''Emily in Paris'' is an American
romantic comedy
Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...
television series created by
Darren Star
Darren Star (born July 25, 1961) is an American writer, director and producer of film and television. He is best known for creating the television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (1990–2000), ''Melrose Place'' (1992–1999), ''Sex and the City' ...
for
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
. Set in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, the series stars
Lily Collins
Lily Jane Collins (born 18 March 1989) is a British and American actress and model who is known for her work in several films, including ''Stuck in Love'' (2012), ''The English Teacher'' (2013), and '' Love, Rosie'' (2014), comedy ''Rules Do ...
as aspiring marketing executive Emily Cooper, an American who moves to France to provide an American point of view to a French marketing firm. There, she struggles to succeed in the workplace while searching for love and experiencing a culture clash with her conventional Midwestern U.S. upbringing.
It also stars
Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu
Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu (born 25 April 1963) is a French actress. She is the daughter of actor Philippe Leroy-Beaulieu and model Françoise Laurent. She made her screen debut in the 1983 comedy-drama film '' Surprise Party'', and in 1985 starr ...
,
Ashley Park
Ashley Park is a private residential neighbourhood at Walton-on-Thames in Surrey. Its central feature was a grandiose English country house, at times enjoying associated medieval manorial rights, which stood on the site, with alterations, ...
,
Lucas Bravo
Lucas Nicolas Bravo (born 26 March 1988) is a French actor and model. He is best known for starring in the Netflix romantic comedy series ''Emily in Paris'' (2020–present) as chef Gabriel, Emily's downstairs love interest. He is also known for h ...
, Samuel Arnold, Bruno Gouery,
Camille Razat
Camille Emilie Razat (born 1 March 1994) is a French actress and model. She is known for playing Lea Morel in France 2 drama '' The Disappearance'', and for playing Camille in the Netflix television series '' Emily in Paris''.
Biography
Camille ...
,
William Abadie, and
Lucien Laviscount
Lucien Leon Laviscount (; born 9 June 1992) is a British actor. He first came to prominence in 2007 after appearing in teen drama ''Grange Hill''. He later appeared in several television series, including ITV's ''Coronation Street'' (2009) and B ...
.
Produced by
MTV Entertainment Studios
MTV Entertainment Studios is the film and television production arm of MTV Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Founded in 1991 as MTV Productions, it is a consolidation of the former MTV ...
and originally developed for
Paramount Network
Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Media Networks. The network's headquarters are located at the Paramount Pictures studio lot in Los Angeles.
The channel was or ...
, where it was given a straight-to-series order in September 2018, the series moved to Netflix in July 2020. Filming takes place in
ÃŽle-de-France
, timezone1 = CET
, utc_offset1 = +01:00
, timezone1_DST = CEST
, utc_offset1_DST = +02:00
, blank_name_sec1 = Gross regional product
, blank_info_sec1 = Ranked 1st
, bla ...
, mainly in Paris and its suburbs, and began in August 2019.
''Emily in Paris'' premiered on October 2, 2020, to positive reviews in the United States but was criticized in France, with many French critics condemning the show for negatively
stereotyping Parisians and the French.
In November 2020, the series was renewed for a second season by Netflix, which premiered on December 22, 2021.
In January 2022, the series was renewed for a third and fourth season by Netflix.
The third season premiered on December 21, 2022.
Premise
''Emily in Paris'' follows Emily Cooper, an American college graduate in her late twenties with a Master's degree in communication who is from
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
; she moves to Paris for an unexpected job opportunity. She is tasked with bringing an American point of view and social media presence to a venerable French marketing firm. Cultures clash as she adjusts to the challenges of life in Paris while juggling her career, new friendships, and active love life.
