiences with lead actress Emily’s achingly stylish ensembles.
When Emily suggests a mocktail to a client during a meeting, Sylvie responds, “Sobriety may be popular in America, but it’s the antithesis of French culture.”
Supporting actors have more prominent roles in this series: something is wrong with Luc’s Michelin-starred restaurant inspector girlfriend Marianne; Mindy’s relationship with her wealthy heir boyfriend Nicholas is fraying; and Sylvie’s mother is recruited to finance her husband’s new Parisian club after his sponsor backs out when Sylvie sells a story about him to Le Monde.
This time I found myself worrying less about Emily and Gabriel’s “will they?” and “won’t they?” and feeling sorry for poor Alfie, who is fooled by a Venetian mask and ends up kissing a stranger.
Of course, nothing is set in stone: clever scheduling means the second half of the series won’t air until next month, prolonging the endless online chatter about what’s to come.
It’s not something that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and it’s perhaps surprising that not much happens in the five half-hour episodes. But as fans know, Emily in Paris isn’t about that.
In this Disneyland version of the City of Love, we’re here to enjoy the ride.
