Let’s set the scene: It’s a rainy evening, and you’ve finished your daily chores. You’ve planned a lazy evening – lounging on the couch with the scent of your favorite coffee and hitting play on the latest season of Netflix’s cozy and easy-to-watch romantic comedy. emily in parisHowever, just five minutes into the show, you realise that what was initially comforting to watch has now lost its comfort factor.

When the first season of the show came out in 2020, it felt like an episodic version the devil Wears Pradain which a young, spirited American woman deals with a strict, overbearing French boss while trying to settle down in Paris. Despite sharp criticism for being predictable, lacking depth and overly glossy, the series did offer a certain sense of satisfaction and ease, knowing that no one was going to die and that our beloved protagonist would not suffer any serious misfortunes. The perfect candyfloss viewing experience? Indeed.

Effectively, the second and third seasons emily in paris offered everything else. That’s no complaint, though; the show remained a favorite guilty pleasure (here’s a little secret: I cheered for Emily every time she acted like Emily on Sylvie and bailed her out of a crisis at work). She continued to find herself in familiar situations: dealing with her demanding boss Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu), meeting tight deadlines, and grappling with her romantic dilemma between Alfie and Gabriel. Even amid the emotional chaos, Emily always made a grand entrance at work in the most fabulous outfit, offering a stylish contrast to the everyday routine of most working professionals.

But with the release of the first five episodes Emily in Paris Season 4Due to Netflix’s peculiar but annoying habit of splitting seasons into parts – the show’s creator Darren Star has forgotten what made the show appealing and why we loved it in the first place. It’s not fair to stress how dull the show and its writing have become.

In the first five episodes of the fourth season, you keep waiting for something to happen. Whether it’s Emily’s colorful love life or on the professional front, where you hope she comes up with a brilliant social media marketing idea, there’s a longing for something to happen that stirs up anticipation and provides that last ray of hope, so you don’t give up. emily in paris So far. Sadly, you’ll only be disappointed.

The new season picks up right where the third season left off, with Emily’s glamorous world falling apart. Camille, played by Camille Razat, ends her marriage to Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) and Emily’s boyfriend Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) leaves her, suspecting she still has feelings for the hot chef Gabriel. You would expect the complexity of Emily’s feelings to be handled more maturely in the latest season as she attracts the attention of both Alfie and Gabriel. However, the producers have overlooked the potential for a well-executed ‘will they-won’t they’ arc.

Plus, after the steamy carriage scenes BridgertonThe portrayal of Emily and Gabriel’s love scenes on Netflix feels cheap. emily in paris The chemistry between Emily and Gabriel seems to be missing. How can the chemistry between your lead pair suddenly disappear?

In the short 30-35 minute episodes, several potential subplots are introduced involving missing people, #MeToo, the struggle to get a Michelin star and being in Eurovision, yet the focus remains on the shallow love life of Emily, who is perhaps the show’s best character, and her eccentric outfits. It also features more breathtaking aerial views of Paris than the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony.

You can’t help but raise your eyebrows at the absurdities the characters are saying. At one point, you feel like you’ve walked into a Hindi daily soap when Luke frantically calls Julian just 20 minutes before he has to plan an important client presentation before heading to the JVMAs. Instead of having Julian send some notes with the correct vocabulary, they resort to a classic trope: Julian secretly giving Luke the lines through an earpiece.

The final blow comes in the last scene of the fifth episode, which feels like a jarring transition from Paris to Ghatkopar, Mumbai, and Netflix to Star Plus. As I look forward to the rest of the season of this once light-hearted show, I can’t stop myself from wondering if Mr. Darren Star has accidentally swapped notes with Indian soap opera queen Ekta Kapoor.