Cast and characters
Main
*
Lily Collins
Lily Jane Collins (born 18 March 1989) is a British and American actress and model who is known for her work in several films, including ''Stuck in Love'' (2012), ''The English Teacher'' (2013), and '' Love, Rosie'' (2014), comedy ''Rules Do ...
as Emily Cooper, a 29-year-old who moves from Chicago to Paris for a temporary social media strategy job at Savoir
*
Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu
Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu (born 25 April 1963) is a French actress. She is the daughter of actor Philippe Leroy-Beaulieu and model Françoise Laurent. She made her screen debut in the 1983 comedy-drama film '' Surprise Party'', and in 1985 starr ...
as Sylvie, Emily's tough and bitter boss at Savoir in Paris
*
Ashley Park
Ashley Park is a private residential neighbourhood at Walton-on-Thames in Surrey. Its central feature was a grandiose English country house, at times enjoying associated medieval manorial rights, which stood on the site, with alterations, ...
as Mindy Chen, a
Chinese Korean former nanny and aspiring singer who is Emily's first friend in Paris; Mindy is the heir of a Shanghai business
magnate
The magnate term, from the late Latin ''magnas'', a great man, itself from Latin ''magnus'', "great", means a man from the higher nobility, a man who belongs to the high office-holders, or a man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or ot ...
from whom she is currently estranged.
*
Lucas Bravo
Lucas Nicolas Bravo (born 26 March 1988) is a French actor and model. He is best known for starring in the Netflix romantic comedy series ''Emily in Paris'' (2020–present) as chef Gabriel, Emily's downstairs love interest. He is also known for h ...
as Gabriel, Emily's attractive downstairs neighbor who is the head chef at Chez Lavaux; he is also Emily's love interest and Camille's boyfriend
* Samuel Arnold as Julien, Emily's co-worker; trendy and high-drama, he forms a funny duo with Luc
*
Bruno Gouery as Luc, Emily's quirky other co-worker, who forms a humorous duo with Julien
*
Camille Razat
Camille Emilie Razat (born 1 March 1994) is a French actress and model. She is known for playing Lea Morel in France 2 drama '' The Disappearance'', and for playing Camille in the Netflix television series '' Emily in Paris''.
Biography
Camille ...
as Camille, Emily's new friend and Gabriel's girlfriend
*
William Abadie as Antoine Lambert (season 2–present;
recurring season 1), Emily's client who owns a perfume company called Maison Lavaux and is having a long-standing affair with Sylvie
*
Lucien Laviscount
Lucien Leon Laviscount (; born 9 June 1992) is a British actor. He first came to prominence in 2007 after appearing in teen drama ''Grange Hill''. He later appeared in several television series, including ITV's ''Coronation Street'' (2009) and B ...
as Alfie (season 3;
recurring season 2), an English banker in Emily's French class, who becomes Emily's love interest
Recurring
*
Kate Walsh as Madeline, Emily's boss in Chicago who cannot take the job in Paris after learning that she is pregnant
*
Jean-Christophe Bouvet
Jean-Christophe Bouvet (born 24 March 1947) is a French actor, film director and writer.
Filmography As actor
*1969: ''La philosophie dans le boudoir'' as Le grand prêtre
*1975: ''Change pas de main'' as Alain
*1977: ''La Machine'' (directed ...
as Pierre Cadault, a famous flamboyant French designer and uncle of Mathieu
* Charles Martins as Mathieu Cadault, a businessman who becomes Emily's love interest in the first season (seasons 1–2)
*
Jeremy O. Harris
Jeremy O. Harris (born ) is an American playwright, actor, and philanthropist, known for his plays ''"Daddy"'' and '' Slave Play''. The latter received 12 nominations at the 74th Tony Awards, breaking the record previously set by the 2018 reviva ...
