Well folks, there you have it. Emily's Visa is FINALLY expiring. And I might be the only person on earth not thrilled about it.
When Emily in Paris first hit Netflix on October 2, 2020, it took the world by storm. Just not in a positive way. The series sparked global outrage over everything from how French people were portrayed, how ridiculous Emily looked in her outfits, or just how stupid the audience thought the show was. And yet… people couldn't stop watching?
The series, created by Darren Star (Sex and the City), consistently topped the Netflix charts, with the popularity and success from the show allowing it to reach its sixth and final season. It even managed to snag a total of nine Emmy nominations. For a show so widely hated, how did Emily in Paris make it this far?
The show follows Emily Cooper (played by Lily Collins) as she moves to Paris for her marketing job. There, she navigates the next chapter of her life through impressing her boss Sylvie, creating new-found friendships, having a series of romantic relationships, and being an American in Paris who doesn't speak French. However, these are the least of her problems, as the series thrives on two things: how she's always able to solve the obstacles at her job (which were almost always her own doing), and juggling her will-they-won't-they relationship with her main love interest, Gabriel.
This is all to say that when watching the show, you aren't stressed, you aren't on the edge of your seat, and you certainly aren't predicting what happens next. Emily in Paris is a show where you can sit back, turn your brain off, and join Emily as she romanticizes her job and life in Paris. Emily in Paris serves as a guilty-pleasure show that allows you to immerse yourself in the beautiful cinematography and chic outfits (although many may argue otherwise, I personally think she always looks fabulous!).
Lily Collins as Emily Cooper in Emily in Paris. (Netflix)
The only problem with Emily in Paris is its audience: people took it TOO seriously when it was never meant to be in the first place. The show has never pretended to be what it isn't, and the people hating on it never seem to get it. The show is supposed to be fun, unrealistic, and pretty to look at. And that should be okay.
So although people may find this show dumb (they just don't get it), at least it's honest about what it is: audacious in its entertainment as it is in Emily's fashion choices. It is an outlet for people to escape their lives and jump into one where the environment is visually striking, chaotic, and exhilarating. I truly believe this is why the show has lasted as long as it has, and why even after all the uncalled-for hate, it continues to succeed. The audience always comes back for more because they can't get enough of it. Emily in Paris is full of pure, effortless, girly fun, and it is no wonder why the show racks up views every season; it is addicting to watch. And I just don't think other shows out today have that kind of charisma. We don't have many shows out there today that people will always gravitate back to like Emily in Paris. We may never see anything like it again. And as the series approaches its final season, it will definitely be missed. This is a loss for television indeed.
