Light-hearted cliches, a predictable storyline and gorgeous Paris make for enjoyable viewing — the Netfilx series Emily in Paris may be the story of a clueless American in the city of lights, but despite all the criticism it’s received since its debut, I would recommend the show for easy-on-the-eye, light entertainment. With glimmerings of Sex and the City — and why not, it is created by Darren Star, the same man who made our favourite ’90’s New York TV series — Emily in Paris will give you a few hours of entertainment, as long as you don’t overthink it and take it too seriously. Purists beware!
Emily Cooper, the main protagonist, moves from a Chicago-based marketing firm to join French firm Savoir in Paris. She arrives in the world’s most romantic city as the archetypal American, quite unaware of the finer things that make Paris, Paris — yet she is totally confident about herself. On her work agenda is to teach her office team the finer things about Social Media, which her French colleagues find simply appalling. Emily is not fazed about anything — she makes no effort to speak French; Emily’s fantasies of Paris may be tedious; her sense of fashion too cutesy and her lack of nuance leaves much to be desired! But despite all this, the storyline has a great pace, the lead hero Gabriel is cute, and Paris looks absolutely fantastic.
As non-Americans and definitely not French viewers but outsiders from South Asia, do we really need to worry that Emily is breaking French protocol? Why can’t Emily be as American as she wants to be? I say, don’t take Emily’s cultural dissonance to heart as naysayers are choosing to do. Watch the show for the ups-and-downs in Emily’s life as she tries to make it in Paris, personally and professionally. Let’s not call the story formulaic — after all, who doesn’t love a show about making it big in this tough, bad world — in Emily’s case, Paris!
Emily in Paris (Season 1) is now available on Netflix.