as Grégory Elliot Duprée (season 2–present), Pierre Cadault's rival
* Céline Menville as Jacqueline (season 2–present; guest season 1), Emily's French teacher
* Kevin Dias as Benoît (season 2–present), Mindy's love interest and a member of her band
* Jin Xuan Mao as Étienne (season 2–present), a member of Mindy's band
*
Melia Kreiling
Melia Kreiling (born ) is an actress. She is known for her roles on television series such as ''Tyrant'' and ''The Last Tycoon'', and for her starring role as Alycia in the second season of the CBS summer series ''Salvation''. She also has a bri ...
as Sofia Sideris (season 3), an artist from Greece who works with Camille and whom she is having an affair with
*
Paul Forman
Paul Forman (born 1937) is an historian of science and is the retired curator of the Division of Medicine and Science at the National Museum of American History. Forman's primary research focus has been the history of physics, in which he has h ...
as Nicolas de Léon (season 3), a businessman and Mindy's love interest, with whom she attended a boarding school in Switzerland
Guest
* as Catherine Lambert, Antoine's wife
*
Camille Japy
Camille Japy (born 7 September 1968) is a Belgian-French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** Fr ...
as Louise, Camille's mother
* Christophe Guybet as Gerard, Camille's father
* Victor Meutelet as Timothée, the younger brother of Camille
* Hanaé Cloarec-Bailly and Tytouan Cloarec-Bailly as Sybil and Laurent Dupont (season 1), the two children that Mindy nannies
* Arnaud Viard as Paul Brossard (season 1), the owner of Savoir
* Roe Hartrampf as Doug (seasons 1 and 3), Emily's former boyfriend in Chicago
*
Claude Perron
Claude Perron (born 23 January 1966) is a French actress.
Career
Perron appeared in the role of Eva (Nino's colleague) in the 2001 film ''Amélie
''Amélie'' (also known as ''Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain''; ; en, The Fabulous D ...
as Patricia (season 1), an employee at Savoir
*
Eion Bailey
Eion Francis Hamilton Bailey ( ; born June 8, 1976) is an American actor.
He stars as Jim Matthews in the epix horror series '' From''. He played Pvt. David Kenyon Webster in the HBO miniseries '' Band of Brothers'' and appeared in the films ...
as Randy Zimmer (season 1), a well-known hotel owner
* Aleksandra Yermak as Klara (season 1), representative of
Hästens
Hästens Sängar AB, or simply Hastens (, Swedish for "The horse's" as in "the horse's beds"), is a Swedish manufacturer established in 1852, that produce and trade in beds, bed linen, pillows and lifestyle accessories.
Hästens manufacture bed ...
, a Swedish luxury bed maker
* Julien Floreancig as Thomas (season 1), a French snobbish philosophy professor
*
Carlson Young
Carlson Elizabeth Young (born October 29, 1990) is an American actress. She is known for her roles on Disney Channel's ''As the Bell Rings'', the film ''Premature'', Comedy Central's '' Key & Peele'', and as Brooke Maddox in the first two seas ...
as Brooklyn Clark (season 1), a young and famous American actress
*
Elizabeth Tan as Li (season 1), Mindy's best friend who has brought her five bridesmaids to Paris to shop for her bride's dress
* David Prat as Théo (season 1), Camille's other brother
*
Faith Prince
Faith Prince (born August 6, 1957) is an American actress and singer, best known for her work on Broadway in musical theatre. She won the Tony Award as Best Actress in ''Guys and Dolls'' in 1992, and received three other Tony nominations.
Life ...
as Judith Robertson (season 1), a member of the American Friends of the Louvre
* Isaiah Hodges and Christophe Tek as Grey Space (season 1), a duo of avant-garde designers
*
Arnaud Binard
Arnaud Binard (born 18 January 1971 in Bordeaux) is a French actor and producer mainly known for his roles in many romantic or detective television hit-series broadcast throughout the French-speaking world such as ''Sous Le Soleil'' (1998-1999 ...
