Olivia Beeson
Unless you really have been living under a rock this Christmas season, you’ll be aware that the third season of the popular Netflix show Emily in Paris came out on 21st December 2022. The previous seasons have been a huge success and the show remains in the Netflix top 10 as we enter the new year. But the question I ask is how can a show be so cringe-worthy and binge-worthy at the same time?
The past seasons stirred a love-or-hate debate from viewers, and the new episodes have continued to do so. The show portrays the world of marketing as effortless, is full of clichés, and often makes little sense but there is just something about it that makes you want to watch. It’s an undeniable guilty pleasure and, personally, like many others, I’m not mad about it.
each bad review for emily in paris season 3 only makes it more likely that i will watch it. for reasons we do not fully understand at this time, there's almost nothing you could say about this abominable show that will stop me from watching it
— Imogen West-Knights (@ImogenWK) December 21, 2022
This season picks up from the cliff-hanger ending of season two which sees Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) at a crossroads in both her career and personal life. Whilst having to make a choice between staying in Paris and working for Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) or returning to the States with her boss Madeline (Kate Walsh), she must also decide whether to pursue her relationship with charming Brit Alfie (Lucien Laviscount). Throughout the ten episodes we see the development of Emily and Alfie’s relationship which remains in limbo as the main character attempts to balance Sylvie and Madeline and choose between Alfie and Gabriel (Lucas Bravo).
It’s no surprise that the last episode ended with another cliff-hanger, leaving us craving more light-hearted cheesy viewing. From start to finish the new release has been full of ridiculous scenes – here are just some of the things that make the show so questionable and potentially so loveable too:
- Emily continues to miraculously save every and any work disaster in an effortless manner, to the annoyance of many marketers who understand the true hard work that goes into the job. Her obvious ideas and blatant luck manage to save her from unemployment and stop others’ from losing theirs but, like Julian (Samuel Arnold), I was left frustrated by her constant interruptions and success by the end of the season. However, there seems to be something about Emily’s innocent charm that just about stops you from hating her. Just.
Emily In Paris: the most unrealistic marketing executive ever but we love to watch what happens next.
— Nicole Read (@CluedUppNicole) December 29, 2022
- This season the brand placement was off the scale. From the soft relaunch of McDonald’s limited-time menu item the ‘McBaguette’ to the ridiculous way Madeline was holding her bag in that dinner scene. Tiktoker @sassyinscrubs claimed the women in the show ‘were playing product placement roulette’ and the continual advertisement across the series has caused some complaints But, let’s be real, it hasn’t stopped us watching.
@sassyinscrubs Or do we think they were allowed to keep stuff from the set after they wrapped?! #emilyinparis #netflix #lucasbravo #fyp
♬ Mon Soleil (from “Emily in Paris” Soundtrack) – Ashley Park
- Another absurd aspect of the programme is the blatant stereotyping. There isn’t any character who isn’t wrapped up in some kind of love affair, I mean duh, we are in the city of love! The French characters are straight talking, sometimes lazy and promiscuous. Emily is an over-keen American and Alfie is extraordinarily British, struggling to go one sentence without using the word ‘mate’. These clichés are very much in line with Emily’s fashion sense, over the top, and serve as a wake-up call that Emily’s life is far from realistic.
- One thing that can’t go unmentioned is the continued ‘will they won’t they’ plot between Emily and Gabriel. It’s been the focus of the series and has definitely been dragged out. Truthfully though we are all invested and have more than likely picked a side, #TeamAlfie or #TeamGabriel? Without too many spoilers it seems this season may wrap that up, as long as a finale plot twist doesn’t get in the way.
- There is one part of the programme that is not receiving any hate, and that is the eye candy. Many fans have been taking to socials to explain that Lucien Laviscount and Lucas Bravo are the only reason they are watching, and to be honest it’s understandable.
Me: I find Emily In Paris triggering. But I still watch it. For the plot.
The plot: pic.twitter.com/Zp2CoZRQD3— Minou Clark (@MinouClark) December 29, 2022
After watching the third season, it’s clear the show Emily in Paris is basically nonsense but there is something moreish about it. The fashion, the affairs, the stupidly unrealistic happenings of everyday life in Paris are addictive. It leaves you wanting to watch more, and Netflix set up the end of the season to do just that.
I think we just have to accept it’s something that we hate to love and love to hate, but I’m sure lots of us will be back to streaming the new season embarrassingly quickly as soon as it comes out.
Featured image courtesy of Alexander Kagan on Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.
