Netflix show “Emily in Paris” debut on Oct. 2. The ten-episode series follows Emily Cooper, played by Lily Collins, from her home in Chicago, Ill to her marketing company’s affiliate office overseas in Paris, France. There she is forced to navigate new relationships and a bit of culture shock.
Written and produced by Darren Star, who wrote the popular series “Sex and the City”, as well as “Younger.” Both shows have found their place in American mainstream for years. “Sex and the City” going as far as becoming a franchise with two films, a prequel series, and adaptations. I cannot imagine that “Emily in Paris” will have the same impact.
Filmed in Paris, the creators were able to capture what it may actually be like to live and work in Paris. We see Emily stroll down streets, into shops, and restaurants, navigating the city with ease and confidence that only someone who lives there may be able to do. Iconic sites such as Pont Alexandre III Bridge, Love Lock Bridge, and of course the Eiffel Tower were integrated into various scenes.
Categorized as a romantic TV comedy, viewers will be pleased with the amount of lip locks that take place over the course of the season. Relying on often harsh stereotypes to depict Persians as aggressive, sex-obsessed individuals, there is no shortage of relationship drama.
However, the series should not have the advantage of calling itself a comedy. I can recall exactly two times the writers gave us subtle jabs of comedic relief. This is not surprising when you consider, from beginning to end, the series fails to complete storylines. Minimizing opportunities for setups and punchlines to take place. The lack of well-rounded storylines ends up making each episode feel incomplete and difficult to discern from the next.
The series is overrun with flat characters including Emily herself. She fails to express any deep human emotions such as empathy or compassion when most people would. The lack of depth leads the friendships with her co-workers, neighbor, and everyone else seem ingenuine.
When it comes to relationships between characters, Emily is a horrible example of what it means to be a friend. She was genuinely supportive towards another person in only one instance. Being hypocritical, dishonest, and arrogant seem to be her default characteristics. This made it impossible to relate to or appreciate her all.
This series had the potential to excite travelers, like myself, and inspire women to be bold and passionate in their lives. But at the end of the final episode, I was left feeling dejected.
Be the first to comment