as Laurent G. (season 2–present), Sylvie's husband
* Daria Panchenko as Petra (season 2), a woman in Emily's French class
* as Erik de Groot (season 2–present), a photographer and Sylvie's love interest
* Ellen Von Unwerth as herself (season 2), a photographer hired for Pierre Cadault's photo shoot
* Julien Looman as Gerhard (season 2), Ellen Von Unwerth's agent and Julien's potential love interest
* Alice Révérend as Natalie (season 2), a bartender at Chez Lavaux
* Luca Ivoula as Raphael (season 2), a new sous chef at Gabriel's restaurant
Episodes
Series overview
Season 1 (2020)
Season 2 (2021)
Season 3 (2022)
Production
Development
![P1250559 Paris V rue Fosses St-Jacques n18 bis rwk](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/P1250559_Paris_V_rue_Fosses_St-Jacques_n18_bis_rwk.jpg)
On September 5, 2018, it was announced that
Paramount Network
Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Media Networks. The network's headquarters are located at the Paramount Pictures studio lot in Los Angeles.
The channel was or ...
had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of 10 episodes. The series was created by
Darren Star
Darren Star (born July 25, 1961) is an American writer, director and producer of film and television. He is best known for creating the television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (1990–2000), ''Melrose Place'' (1992–1999), ''Sex and the City' ...
, who has a multi-year overall deal with ViacomCBS and develops for
ViacomCBS
Paramount Global (doing business as Paramount) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate owned and operated by National Amusements (79.4%) and headquartered at One Astor Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, New York. I ...
and for outsider buyers via
MTV Entertainment Studios
MTV Entertainment Studios is the film and television production arm of MTV Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Founded in 1991 as MTV Productions, it is a consolidation of the former MTV ...
.
Star was also expected to serve as an executive producer alongside Tony Hernandez. Production companies involved with the series were slated to consist of
Jax Media
Jax Media is an American film and television production company co-founded by Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns, and John Skidmore. It is known for producing long-running series ''Broad City'', ''Difficult People'', '' Younger'', and ''Inside Amy Schum ...
.
On July 13, 2020, it was reported that the series would move from
Paramount Network
Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Media Networks. The network's headquarters are located at the Paramount Pictures studio lot in Los Angeles.
The channel was or ...
to
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
.
On November 11, 2020, Netflix renewed the series for a second season.
On January 10, 2022, Netflix renewed the series for a third and fourth season.
Casting
On April 3, 2019,
Lily Collins
Lily Jane Collins (born 18 March 1989) is a British and American actress and model who is known for her work in several films, including ''Stuck in Love'' (2012), ''The English Teacher'' (2013), and '' Love, Rosie'' (2014), comedy ''Rules Do ...
was cast in the eponymous role. On August 13, 2019,
Ashley Park
Ashley Park is a private residential neighbourhood at Walton-on-Thames in Surrey. Its central feature was a grandiose English country house, at times enjoying associated medieval manorial rights, which stood on the site, with alterations, ...
had joined the main cast.
On September 19, 2019,
Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu
Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu (born 25 April 1963) is a French actress. She is the daughter of actor Philippe Leroy-Beaulieu and model Françoise Laurent. She made her screen debut in the 1983 comedy-drama film '' Surprise Party'', and in 1985 starr ...
, Lucas Bravo, Samuel Arnold,
Camille Razat
Camille Emilie Razat (born 1 March 1994) is a French actress and model. She is known for playing Lea Morel in France 2 drama '' The Disappearance'', and for playing Camille in the Netflix television series '' Emily in Paris''.
Biography
Camille ...
, and Bruno Gouery joined cast in starring roles, while
Kate Walsh,
William Abadie, and Arnaud Viard were cast in recurring roles. On May 24, 2021,
Lucien Laviscount
Lucien Leon Laviscount (; born 9 June 1992) is a British actor. He first came to prominence in 2007 after appearing in teen drama ''Grange Hill''. He later appeared in several television series, including ITV's ''Coronation Street'' (2009) and B ...
was cast in recurring role, while Abadie was promoted to series regular for the second season.
