Move over, Paris Olympics. Who cares about medalists like Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky when Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) is making a real name for Americans in France? Armed with the worst outfits ever and a handful of marketing schemes, our girl has returned for a new season of “Emily in Paris.” Back and better than ever — or rather, as horrendous and hilarious as it’s always been — the fourth season serves as a decent cure for post-Olympics blues. This is especially true if your favorite parts of the Olympics included the bonkers opening ceremony, the memes about breakdancing and the scandalous pole vaulter, each of which could be their own gonzo plots on “Emily in Paris” Season 4.
Where did we leave off at the end of Season 3? Emily is in love with two men, Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) and Alfie (Lucien Laviscount). That’s really too bad, because Camille (Camille Razat) is pregnant with Gabriel’s baby, even though Camille is in her own love triangle with Sofia (Melia Kreiling). This cliffhanger chaos sets up Season 4 for greatness and, for the most part, Part 1 is able to follow through and deliver a triumphantly mind-boggling five episodes.
Somewhat ironically, “Emily in Paris” is at its best when it’s showing us the exact same plotlines with a new spin. The main love triangle — or maybe a square, or perhaps some other shape with around a dozen sides — continues to be a perplexing triumph. Emily is quickly inching towards turning her entire Parisian apartment building into a polyamorous compound. And you know what? That makes for exciting TV. “Emily in Paris” is no longer Darren Starr’s take on Carrie Bradshaw’s unrealized life in Paris, but rather a wacky offshoot of “Girls,” thanks to a handful of wild interpersonal relationships.
Everyone in the show is now involved in Emily’s job at Agence Grateau (formerly Savoir), which never fails to entertain — apparently, there’s only one marketing firm in Paris. Emily doesn’t seem to subscribe to the phrase, “Never get a honey where you’re making money,” because after employing Alfie for a romantic marketing campaign, work is tense. Alfie is asked to work the French Open with Emily, where she’s planned a big kiss cam moment for the two of them. You say workplace harassment, Emily says romance. (Later in the season, Emily is tapped to lead the marketing campaign for Augustinus Bader. Between that, the love triangle and tennis, is “Emily in Paris” trying to be “Challengers”?)
After four seasons, the big love triangle is still going strong; however, the same “get together, cheat, break up, get back together, cheat” formula is going to grow stale at some point in the near future. Like other shows about dating — “Sex and the City” and “Girls” included — “Emily” would benefit from introducing a handful of new suitors to its lead. At one point in the fourth season, newly single Emily gushes about all the hot men she’s seen in Paris, and how much she wants to date around. Yes, Emily! Meet a few new guys! Let us get a glimpse of your dating life outside of the same two men!
The subplots, as always, are endless, each more mind-boggling than the last. Mindy (Ashley Park) is still trying to make a career out of singing while also juggling billionaire boyfriend Nicolas (Paul Forman). Gabriel wants Emily almost as badly as he yearns for a Michelin star. Alfie is… well, Alfie’s not doing a whole lot, but at least he’s always dressed to the nines. Luc (Bruno Gouery) invites a woman to live with him in a houseboat. Julien (Samuel Arnold) waffles about potentially finding a new job with Sylvie’s competitor. These bumbling side characters are always a treat to watch for five minutes at a time — in fact, the show would benefit from introducing a handful of new buddies along with new men.
Emily throws a new party in every other episode, which does the most to up the fun and excitement in Season 4. She pops champagne bottles at the French Open, sports her finest evening wear for a seductive masquerade party, and even taps Sylvie’s (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) spectacularly snarky mother Héloise (Liliane Rovère) to plan a big beach-themed club soiree. The parties, much like any you’d see in “Gossip Girl” or the like, are goofy, soapy and full of plenty of interpersonal drama. They’re the best part of every episode, and it’s exciting to look forward to the big event after Emily pitches it to her team. So chic!
By far the most bonkers subplot in this new season, though, belongs to Sylvie. Sylvie is hesitant to speak to a journalist about a potential #MeToo story about her old boss. The old boss is Louis (Pierre Deny), CEO of PR firm JVMA — Sylvie’s big competitor — and Nicolas’ father. The first half of Season 4 dedicates a good portion of time to this clunky plot, which neither moves the needle forward on the #MeToo movement, nor adds anything to the comedic aspects of the show. If anything, this new side plot proves that “Emily in Paris” ought to stick to the routine love triangles and marketing shenanigans rather than veer into unfamiliar territory.
That said, “Emily in Paris” does need a new character or something to revitalize the show before it turns into a stale baguette. Present some new love interests! Give Emily a new job! Let Gabriel out of that damn restaurant! Watching the new installment of “Emily in Paris” feels like being hit with a wave of the strongest déjà vu. At this point, the shticks are now in their fourth cycle — the plethora of love triangles, the marketing team’s epic fails and ultimate redemption, bizarre side quests that involve Eurovision and sexism — with no end in sight.
The show could very well continue to recycle these plots into infinity, which, on one hand, sounds like a terrible idea. But on the other, it would be quite ringarde of Netflix to do so, and in the world of “Emily in Paris,” ringarde is in fashion, no?
“Emily in Paris” Season 4 Part 1 is now streaming on Netflix.