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Emily in Paris Review 2020 Tv Show Series Season Cast Crew Online
Creator: Darren Star
Stars: Lily Collins, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Ashley Park
Emily is a late 20/early 30s marketing exec in Chicago. She gets a promotion to Paris for a year, the series is about her adapting to live in Paris.
The show seems to rely heavily on clichés and the fetishisation of Paris. Emily demonstrates a level of self consciousness of herself as an American; unsophisticated, uncultured in comparison to her European counterparts. She wants to get that “je me sais quoi” from Paris. Edith Wharton would be proud of the use of the America/Europe comparisons in this series.
In contrast, all Parisians are depicted as clichés (dare I say offensive ones at that). The older women are relaxed about affairs, impeccably styled and chain smokers. The love interest for Emily is a cultured foodie who could model as a side gig if he really wanted. Her company’s client sends her lingerie “for herself”, so sophisticated is he, that sending creepy gifts is a form of heightened sensuality and sophistication.
The tv show borrows tropes from iconic work that have come before it, presenting Audrey Hepburn-esque Lily Collins as the one to deliver many of them. The Miranda priestly style boss in the form of Sophia, the OTT haute couture fashion in a hark back to SATC… etc etc.
I wanted to be able to enjoy the show for the escapism that it is, but i feel this show would’ve benefited from being slightly more grounded, slightly more realistic. The show on surface level seems to pay homage to the city of Paris; indeed many of the characters reference to how wonderful the city is. Emily’s large social media following are falling in love with Paris in the way she is supposed to be – yet all we see is a saccharine, sugar coated version. The pastel tints, macaroons and Chanel.
Paris is also the city where one of the most significant cultural revolutions in the world took place; the architecture is stunning: it is home to vibrant communities and an artistic history. It isn’t just about eating pastries with a Chanel bag.
My final gripe is how a 30 year old is able to afford all the high end fashion that Emily has. She works in marketing, not in fashion. Yet she is wearing runway Chanel.
This show panders to a fantasy, not steeped in any real appreciation for the city it claims it loves, which is a shame, as the storyline is pretty compelling and the shots of the city are stunning.