On April 10, 2022, Laviscount was promoted to series regular for the third season.
Filming
Principal photography for the first season, in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
and its suburbs, was expected to begin in early 2019, but began in August 2019.
Many scenes are filmed at
Place de l'Estrapade
Place de l'Estrapade is a square in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, France. It is located where rue de l'Estrapade meets rue Lhomond and rue des Fossés-Saint-Jacques and marks the border between quartier du Val-de-Grâce and quartier de la Sorbo ...
in the
5th Arrondissement., including the site of Emily's first apartment, the restaurant ("Les Deux Compères"), and the bakery ("La Boulangerie Moderne") . Some scenes are also filmed at
Cité du Cinéma
The Cité du Cinéma or Studios of Paris is a film studio complex originally supported and founded by the film director and producer Luc Besson, located in Saint-Denis, in the northern suburbs of Paris, in a renovated power plant, commissioned in ...
, a film studio complex in
Saint-Denis.
Famous Parisian sites to feature in the series include:
Le Grand Véfour
Le Grand Véfour (), the first grand restaurant in Paris, France, was opened in the arcades of the Palais-Royal in 1784 by Antoine Aubertot, as the ''Café de Chartres'', and was purchased in 1820 by Jean Véfour, who was able to retire within t ...
, the
Pont Alexandre III
The Pont Alexandre III is a deck arch bridge that spans the Seine in Paris. It connects the Champs-Élysées quarter with those of the Invalides and Eiffel Tower. The bridge is widely regarded as the most ornate, extravagant bridge in the city. ...
,
Palais Garnier
The Palais Garnier (, Garnier Palace), also known as Opéra Garnier (, Garnier Opera), is a 1,979-seatBeauvert 1996, p. 102. opera house at the Place de l'Opéra in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was built for the Paris Opera from ...
, , ,
Jardin du Luxembourg
The Jardin du Luxembourg (), known in English as the Luxembourg Garden, colloquially referred to as the Jardin du Sénat (Senate Garden), is located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France. Creation of the garden began in 1612 when Marie de' ...
,
Jardin Du Palais Royale,
Café de Flore
The Café de Flore () is one of the oldest coffeehouses in Paris, celebrated for its famous clientele, which in the past included high-profile writers and philosophers. It is located at the corner of Boulevard Saint-Germain and Rue Saint-Benoî ...
and the
Panthéon
The Panthéon (, from the Classical Greek word , , ' empleto all the gods') is a monument in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, France. It stands in the Latin Quarter, atop the , in the centre of the , which was named after it. The edifice was b ...
. An episode was also filmed at the
Château de Sonnay in the department of
Indre-et-Loire
Indre-et-Loire () is a department in west-central France named after the Indre River and Loire River
The Loire (, also ; ; oc, Léger, ; la, Liger) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it ...
. Additional photography took place in Chicago during November 2019.
Filming for the second season began on May 3, 2021
and concluded on July 19, 2021. New filming locations for the second season include
Monnaie de Paris
The Monnaie de Paris (Paris Mint) is a government-owned institution responsible for producing France's coins. Founded in AD 864 with the Edict of Pistres, it is the world's oldest continuously running minting institution.
In 1973, the mint reloc ...
,
Musée des Arts Forains The Musée des Arts Forains (Fairground Museum) is a private museum of funfair and fairground objects located within the Pavillons de Bercy in the 12th arrondissement of Paris at 53, avenue des Terroirs de France, Paris, France. It is open to the p ...
,
Huatian Chinagora,
Saint-Tropez
, INSEE = 83119
, postal code = 83990
, image coat of arms = Blason ville fr Saint-Tropez-A (Var).svg
, image flag=Flag of Saint-Tropez.svg
Saint-Tropez (; oc, Sant Tropetz, ; ) is a commune in the Var department and the region of Provence-Al ...
,
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 19 ...
