Emily in Paris: 10 thoughts about season one

I found myself needing an afternoon on the sofa so I ended up binging all 10 episodes of Netflix’s American comedy-drama, Emily in Paris and I have no regrets.

Emily in Paris: Emily Cooper

I don’t dislike Emily in Paris lead character, I would hate her at work because she’d be so can-do that you’d be please can-you-don’t. But she’s young, enthusiastic, ambitious and her work is her number one priority and that was me not so long ago.

I’m not entirely convinced by her back story and having a masters in communications. And at the beginning it’s hard to believe she would have been sent off to Paris by her Chicago employer, but opportunities do happen.

Emily in Paris creator Darren Starr

Does Emily in Paris sometimes feel a bit Sex and the City? Yes I thought so too, with a touch of The Devil wears Prada.

The outfits featured in Emily in Paris were fabulous, and Emily often felt like a young Carrie Bradshaw/Andrea Sachs as she traveled around the city. I do wonder how she managed to pack so many outfits and accessories but let’s not question those things too much.

Croissant with a side of condom

“She’s going to bareback her breakfast!” -Mindy

There were a few really laugh out loud moments for me and I particularly loved Emily’s faux pas ordering a croissant with preserves in episode five.

Emily in Paris Instagram

Emily started with 48 followers when she arrived in Paris, but gained thousands very quickly. Overnight growth is possible but that’s not my issue, some of her photos are.

For the most part her photos were fine and they were very in the moment, but I took issue when she posted a photo of the kids Mindy nanny’s for, the ladies smoking outside the gym and a couple of other shots and I was like:

• Ask permission
• You’re giving the perception that French people are rude

Live to work or work to live?

Emily in Paris is all work work work, everything becomes a business opportunity and honestly it gets a bit exhausting. But as I mentioned earlier, I was probably a bit like that in years past.

The French culture is more work to live and we could certainly adopt more of their attitude to life. I spent my twenties tirelessly trying to progress myself in my career in marketing, and since entering my thirties I do wonder what all the effort was actually for?

Influencer marketing

In episode five the Emily in Paris Instagram account catches the attention of a French makeup brand and she is invited to an influencer lunch.

I found myself raging a bit by the attitude of the brand to piggy back on influencers to promote their brand in exchange for a bag of products, instead of investing in a proper marketing strategy.

Also, I would for sure never delete my social media account(s) because my boss told me too.

Workplace power struggles

As more and more workplaces become blended with older and younger colleagues, there are definite power struggles and we see this during Emily in Paris. But the show does display the benefits of a blended workforce with the exchange of ideas and execution, and crisis handling.

Camille

I love Camille, I would have her as a best friend any day and would adore a spin-off show just about her, she’s the stand-out character for me.

Girl code is thrashed about all over the shop during the season and while part of you argues that Emily didn’t know about Camille before kissing Gabriel, she still stokes that fire even after her friendship with Camille blossoms.

Don’t even get me started about Camille taking Emily to her gorgeous French chateau and she shags Camille’s younger brother. I’d be fuming!

Au chante

There is a healthy French cast of men in Emily in Paris, most of them all falling over themselves to please darling Emily by the end of the tenth episode.

Gabriel is the lead eye candy and I probably would to be honest if I was single and living in Paris (if you know what I mean *wink wink*). But there isn’t a shortage of love interests and Emily should forget Gabriel for a moment and see where a relationship with Matthieu could take her.

Paris

I couldn’t share my thoughts about Emily in Paris without talking about Paris, a city I have been lucky enough to visit three times in my lifetime.

Paris and its culture outperforms the attractive cast and has given me a real itch for returning one day. It’s restaurants, cafes, patisseries, outdoor spaces, museums and galleries and other sights are what pull people into its heart.

Have you watched Emily in Paris?

Until next time x