Those who feign distaste in Emily in Paris almost certainly binge-watch it in secret. Since the Netflix series, created by Darren Star, premiered in 2020 it’s been hard to deny the sticky sweet appeal of the show, which embraces complete ridiculousness in a charmingly naïve and genuine way—much like its protagonist herself. As we arrive at the fourth season, which has been split into two parts airing a month apart, there’s still an odd sense of mystery about why exactly such a silly, unrealistic show is so absolutely compelling. Because the truth is, whether viewers want to admit it or not, Emily in Paris may not be the healthy choice but it is the most deliciously satisfying one.
Season Four–Part One opens where last season left off. Emily (Lily Collins) is reeling from the revelation that Camille (Camille Razat) is pregnant with the child of her will-they-won’t-they love interest Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), who has just called off his impromptu wedding with Camille. Emily’s hot British boyfriend Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) suspects there is something going on between her and Gabriel, who she’s just kissed. Mindy (Ashley Park) is caught in a love triangle between her wealthy businessman BF Nicolas (Paul Forman) and her bandmate Benoît (Kevin Dias). Plus, there’s been a lot of drama at Agence Grateau, where Emily works.
That drama continues as the new episodes pick up, with Julien (Samuel Arnold) departing Agence Grateau to work with Nicolas at conglomerate JVMA. His workload gets dumped on Emily and Luc (Bruno Gouery), truly the best character on the series who finally gets to shine this year. Emily, distracted by her possible new relationship with Gabriel, is scrambling to fix a situation with a client after a TikTok video about her goes viral. And Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu), the show’s other best character, gets entangled in a MeToo revelation involving JVMA head Louis de Leon. Needless to say, there’s a lot going on, both in the storylines and in Emily’s increasingly wild fashion choices.
The first five episodes, which end in a cliffhanger, fly by, although each has a distinct storyline. Some, like Sylvie helping her husband Laurent open a nightclub in Paris, are disposable. Others, like Camille, Emily and Gabriel awkwardly sorting through their complicated relationship, are more engaging. Luc gets center stage in many episodes as he hilariously fumbles his way through marketing meetings and events, and as he nudges Gabriel’s restaurant close to a coveted Michelin star by repeatedly bringing his girlfriend, secretly a Michelin inspector, to eat there. Fans are treated to some top performances by Park’s Mindy, whose band has been selected to perform at Eurovision—a storyline I hope we get to see to completion in Part Two.
While Emily remains at the center of the show—and the drama—Emily in Paris has become true ensemble effort over the past few seasons. The characters are well-defined and interesting (we learn that Luc, for instance, lives on a canal boat, a perfect detail), even if they do insane and inane things and dress like they’re on their way to an avant-garde magazine photoshoot. Sure, Emily is as ridiculous as some of her storylines, but Star and the writers have smartly made us care about everyone, rather than attempting to make us relate to Emily. Some of what happens in Season Four – Part One is truly unhinged, but it’s entertaining and fun to watch. Who cares if Emily is wearing the world’s most impractical outfit when it’s a delight to witness? Like Starr’s Sex and the City before it, Emily in Paris embodies a sense of self-confidence that borders on delusional. But at this point it’s earned. The show, like its lead, gets the job done. You might as well just admit that you watch it, too.
