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Wishing I was in Paris

Wishing+I+was+in+Paris
Infographic by Camryn Montgomery

Emily in Paris, a new hit Netflix series, aired on Oct. 2, 2020, and has left fans longing for season two and wishing they were in Paris. The show features the life of Emily Cooper, played by Lily Collins, who is given the opportunity to be transferred by her marketing company to Paris for a year. Here she meets an array of people, some easier to get along with than others, and conveniently a handsome French guy who lives right below her.  

Darrren Star, writer of Emily in Paris, is known for producing soapy comedy/dramas such as the Beverly Hills series, Sex and the City, and If Looks Could Kill. So it is no surprise to have a protagonist who is a little problematic and questionable from Star.

Some viewers see Emily as rude for throwing herself into Paris without speaking French, and so do her French bosses and coworkers at her new job. As she develops new business strategies, all her coworkers do not like her for trying to put all of her American viewpoints on their company, but that is what she is there to do. 

Emily’s new boss upon arriving in Paris, Sylvie, played by French actress Philipine Leroy-Beaulieu, is one of Emily’s biggest challenges. Sylvie never likes Emily from the moment they meet. “With me as her boss, we’ll see how long she lasts,” said Sylvie. 

I love Emily’s dynamic relationships with her coworkers and think it makes for a compelling and unique plot. Sylvie even grows to like Emily, or maybe just tolerate. This show is definitely a quick binge with only ten episodes and a lot of drama.

One of my personal favorite characters is Mindy, Ashley Chen, another American from Indianapolis who has some good advice on how to survive Paris. Mindy takes Emily to Paris’ hotspots and teaches her the basic mannerisms and style of the French. She is spunky and outgoing like Emily, and their friendship is like a dream to many American girls: running around Paris with your best friend, eating amazing food, and meeting handsome French guys. 

However this side of the show is where some viewers do not like it. Different sources such as NPR, Hollywood Reporter, and Vox all reviewed the show negatively, saying it was “like an unrealistic fantasy.”

In an interview with Vulture, Star says, “Paris may be beautiful, and Emily may be wearing clothes that, okay, we’re not sure where she got them. But she’s wearing them. She’s met a beautiful guy downstairs. But a lot of challenges she’s facing and the struggles- if they don’t feel relatable, the show’s not going to work.”

Gabriel, played by Lucas Bravo, lives one floor below Emily and they often run into each other and have a flirty relationship. But this isn’t the only relationship the two are a part of. In Paris, Emily learns that the French are realists, and nobody wants to have sex with one person for the rest of their lives. But there’s still a lot more for her to learn about life in Paris.

Camryn Montgomery, Staff Reporter

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Wishing I was in Paris