Emily in Paris season 4 part 2 review: Breaking up a breezy binge like this Lily Collins-starrer into two parts releasing across two months didn't make too much sense initially. The two parts are narratively alike, but also quite different. Emily is torn between two men, two cultures, two states of mind across both parts – but the last five episodes amp up the scale, and in turn, the magnitude of her dilemma. She's not only stuck between two men, two cities, and two countries, but also between work and life, growth and stability, and past and future.
Thankfully, creator Darren Star hits the accelerator on where it left part 1. The narrative isn't as obsessed with the love triangle between Emily, Gabriel, and Camille, as a lot of developments happen on that front in the very first episode. Tying up those loose ends does take one full episode, but it doesn't feel stale thanks to the visual palette. Paris at the time of Christmas looks like a dreamland, even sans snowfall. Emily skating with Gabriel on thin ice isn't only an omen, but also the warm sweater-y hug we needed as an early holiday present and as a familiar start to the world we've consumed for four seasons.
Some old characters give way to new ones – there's Genevieve, Sylvie's American stepniece who's hired at Agence Grateu as a potential threat to Emily. Will she turn Emily into the Emily from The Devil Wears Prada, and project herself as the Anne Hathaway to Sylvie's Meryl Streep? But like the rest of her life, her professional rival infiltrates her personal life as well, by bonding beyond work hours with Gabriel. Then there's also Marcello (Eugenio Franceshini), the “Italian stallion” she chances upon when Gabriel abandons her once. These two new characters shake things up in the Emily ecosystem, which now is no longer limited to just Paris. Enter: Rome.
It's clear that when a new country is introduced in a show called Emily in Paris, it's sure to take an unexpected detour. The Vespas with muted colours sauntering across quaint bylanes dotted by open cafes and centuries-old monuments are a much-needed stark contrast to the bustling streets of Paris, populated by packed cafes and sharp turns. Emily also feels Paris is more orderly, which complements her inherent facility for planning and organisation. But Rome is probably what she needs to grow – to ruin with age, yet hold on to a certain grace and lived-in wisdom. Now that she's kissed in front of the Eiffel Tower, maybe it's time to sit back and admire the cracks in the Colosseum.
The variance lies in not only the topography, but also the cultures. A casual workplace discussion between Emily and her colleagues leads to a debate about which country's coffee is better. Emily proclaims she's a Starbucks girl as she likes to spruce up her macchiato with caramel. Her French co-workers judge her and then argue that Italian espresso is strong, whereas the France's Café au lait is subtle so that it goes well with food. The debate is synonymous of Emily's dilemma – whether to stick to the subtle pleasures of her life in Paris or demand more drama in Rome. Like her, Gabriel is a workaholic, but Marcello is an ambitious businessman with a slow way of life, a lifestyle that fascinates Emily.
Emily's conflicts now transcend men, and also revolve around the blurred lines between her work and life. Blending both in a cocktail and gulping it down gave her the high she needed to conquer France amid the culture shock. But now that she's achieved what she had to in one country, is it time for her to relocate again? Or has she just found her footing in France and should continue to milk it? Hopping countries isn't really her idea of growth, but does it make sense to do that if where she's heading allows her to keep a healthy work-life balance? She doesn't want to evolve into her boss, who has not blurred, but obliterated, the lines between life and work ever since she started her company. But would she be content with the slow life that's seducing her?
One learning that Emily is surely working towards is to master the language as much as she's imbibed the culture of a place. After Gabriel claims that their communication gap has to do with her language constraint as much as it's to do with his closed approach, she makes sure to download an Italian course on Duolingo while wooing Marcello. She wants them to speak the same language – whether it's literal, of love, or of life. Becoming Emily in Rome is pretty much like a change in her DNA, and also that of the show. Like the city that wasn't built in a day, the show also holds great promise because it refuses to settle down – and remains a thriving, enticing work-in-progress.
When we last left Emily Cooper (Lily Collins), it seemed things might finally be settled for her in her romantic life with Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), her personal relationship with Camille (Camille Razat), and her professional life with Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu). But, as any fan of the popular Netflix series Emily in Paris knows, things are never set in stone for the titular character, as she always finds a way to erase the playbook every time it's been finalized. Season 4, which has been released in two parts by the streamer, had a strong start, with each of the series' characters moving forward in every aspect of their lives, seemingly reaching many of their long-awaited goals. However, Part 2 seems to have suffered a bit of memory loss, forgetting the motivations and advancements that were made in Part 1, a disappointment for those who were excited to see their favorites moving in the right direction.
