I’ve been watching Emily in Paris on Netflix and although it’s been a short season, I’ve stretched it out for as long as I could until I landed on the decision that it is classy, dramatic, romantic, exciting, relatable and comedic – often a rare combination to come across. After further reflection, here my thoughts (and a brief description of my favorite scene that just may convince you to check it out if you happened to miss it).
- Emily Cooper. What a cool main character – I’ll be the first to admit I wasn’t a super fan of her during the first episode, but she really surprises you in unexpected ways and grows on you; that is what I call excellent character development.
- It makes me realize how much I care about what others think. This show makes it seem like French people don’t care about anything (stereotype, I know, but did anyone catch the commandments that seem normal here in the U.S. but appalling to the French? i.e. be on time, be positive, don’t talk about people behind their back, no workplace affairs)
- For some odd reason – and I realized this halfway through the show – it reminds me of Nina Dobrev from Vampire Diaries but also strangely combined with Gossip girl? (but not calling favorites so please make no judgments)
- Full of stereotypes. Not just for the French – that they are scandalous, never on time, etc. but also for Americans – as prude, ignorant, etc. Also points out the blatantly obvious differences in cultures, although to a much more exaggerated level for entertainment purposes.
- Makes me want to be a writer and artist and work at a creative marketing firm (or, knowing me, to own one), while eating croissants and listening to French music and exploring French culture.
- At the same time, it makes me want to enjoy doing nothing but taking pleasure in the simple things. This show clearly emphasizes the tendency of western culture to “live to work” rather than “work to live” – a major eye-opener for anyone who is constantly on the go.
- “Paris seems like a big city but it’s really just a small town.” This is the moment I fell in love with this show and its parallels to my life and my time studying abroad in France – if you know, you know…but that, my friends, is a story for another time. 😉
And now, for one of my favorite scenes from “Emily in Paris”:
Emily is pretty much hated by her boss, who asks her to book a very important client dinner at one of the nicest restaurants in the city. Emily, bold and determined, knows that this is her chance to make a big impression so even though the restaurant is fully booked, she checks every 5 minutes until there’s a cancellation and finally books a table for 6.
Upon arrival, she proudly tells the restaurant staff about the reservations for herself and her colleagues on 08/11, only to hear him reply that he will see her on Nov. 8 since it is now only Aug. 11. (Classic). In a moment of desperation and panic, she calls her chef/restaurant owner neighbor and self-invites her colleagues to his restaurant instead.
The part that got me?
She walks outside where her colleagues await her and tell them she has good news and great news. The good news – they are actually going to have dinner at a very nice and exclusive restaurant elsewhere. The great news – they now have reservations for Nov. 8 for when their client opens his new location.
The scene ends with them giving her a knowing smirk as they head to the other restaurant and enjoy the night away with lovely dinner and conversation, eventually closing on the deal with the important client. I share this scene because it perfectly captures her creative personality while showcasing her ability to take any situation and turn it around into something positive.
All in all, despite many surprisingly negative reviews referring to the show as “boring”, “cliche”, or “trying too hard”, I personally feel that Emily in Paris is the perfect little light-hearted getaway for anyone looking for a cute and upbeat mindless television escape (see trailer below).
