Oh, October. The month of ghosts, witches, and…Paris?
Most came into this month excited about sweater weather and marathoning the Halloweentown movies without judgement, but for me, I welcomed the month for the Netflix premiere of Lily Collins’ new show, Emily in Paris.
Described as The Devil Wears Prada meets Sex & the City, Emily in Paris follows the young Chicagoan Emily when her job spontaneously whisks her way to the city of lights and romance. As an American in Paris with a loud personality and little knowledge of the French language, we follow Emily in her Parisian endeavors from wine to business and from fashion to sex. The show was produced by Darren Star, the creator of Sex & the City, and Collins herself.
Is it worth watching? Here are four things to look out for in Emily in Paris.
- The Setting.
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The new Netflix original has its critics, especially from the Parisian audience. I definitely see its cliches and its play into the American romanticization of Paris and French culture. But, honestly, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t buy into the escapism.
No matter how you spin it, Paris is a gorgeous city. Of course, it’s a lot like New York with its less romantic parts, but the setting itself is just beautiful. The show is a lot like Star’s work in Sex & the City with both being love letters to their cities of setting. The aesthetics, from the cobblestone streets to the cornershop cafes to the lights, were undoubtedly swoon-inducing. Does it romanticize Paris? Absolutely. But why does that have to be a bad thing when we’re all sitting in quarantine and dreaming of escape?
- The Romance.
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Taking place in the city of love, the producers wouldn’t have done the show right without romance—and wow, is it romantic. From love affairs to next-door romances, the show has its fair share of sexy moments that I’m not ashamed to have devoured. It helps that everyone in the show is hot. Like, literally everyone. The chemistry in the air was palpable through the screen.
- The Fashion.
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I can’t talk about Emily in Paris without talking about fashion. Because, my God, I was crying over all of Lily Collins’ outfits. Each of the characters had their own specific tastes and different senses of style, but they were all awe-worthy. Were they the most realistic outfits for a typical day in Paris? Probably not. But they were gorgeous all the same. Between Emily’s vibrance and Camille’s effortless beauty, the show is definitely the fashion guru’s fantasy.
- The Charm.
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I know what you’re thinking: Enough about the aesthetic—is the show actually good? As a lover of rom-coms, I’d say yes. It’s funny, romantic, and well-suited for today’s contemporary audience. The script has its cringey parts, but it wasn’t unbearable and, for the most part, actually added to the charm. The characters are all likable—most of them (I’m looking at you, Sylvie) didn’t want to make me rip my hair out. Plus, the first season is ten episodes, each of which runs for about thirty minutes, so it gets an A+ for “bingeability.”
So if you’re bored one weekend, I recommend giving this show a watch. It’s a cute pick-me-up, perfect for girls nights, and, hey, in the words of Audrey Hepburn, “Paris is always a good idea.”