Emily in Paris Season 4 Part 1 Review

Emily in Paris Season 4 Part 1 serves up more of the same, but ultimately works as lowbrow escapism, the way a fairy tale does.

Emily in Paris exists not to teach us some confounding truth about the world, but is rather a playground to live out the fantasies of foreign romance and the chic wardrobe we journaled about before growing accustomed to the realities of adulthood. Season 4: Part 1 offers more of that same ideal.

Part 1 follows the turmoil from Camille (Camille Razat) and Gabriel’s (Lucas Bravo) misbegotten wedding, where Emily is left to decide her romantic fate between handsome British banker Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) or lake-blue-eyed chef Gabriel. The two are enlaced in their will-they-won’t-they cycle, and Emily worries a relationship with Gabriel might complicate things further, considering he and Camille are expecting a child together.

Elated to build a family and by the prospect of a relationship with Emily, Gabriel is still chasing his Michelin Star. He is eager to hire an avant-garde pastry chef, hoping it will tip the scales in his favour when Michelin inspector Marianne (Laurence Gormezano) returns for her next meal. Meanwhile, Emily’s best friend Mindy (Ashley Park) and her band prepare for Eurovision but come into some financial trouble. Mindy is still crashing in Emily’s ‘chamber de bonne’ as money woes becomes her reoccurring narrative, even while she’s strutting around in couture.

Emily in Paris continues its frivolous expedition through fashion, an element that’s just as important to the show’s narrative, if not more so. Costume designer Marylin Fitoussi embraces bold colours, maximalist accessories, and textual adornments like sequins and feathers. One of Season 4: Part 1’s most memorable looks comes when Emily attends a masquerade ball, pairing her illusive striped catsuit and skirt with a hat large enough to cover the Cour Carrée in rainfall.

A welcome surprise to the show is the plunge into Sylvie’s (Phillippine Leroy-Beaulieu) innate gumption when faced with a thorn from her past. The office politics are never as interesting as the drama between the show’s inner circle, but this is usually where we find Sylvie; sashaying into every room with her signature slouch and wielding her flip-phone like a sword, prepared to vanquish anyone who dare undercut her. Season 4: Part 1 adds an unexpected layer to the most enigmatic character on the show.

Emily in Paris’ greatest commodity is delivering Paris through the lens of a postcard. Part 1 explores more of Northern France including Baccarat’s Le Cristal Room and the historic Claude Monet House in Giverny. I spent part of my recent trip to Paris visiting some of the show’s most recognizable locations including their jazzy office façade and Bistrot Valois where the team often gossip over lunch. I was delighted to learn Emily’s apartment building and Gabriel’s red-painted restaurant are actually located in the same area and appear as manicured as they do on screen.

Emily in Paris is the type of show you don’t pause between bathroom breaks. It’s low-stakes comfort food: it’s appetizing, but it tends to wash over you once you’re done, and for that, season 4 didn’t need to be split into two. Part 1 doesn’t conclude on a hanger worthy enough to warrant patience for more; I want to be able to devour it in one go, like the tub of ice cream sitting at the back of the freezer.

Emily in Paris Season 4 Part 1 is now available to stream globally on Netflix.