If you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted series to entertain throughout the Christmas holiday season, Emily in Paris is it. The show, already in its fifth season, is the perfect escapist pleasure filled with all kinds of eye candy, from the stunning streets of Paris and Italy to the fab fashion, and of course, the gorgeous and confident men and women. There’s little substance to this soapy romantic comedy drama, which serves up classic rom-com wrapped by a modern-day fairy tale. Season 5 takes Emily (Lily Collins) on even more ridiculous personal and professional journeys. But it’s satisfying to go along for the ride and melt away into the fantasy fiction of it all.
Emily in Paris Has its Moments
Emily in Paris is all surface, all the time, with little depth to any of the storylines. But it fulfills its purpose of entertaining with salacious love triangles, marketing and viral campaigns gone awry, and dreams being fulfilled or conversely, that come crashing down. Don’t worry, everything always seems to work out in the end.
Every character has a story to tell this season, from Mindy’s (Ashley Park) rise to becoming a sought-after singer and performer to Sylvie’s (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) complicated yet free-spirited Samantha Jones-like love life and career successes. Luc (Bruno Gouery) and his quirky and awkward personality shines through for comedic relief while Julien (Samuel Arnold) popping in with cute and theatrical one-liners are a welcome reprieve from the drama.
Some plot points seem like they’re added to fill holes, like finally showing any indication that Emily misses the U.S.: she seems to have completely forgotten about her friends and family there otherwise! Others are outright abandoned early on. Camille (Camille Razat), who had a major role in the first four seasons, does not appear at all. Bringing Geneviève (Thalia Besson) into the story in Season 4, presumably to cause trouble for Emily at the agency, ends up falling flat. Poor Alfie (Lucien Laviscount), meanwhile, can’t seem to catch a break nor get a storyline stronger than being considered second fiddle. As wonderful an addition to the cast he was, his time on the show should have come to an end in Season 4.
Of course, the core story centers around Emily and her burgeoning life in Paris, or rather, also Italy. During a short time there in Season 4, she, of course, finds romance with yet another man in Marcello (Eugenio Franceschini), and that relationship continues in Season 5. Emily seems to be living out the dream of every single woman in her 20s. She not only bravely upends her entire life to move to Paris, she then decides to settle there, finds love at every turn, and can’t seem to slow the revolving door of men clamouring to be with this fascinating American girl.
There’s a bit of a negative slant here, despite the fantasy world depiction. Even in the brief moments when Emily is single, she still somehow manages to find a man who is itching to be with her, hanging on her every word. She’s a beautiful, talented, successful, and confident young woman, so that doesn’t come as a surprise. But eventually, it becomes too much, Emily coming across as being insufferable, a boy-crazy flirt who flips between men like she does shoes. Can she just focus on herself for once?
Fun Surprises Throughout
Irritations about Emily aside, there are a few fun surprises throughout the season, including a memorable character arc from Minnie Driver and other returning characters, like brief appearances from Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), who is hanging on for dear life to relevancy to the story. There are some great one-liners, too, like “I should sell my eggs, but they’re probably devilled by now,” “excuse me, I need to go powder my lungs,” and “don’t open the ex files. The truth is not out there.”
As far as guilty pleasures go, Emily in Paris fits the bill in spades. It’s filled with colour, beauty, and culture, even if this season continues to perpetuate stereotypes of both Parisians and Italians, alike. You’ll be dreaming of your next trip to Paris or Rome (and also Venice), craving a baguette, double espresso, and tiramisu, and wishing you could soak in the sights and sounds of Europe, away from the hustle and bustle of life in North America. While you might be stuck at home for now, at least you can live vicariously through Emily.
Let’s not forget the real star of the show, however: the fashion. It shifts from office chic to evening sexy, and whatever concoction Mindy has put together for virtually any event, whether it’s an elaborate performance or leisurely brunch. Each of Mindy’s outfits is louder and more out there than the next, Emily’s ranging from stylish to cute. You have to admire their bold fashion sense. Sylvie, meanwhile, is always the picture of elegance when it comes to her fabulous fashion, making every woman watching wishing they could pull off that incredible dress like she does. If there’s ever a show where you’ll want to use AI to capture an image of a purse, platform shoes, killer pencil skirt, even a men’s polo shirt or blazer, this is it. This is the boldest show for fashion since Sex and the City.
Could This Be The End?
Despite Emily’s annoying nature at times, including her inability to distance herself from the distraction of men and her inherent need to fix things, there’s still something endearing about her. You wonder why so many men chase her or so many clients think every marketing idea she has is a winner. But her positive attitude, zest for life, and incredible confidence convince you that it makes sense, even when it doesn’t. She has a knack for the job, after all, so she deserves some professional credit, even if she makes mistakes along the way. I mean, who else could go hunting for truffles in a forest in Italy wearing five-inch heels and look like she’s totally comfortable doing it?
Overall, you’ll get more of the same this season as you have in the first four. The open-ended ending that could have easily been wrapped up suggests hope for a Season 6. Whether or not the show continues, uncork some wine, set up a killer charcuterie board, and binge Emily in Paris over the holidays. It isn’t the female empowering show you might think it is since these ladies can’t seem to function without a man either at their side or begging for their companionship. But like the other seasons, this one is a story of love, aspirations, embracing imperfections, making difficult choices, and living life to the fullest. And of course, doing it all in incredible clothes while eating delectable food and soaking in fantastic culture. This isn’t Sex and the City as much as the show might be trying to be, and Emily is no Carrie Bradshaw. But it’s the next best thing for a new generation.