,
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Villefranche-sur-Mer (, ; oc, Vilafranca de Mar ; it, Villafranca Marittima ) is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the French Riviera and is located south-west of the Principality of ...
,
Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat
The Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel is a famous five star luxury resort hotel, situated in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat in the French Riviera. The hotel obtained the "Palace de France" distinction, granted by the French government for i ...
, and other locations in France.
Filming of the second season in Paris caused problems within the 5th Arrondissement, with the residents deeming the crew as brutal, threatening and too intrusive.
Lily Collins
Lily Jane Collins (born 18 March 1989) is a British and American actress and model who is known for her work in several films, including ''Stuck in Love'' (2012), ''The English Teacher'' (2013), and '' Love, Rosie'' (2014), comedy ''Rules Do ...
stated that the second season was set in a
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
-free world, as the decision was made by the producers to ensure escapism through joy and laughter. In scenes that involved crowds, masks were off when they were on-camera, and back on once completed, which Collins stated was difficult to pull off. Filming for the third season began in June 2022.
Soundtrack
In October 2020,
Ashley Park
Ashley Park is a private residential neighbourhood at Walton-on-Thames in Surrey. Its central feature was a grandiose English country house, at times enjoying associated medieval manorial rights, which stood on the site, with alterations, ...
's "
La Vie en rose
"La Vie en rose" (; ) is the signature song of popular French singer Édith Piaf, written in 1945, popularized in 1946, and released as a single in 1947. The song became very popular in the US in 1950, when seven versions reached the ''Billboard ...
", sung as
a cappella
''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
by Mindy Chen in episode six, debuted at number one on
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
's Top TV Songs chart.
's "Moon", sung in episode four, debuted at number four, and episode ten's Cavale's "Burst Into Flames" debuted at number seven.
Alter K, a French music publisher and distributor, made significant contributions to the soundtrack, with half of the songs in the series being from its catalog.
[*
*
*
*
*
*
* ] James Newton Howard
James Newton Howard (born June 9, 1951) is an American film composer, music producer and keyboardist. He has scored over 100 films and is the recipient of a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, and nine nominations for Academy Awards. His film scores ...
composed the series' theme music and score.
Release
The series' first season was released by Netflix on October 2, 2020, followed by a DVD release on November 9, 2021.
The second season was released on December 22, 2021.
The third season had its premiere at the
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées () is an entertainment venue standing at 15 avenue Montaigne in Paris. It is situated near Avenue des Champs-Élysées, from which it takes its name. Its eponymous main hall may seat up to 1,905 people, while th ...
in Paris on December 6, 2022, and was released on December 21.
Reception
Audience viewership
For the week of October 5, 2020, ''Emily in Paris'' reached the top ten list of most watched streaming shows per
Nielsen. On May 3, 2021, Netflix revealed that the series has been watched by 58 million households in the month after its debut. The series remained in UK top 10 list for 40 consecutive days after its release.
Critical response
For the first season, review aggregator
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
reported an approval rating of 61% based on 57 reviews, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Though its depiction of France is tré cliché, ''Emily in Paris'' is rom-com fantasy at its finest, spectacularly dressed and filled with charming performances."
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
gave the first season a weighted average score of 58 out of 100 based on 18 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
The second season has a 61% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 23 reviews, with an average rating of 5.2/10. The website's critics consensus states, "''Emily in Paris'' remains a sugary soufflé, but it's liable to give a toothache to viewers who are seeking anything deeper than a frivolous romp."
On Metacritic, the second season received a score of 64 based on reviews from 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
For the third season, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 65% based on 17 reviews, with an average rating of 5.7/10.The website's critics consensus reads, "Emily in Paris' bubbly watchability keeps threatening to go flat in a third season that seems content to spin its wheels, but this gallic travelogue will still be a pleasant enough journey for fans."
