Emily in Paris - First Impressions

Emily in Paris comes from Sex and the City creator, Darren Star, and follows the story of a 20-something American girl who moves from Chicago to Paris to act as the “American voice” for a French marketing company.

As someone who was late to the party with Sex and the City (SATC) and binged it over quarantine, I was definitely excited to jump back into the world with this new project! It feels like a spiritual sequel with the colorful outfits and romanticized city life. It feels very much like the same universe and I wouldn't be surprised to find Carrie's book on someone's desk.

Emily is also similar to Carrie in that she’s confident and talented, but a little lost and trying to find her place. However, unlike Carrie who knew New York inside and out, Emily is still learning about the French culture and figuring out where she belongs in this new life of hers. She also hasn’t quite found her family and seems much more lonely than Carrie.

Emily in Paris is an indulgence as it plays with traditional romantic comedy tropes in a picturesque city and romanticized European lifestyle. And much like Carrie, Emily never finds herself short of attractive, romantic interests. Many times while watching I felt a little envious of her life especially during a time where travel seems like a distant dream.

While I’m excited that it got renewed for a season 2, I’m also not sure of the direction of the show. Part of me thinks it will rely heavily on the rom com tropes. I see this show as eye candy - beautiful to look at with fantastical outfits against a romantic city backdrop, content that’s easy to digest and fun to do so, but it doesn’t leave you thinking. In a way, I wouldn’t mind just having a pretty show to watch after a long day. All in all, Emily is a pretty face with little heart. Now this could be good or bad depending on what type of series you’re looking for.

Personally, I would love a show that takes the romcom foundation and slowly deconstructs it. I hope that Emily will choose her friend, Camille, over the French man, Gabriel, of her dreams (who also happens to be Camille's ex - really Emily?).

I also hope Gabriel doesn’t turn into her Mr. Big because honestly a story about her not ending up with this “perfect” man she puts on a pedestal would be more realistic and impactful. I’d say some of the best SATC episodes where the ones where Carrie realized she and Big weren’t soulmates. One of the most defining moments to me was Carrie asking Big if she was “the one” and him not being able to answer her. Emily lacks these vital character scenes.

The only line in this series so far that’s stood out to me and made me think longer after the episode is when Emily and her boss, Sylvie, are in an elevator after a disastrous night. Emily almost loses her job (again) and Sylvie is feeling a bit heartbroken over her own, dysfunctional love life. Emily, being optimistic as ever, tries to cheer up Sylvie when Sylvie turns to her and says, “You really believe in love, don’t you? That a white knight will come and save you?”

I’m not sure why this struck a chord with me. Maybe because I’ve been Emily or maybe it was the melancholy in Sylvie's voice and her motion to touch Emily’s hair as if she were a small, naïve child. The writer in me wants this line to be the thesis of the show. I want to see a girl with rose colored glasses who refuses to diminish the magic and romance she sees in the world despite being surrounded by a sea of cynicism.

I’d like to see how badly she clings onto her ideal image of reality or if she succumbs to pessimism. Maybe she’ll even strike a healthy balance between the two and grow as a person (something she hasn’t done much of yet). Still, I’m bracing myself for the show to continue being fluff. Entertaining, picturesque fluff, but fluff all the same.

Sometimes I crave the substance that the original run of SATC had, but a little escapism can’t hurt now and again. Will you be watching season 2?