Emily in Paris Season 4 Part 1 review: This season takes the series from ‘Ringarde’ to ‘Oh La La’

Bonjour! It’s that time of the year when we all take a virtual trip to Paris along with our main character, Emily (Lily Collins). With an endless wardrobe full of couture, some broken and Americanised French, and a lot of relationship drama, Emily in Paris is back. With a first season that hooked the audience and the two ringarde seasons that followed, the series has managed to step up its game with the first part of the fourth season.

Creator: Darren Star

Cast: Lily Collins, Lucas Bravo, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Ashley Park, Samuel Arnold, Bruno Gouery, Camille Razat

The ménage à trois (love triangle) is still very much the central focus of this season too, but it is a different throuple this time. In the fourth season, Emily is initially caught between Alfie and Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), after which she is caught between Camille (Camille Razat) and Gabriel. While we finally get to watch the romance we’ve been waiting for all these seasons, thanks to the writers, we keep expecting the couple to break up because Emily has never lasted with one person so far. Fortunately, this time, the writers have chosen not to put a couple’s relationship in jeopardy entirely for the sake of a cliffhanger. The first part of the fourth season ends almost similarly to the third season, with another angle of Camille’s pregnancy. This time, though, we know whom we are rooting for.

The angle that is extremely well explored is that of sexual harassment. We get a basic introduction to this in the third season when Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) calls out Louis de Léon (Pierre Deny) for abusing her all those years ago when she was his subordinate. The fourth season dives deeper and actually addresses the problem. The writers have quite carefully handled the angle, providing fresh yet realistic perspectives of how different parties involved would take the news of their loved ones being the predator or the victim of abuse. We see Laurent (Arnaud Binard) being an incroyable walking green flag as he embraces Sylvie when he knows she’s been a victim, although her action against her abuser puts his career in peril. On the other hand, Nicolas (Paul Forman) finds it difficult to initially come to terms with learning about his father’s true colours. With actual character arcs for supporting characters, the latest season proves that the writers have spent more time at the writer’s table—more time than Emily in her office. 

Of course, some things never change, because c’est la vie (such is life). Somehow, although Emily’s move to Paris was for work, she never seems to stay in the office and actually work. When compared to the second and third seasons, the fourth season shows more of Emily and Sylvie’s marketing ideas and work. However, Emily somehow still puts her friendship and relationship needs before her work requirements. For example, in this season, she prioritises her friendship with Camille over managing a client’s luncheon, and somehow she is still not fired from her office. Also, although it has been at least a year since Emily shifted to Paris (according to the series’ timeline), she has still not managed to become fluent in the language. Come on now, Emily should know more having stayed in Paris this whole time; even we know the meaning of Sacré bleu and Amuse-bouche just from watching the series.

The makers of Emily in Paris have also taken the humour, which has always been oh la la, a notch higher. We get a reference to the iconic Bridgerton carriage scene, with an in-house couple using the space for their sexcapades, as Mindy (Ashley Park) quips, “Someone is living out their Bridgerton fantasies.” In another scene, when a client says to Emily, “I think you have nailed our customer base,” Luc (Bruno Grouery) jests with his ignorance and innocence, “I think everybody will want to nail your customer.” Luc and Marianne’s small scenes together and Grégory Elliot Duprée’s (Jeremy O Harris) new couture collection for Pierre Cadault are some humorous scenes to look out for in this season. 

While the first part of the fourth season has managed to impress, Emily in Paris is not without its predictable and stereotypical writing and character developments. Camille’s dilemma is frustrating at this point in the series, while Alfie and Antoinne have gone missing, except for a few scenes here and there. There’s also the wonder of whether the writers will resist the temptation to throw in a last-minute twist to the will-they-won’t-they romance or let love prevail. Only time (and the second part of the season) will tell. With hopes that the second part will at least be comme ci, comme ça (so-so), if not bien joué (well done), let us raise our glasses and say santé (cheers!).