Metacritic gave the season a weighted average score of 54 out of 100 based on 10 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Daniel D'Addario of ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' described the series as "a delight that poses the question of what it really means to grow up, against a truly inviting backdrop", and that Collins is "an inherently winsome performer who has never been quite as well used as she is here". Kristen Baldwin of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' gave the series a "B" and wrote, "If you need a five-hour brain vacation, Paris is a worthwhile destination." ''
The New Zealand Herald
''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand. It has the largest newspaper circulation of all newspapers ...
'' considered the show "visually delectable" and that "Collins has a pixie-ish charm which makes her endearing", but also that the show is "as ephemeral as
fairy floss
Cotton candy, also known as fairy floss and candy floss, is a spun sugar confection that resembles cotton. It usually contains small amounts of flavoring or food coloring.
It is made by heating and liquefying sugar, and spinning it centrifu ...
". However, Kristen Lopez of ''IndieWire'' wrote a review Metacritic graded as a 23 out of a 100, praising Collins for being a "jewel, make no mistake" and that "''Emily in Paris'' is only as watchable and frivolous as its leading lady," but warning viewers "''Emily in Paris'' is like scrolling through Instagram. It's a great way to waste time looking at pretty pictures with no depth."
Nevertheless, not all critics were kind to the Emily character. Emma Gray from HuffPost called Emily a bland character, stating "The show doesn't even make an effort to quirk her up or give her a more relatable, girl-next-door roughness: she's always immaculately coiffed and made-up, and garbed in effortfully eye-catching outfits. But there's not much to the character, except for enormous amounts of self-confidence and the inexplicable ability to attract new friends and love interests on every street corner." Rebecca Nicholson of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' gave the series one out of five stars: "if it is an attempt to fluff up the
romcom
Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...
for the streaming age, then it falls over on its six-inch heels." Rachel Handler opined "Darren Star has done it yet again: centered an entire show on a thin, gently delusional white woman whimsically exploring a major metropolitan area in wildly expensive couture purchased on a mid-level salary."
Sarah Moroz, of
Vulture.com, opined "the most egregious oversight ... is Emily herself, who shows zero personal growth over a ten-episode arc. ... Emily's vapidity is baffling to anyone who has moved from their native country."
Sonia Rao, of ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' compared Emily to the heroines of the
Amy Sherman-Palladino
Amy Sherman-Palladino (born January 17, 1966) is an American television writer, director, and producer. She is the creator of the comedy-drama series ''Gilmore Girls'', ''Bunheads'', and ''The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel''.
Sherman-Palladino has rec ...
universe: "Like the
Gilmore girls
''Gilmore Girls'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and starring Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) and Alexis Bledel (Rory Gilmore). The show debuted on October 5, 2000, on The WB and became a flagshi ...
, Emily is strong-willed and refuses to let anything get in the way of her schemes. Like
Midge Maisel, her actions can be quite rash, but she still wins over her fictional acquaintances while utterly baffling viewers."
Megan Garber of ''
The Atlantic
''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.
It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
'' was critical of Emily, writing, "An expat who acts like a tourist, she judges everything against the backdrop of her own rigid Americanness. You might figure that those moments are evidence of a show poking fun at its protagonist's arrogance, or setting the stage for her to grow beyond her initial provincialism. But: You would be, as I was, mostly incorrect. Instead, other people change around her. They grudgingly concede that her way (strident, striving, teeming with insistent individualism) is the right way. The show—the latest from the ''Sex and the City'' creator Darren Star—is selling several fantasies. Primary among them is the notion that Emily can bulldoze her way through France and be celebrated for it."
Some critics appeared ambivalent, such as Jo Ellison writing for the ''
Financial Times
The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...
''. On one hand she expresses admiration for the way Darren Star manages to depict "a version of womanhood in which promiscuity, bossiness and shopaholicism are depicted as qualities to be celebrated"; on the other "the major plot lines might have been written in the 1940s and the Frenchies are routinely cast as vain, preening and parochial." She concludes "Cliché-ridden and completely outdated: Darren Star's 'Sex and the Cité' will no doubt be monstrously successful."
