Emily in Paris Season 5 dazzles in Rome, yet hollow storylines and flimsy love affairs leave the show running on style alone.
Creator: Darren Star
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance
No. of Episodes in Season 5: 10
Release Date: December 18, 2025
Where to watch: Stream it globally on Netflix
Fleetingly retitled Emily in Rome, Emily in Paris returns to Netflix for its fifth season, once again trailing the tangled affairs and corporate faux-pas of marketing executive Emily (Lily Collins) as she settles further into her European routine. The season revels in its glossy tourism-ad allure—lingering on steam rising from a perfect bowl of pasta and flaunting a wardrobe that belongs in a design house, not a share house.
But beneath the sheen, the show is running out of fresh ideas; it might soon be time for Emily to start boxing up her Louboutins.
Emily returns with a haircut staking its claim in the cinematic bob hall of fame. She’s now running the Rome office of marketing firm Agence Grateau and continuing her relationship with Italian businessman Marcello (Eugenio Franceschini). Emily is wearing the big-girl pants—likely tagged YSL—embracing her new role and location, and shedding the things that once bound her to Paris, including her on-again, off-again romance with the hot chef next door, Gabriel (Lucas Bravo).
The series doubles down on its fashion-first identity, bolstered by the simultaneous release of “Emily in Paris: The Fashion Guide”, written by the series’ costume designer Marylin Fitoussi. On screen, the characters still possess what can only be described as a magician’s closet: roughly the size of a cubicle, yet somehow capable of producing an entire runway’s worth of outfits.
Alas, season 5 isn’t all pasta, pastries and big-name heels. An early-developing romance between two characters—who have next to no chemistry—feels forced, seemingly inserted just to create tension. Needless to say, it doesn’t work, fizzling out almost as soon as it begins. We’re also subjected to a cringeworthy cover of Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso from Mindy (Ashley Park), a moment I fast-forwarded through without guilt. Park, who is theatre-trained, surely has a lovely voice, but buried under that auto tune, no one’s listening.
Meanwhile, Lucas Bravo’s limited screen time this season suggested he might be gearing up for a quick exit, but the finale hints there’s still more of him to come. Still, at times, this season feels more like a marketing lecture, focused on business ventures and Zoom meetings rather than character development. Everyone is constantly in each other’s pockets, meddling in one another’s affairs with little thought for the consequences. The season’s clearest lesson? Never mix business with pleasure.
The “beautiful people, beautiful places” gimmick still fascinates in season 5 of Emily in Paris, but the narrative is losing steam. Contrived romances and thin storylines suggest Emily’s adventures may be running on empty.
Emily in Paris Season 5 (Netflix): Series Plot & Recap
Synopsis:
Marketing executive Emily navigates the highs and lows of her career and personal life as she settles into a new city.
Pros:
- Stunning Rome locations and European tourism appeal
- Fashion remains a highlight, with show-stopping looks
- Some nostalgic continuity with ongoing characters and relationshipso Fun, visually rich escapism
Cons:
- Hollow storylines and thin character development
- Unconvincing romantic subplots
- Overemphasis on business/marketing at the expense narrative deptho Series running on style alone, with little fresh content
Season 5 of Emily in Paris will be available to stream globally on Netflix from December 18, 2025.