People watch Emily in Paris because they know what to expect.
It’s not a mind-blowing show that will change your outlook on life. You watch it to laugh or to judge the terrible life choices of the main character, Emily Cooper – it’s a guilty pleasure.
Maybe it’s just my imagination, it happens with time between shows, but Emily in Paris Season 4 Part 1 just doesn’t come across right in the first two episodes. The cast lacks passion, but if you stick with those first two episodes, if you’re anything like me, you might start to enjoy it.
Here’s a look at the best and worst of Season 4, Part 1.
The best: Emily’s style improves
The best thing about this new season is that Emily’s outfits have improved drastically.
Her look is a little more sophisticated, but still unique. This is proof that she is becoming a little more Parisian. And as a viewer, you won’t cringe at all of her looks.
One of my favorite looks is a scene at Roland-Garros where she wears a red and white striped suit with a matching hat. Her blue pantsuit and blouse combo in Episode 2 is elegant, and I really liked her purple striped button-down, tie and vest combo in Episode 3 – the mix of patterns works really well.
She doesn’t stand out as much as she used to. When she uses color, she’s monochromatic, which tends to work a little better. Lily Collins looks really great in stripes and more simple looks, and I’m glad they brought those out this season.
Best of all, Luc continues to provide the much-needed humor
In a show that’s supposed to be humorous, Luc provides some much-needed relief from the heavy storylines of season four.
Some of my favorite moments happen right at the beginning of the season when he watches a TikTok video “exposing” Emily for messing with Camille’s family.
“Oh! Such a dynamic storyteller,” says Luc in French as he watches the video.
In episode 2, when he needs Emily’s help at an event and she has to go and find Camille, Emily asks Luc if he’s okay without her.
“No, not really,” says Luc. “But I would never want to stand in the way of a good sequel. Bonne chance.”
At one point in episode 3, he’s hanging bras outside his houseboat and Gabriel runs into him. The awkwardness is palpable, and the way Luc’s eyes widen as he hesitates makes the scene even funnier.
He provides some comic relief and every time Bruno Gouery appears on my screen I know I’m going to giggle along.
The worst: Camille’s storyline seems unnecessary
The first two episodes are dominated by Camille being missing.
At the end of season three, we see Camille leaving her wedding, claiming that Gabriel and Emily are still in love. She’s also expecting a baby with him and is in love with Sofia, so Camille has a lot going on.
To deal with her problems, she does the only logical thing and runs away.
Gabriel and Emily invest some time and effort in searching for her, but come to the conclusion that she is probably just with Sofia. But of course that is not the case.
The whole plotline of Camille running away seems unnecessary, although I did really enjoy the scene where Emily and Camille fight in rowboats. It released some much-needed tension. I just wish we hadn’t wasted almost two whole episodes getting there.
The worst: Too many subplots
Aside from Camille’s storyline, Mindy’s storyline also seems to be a bit messed up.
She and her band are nominated for the Eurovision Song Contest, but must find funding before the competition. Despite having a rich father and a rich boyfriend, she struggles to raise money.
Mindy ends up selling a couture dress that Nicolas gives her to appease his father. We don’t learn much about her band in the rest of Part 1, aside from a performance where Mindy and Benoît exchange longing glances. Mindy and Nicolas continue to bicker, and I wonder if the show is really using Ashley Park this season.
She seems to be taking a back seat or having dinner with Emily. I would love to see more of Mindy in part 2. I hope she ditch Nicolas and shines on her own.
The worst… and the best? Sylvie behaves uncharacteristically
A reporter from Le Monde contacts Sylvie about Louis de Léon, who was her former boss. The reporter, Noëlle Regnier, writes about his “complicated” past with female subordinates.
Louis is the father of Mindy’s boyfriend Nicolas and CEO of JVMA, a European conglomerate specializing in luxury goods.
Sylvie refuses to speak to the reporter and stands by her husband Laurent G. while JVMA invests in his club.
This was very out of character for Sylvie, as she has always been seen as a fiercely independent woman who doesn’t make sacrifices for anyone. I thought she would be the first person Louis would expose, so the start of the season was a disappointment.
At JVMA, women tell Mindy that she needs a buddy to help her browse the wardrobe because Louis “really enjoys picking out clothes for the women who work at JVMA.”
After Emily tells Sylvie, something clicks.
Although it takes a while for Sylvie to be able to stand up for herself, I’m glad they finally did it and I can understand why this character arc was necessary.
Le Monde published an article in January 2023 with reports from a survey about how deeply rooted sexism is in French society. It was very necessary for the show to address this issue. I give Emily in Paris my respect for tackling it, even if the path to getting there was a little clumsy.
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How many episodes are in season 4 of “Emily in Paris”?
Season 4 of “Emily in Paris” will be divided into two parts with five episodes each. Season 4 will have a total of 10 episodes.
Where can I watch “Emily in Paris”?
Emily in Paris is a Netflix original. You can watch season 4 and catch up on previous episodes through the platform.
The Standard plan with ads costs $6.99 per month, the Standard plan without ads costs $15.49 per month, and the Premium plan costs $22.99 per month. Additional membership spots can be added for $7.99 per month.
When will “Emily in Paris” be released in theaters?
Emily in Paris Season 4, Part 1 premieres Thursday, August 15 at midnight PT and 3 a.m. ET. Part 2 premieres Thursday, September 12.
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