Many French critics condemned the show for negatively
stereotyping Parisians and the French. Charles Martin wrote in ''Première'' that the show unfairly stereotyped and depicted the French as "lazy
ndividuals whonever arrive at the office before the end of the morning
..are flirtatious and not really attached to the concept of loyalty
..are sexist and backward, and
..have a questionable relationship with showering". A reviewer at ''Sens Critique'' wrote: "''Emily in Paris'' projects the same twee, unrealistic image of Paris that the film ''
Amélie
''Amélie'' (also known as ''Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain''; ; en, The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain, italic=yes) is a 2001 French-language romantic comedy film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Written by Jeunet with Guillaume L ...
'' does".
RTL.fr wrote: "Rarely had we seen so many clichés on the French capital since the Parisian episodes of ''
Gossip Girl
''Gossip Girl'' is an American teen drama television series based on the novel series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series, developed for television by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, ran on The CW network for six sea ...
'' or the end of ''
The Devil Wears Prada''."
Controversies
Depiction of Ukrainian character
The second season was met with controversy in Ukraine over the depiction of a Ukrainian character named Petra (a name not used in Ukraine), who was depicted as a petty thief and shoplifter, with the hashtag "Мы не Петры" (We are not Petras) trending for a matter of hours. The Ukrainian Minister of Culture,
Oleksandr Tkachenko, wrote on the social media platform
Telegram
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas p ...
, "In ''Emily in Paris'', we have a caricature image of a Ukrainian woman that is unacceptable. It is also insulting." He also wrote a letter to Netflix complaining about the depiction of Petra. According to Tkachenko, Netflix sent a response saying that they had heard the dissatisfaction of Ukrainian viewers, and that Petra would be shown in a different context for the third season.
Bribery allegations at the Golden Globe Awards
The show received two nominations at the
Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
, but prior to the ceremony, it was reported that 30 members of the
voting body had been flown to Paris, where they spent two nights at
The Peninsula Paris
The Peninsula Paris is an historic luxury hotel, originally known as the Hotel Majestic, located on Avenue Kléber in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France. It opened in 1908 as the Hotel Majestic and was converted to government offices in 193 ...
and were treated to a private lunch at the
Musée des Arts Forains The Musée des Arts Forains (Fairground Museum) is a private museum of funfair and fairground objects located within the Pavillons de Bercy in the 12th arrondissement of Paris at 53, avenue des Terroirs de France, Paris, France. It is open to the p ...
, with the bill reportedly paid by the show's developer,
Paramount Network
Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Media Networks. The network's headquarters are located at the Paramount Pictures studio lot in Los Angeles.
The channel was or ...
.
This led some critics to question the impartiality of the voting body,
as ''Emily in Paris'' was considered to be a critical failure,
and its nomination was a surprise.
In contrast, critically acclaimed shows, notably ''
I May Destroy You
''I May Destroy You'' is a British black comedy-drama television limited series created, written, co-directed, and executive produced by Michaela Coel for BBC One and HBO. The series is set in London with a predominantly Black British cast. ...
'', were not nominated.
Accolades
See also
*
French television
Television in France was introduced in 1931, Timeline of the introduction of television in countries, when the first experimental broadcasts began. Colour television was introduced in October 1967 on France 2, La Deuxième Chaîne.
Digital terre ...
Notes
References
External links
*
*
{{Netflix original current series
2020 American television series debuts
2020s American comedy-drama television series
2020s American romantic comedy television series
2020s American workplace comedy television series
2020s American workplace drama television series
English-language Netflix original programming
French-language Netflix original programming
Television series created by Darren Star
Television series about social media
Television shows filmed in France
Television shows filmed in Illinois
Television shows set in Paris