Created by Sex and the City's Darren Star, Emily in Paris follows a young woman named Emily who moves to Paris for a marketing job. Emily lives with her best friend, Mindy (Ashley Park), an aspiring singer, and has an on-again, off-again relationship with handsome chef Gabriel. Throughout the series' four seasons, Emily has continually proven herself as an employee to her accomplished boss, Sylvie, but never seems to be able to stay out of trouble when it comes to friendships and love. The end of Season 4 Part 1 saw Emily finally on solid ground with Gabriel, whose ex-girlfriend Camille had just learned that the baby she thought she was having with Gabriel was actually a false positive. Mindy was getting ready to perform at Eurovision while balancing an image-conscious boyfriend afraid of his family's impression of her. While Emily in Paris continues to be the vibrant, fashionable world any rom-com fan would want to be a part of, Part 2 of Season 4 has few grounding presences within.
Emily’s boss Sylvie, played brilliantly by Leroy-Beaulieu, continues to be the backbone of Emily in Paris. From her unwavering voice to her composed presence, Sylvie is the opposite of most other characters on the show, and it is crucial to the series' success that she remains so. Without Sylvie, it would be easy to feel like the meal that is Emily in Paris contains too much sugar and not enough protein. Part 2 of Season 4 holds new romantic moments for Sylvie, but unlike other characters, she knows her limits and what it is she's looking for. We never have to worry when an unhealthy person or situation enters Sylvie's life, as we can trust she'll make the best decision no matter what is thrown at her, and that is sacred in a show with so many ever-moving parts.
In addition to Sylvie, Emily's best friend and roommate Mindy (Park) is finally allowed to struggle in Part 2, with both her career and love life resting in a rarely visited gray area. Mindy, whose ambitions have always been to make it as a singer without her father's wealth or connections, spends several episodes in uncertainty, making a rare appearance in a sweatshirt and not in one of her usual flawless outfits. In addition, the moments where the writers allow Park to demonstrate her gorgeous singing talents present another opportunity for a grounded, decelerated moment that dissipates the usual swirling chaos of the plot. Together, Sylvie and Mindy create a beautiful combination of strong, self-assured women that makes viewers want to watch their stories unfold.
Emily in Paris constantly shuffles its cards, with Emily's camera-shaped phone case taking the prize for the most consistent element of the show. Season 4 continues to present evidence that the series will never have its Central Perk from Friends, its Luke's from Gilmore Girls, or its Carrie Bradshaw voiceover that bookends each episode of Sex and the City. While this lack of uniformity may be an attempt to keep audiences interested, the never-ending swapping of romantic interests, friends, and loyalties means there is never a space of familiarity that allows the audience a place to rest, with even the series' biggest fans often posting tweets and memes about their lack of memory of what happened in previous episodes. While this unpredictability is a quirk that may seem fun for a while, it doesn't make for a series that people revisit for comfort, nor the kind that will assure its audience that any of the fascinating plot developments at the end of Season 4 are going to be there if we get to see a Season 5.
An example of this confusion comes through Camille’s Part 2 storyline, which seems to have completely forgotten about the emotional break-up she experienced with Sofia (Melia Kreiling), a woman Camille loved and planned to co-parent her baby with. Camille's lack of recognition of these events and her reignited obsession with Gabriel is an off-putting start, to say nothing of the additional stress of the show never being able to decide if Camille should be friend or foe to Emily. The result is a feeling of uncertainty whenever Camille appears on-screen, as she seems to have a new personality with each new slate of episodes.
While continually creating new knots in characters' lives once the last one has been undone works well in a soap opera or medical drama, a thread of cohesion throughout Emily in Paris would allow viewers to recognize the pieces of the show that work well, of which there are many. Sylvie's PR firm is excellent, the events they pull off are dazzling, and Emily is truly skilled at her job. However, these successful elements of the show are lost when almost every character seems to be acting unlike themselves, if only because we don't have a firm grasp of who they really are. No matter what the producers decide if and when the series continues, viewers often return to sitcoms more for the comfort of familiarity than they do for new drama that upends everything they thought they knew.
While many of the new members of Emily's inner circle often come with their fair share of unnecessary drama, the introduction of Marcello, played by Eugenio Franchesini, is a surprisingly delightful addition that adds another sensible character to the show. An unexpected love interest for Emily, Marcello is a put-together, level-headed individual who has nothing to do with the melodrama he unknowingly kicks up in his meet-cute with the marketing executive. His no-nonsense outlook on life makes him a refreshing inclusion that might actually be good for Emily, who could use some stability in her life.
The excellent Part 2 finale, combined with Marcello's presence and Mindy's growth, rescues the second half of Emily in Paris Season 4 from itself. The smart writing, as well as strong directorial and acting choices, make the finale feel like another series completely, further highlighting the need for the right kind of change in Emily's life. A major twist of fate for Emily could take the show in a whole new direction, and one can only hope that this plot point won't be forgotten in a likely Season 5. While it may be naive to expect that a series that so often abandons its most compelling storylines will pick up where its potentially show-altering finale ended, continuing down the path set up at the end of Season 4 could be the reset Emily in Paris needs to solidify itself as more than just a pop culture moment.
