The dazzling high-fashion ensembles may momentarily captivate the gaze, yet critics lament that the fourth season of Netflix's beloved series falls short of capturing the vibrant essence of Paris. For weeks now, Paris has basked in its multicultural glory, embracing athletes of diverse backgrounds from every corner of the globe. The Paris Olympics, by and large, have garnered rave reviews, despite grumbles over makeshift beds and a dampened opening ceremony.
Contrastingly, Emily in Paris, which graced our screens with a fresh batch of episodes on August 15th, can only yearn for such accolades. Season 4 of this Netflix darling has been met with widespread disapproval, with one particularly harsh critic accusing it of "whitewashing" the City of Lights.
"The most glaring flaw in Emily in Paris lies in its utter disregard for the city's racial and cultural tapestry," Pat Stacey of the Irish Independent laments. "There are a mere handful of non-white characters: Emily's best friend, an Asian figure who's even more vacuous and materialistic than she, and her gay companion and English hunk, both portrayed by black actors. Otherwise, this imagined Paris is as monochromatic as Richard Curtis's Notting Hill."
Stacey further contends that Parisians harbor "a deep disdain" for the show, which was met with a "torrent of indignation and animosity" upon its 2020 debut. The critic also takes aim at Lily Collins' portrayal of Emily, faulting her for failing to make even a token effort to learn French, concluding with a scathing "Merde totale."
The Daily Beast's Emma Stefansky offers a more forgiving perspective, noting that while "the narrative may seem stagnant," the new episodes retain their "endearing charm, much like the rest of the series." She quips, "The real draw, however, is the absurd array of outfits Lily Collins gets to parade, with this season boasting standouts like a stunning royal-blue suit and a black-and-white candy-striped masquerade ensemble adorned with an oversized hat."
In the Guardian, Leila Latif likens the series to "a black hole devoid of narrative depth, charisma, and intrigue." She writes, "Critiquing Emily in Paris, a show as blandly agreeable as it is, feels akin to scolding a harmless puppy. But shouldn't we aspire for better?" Latif continues, "Emily's Disney princess approach to romance and relentless sweetness borders on insidious. It's a rehashed narrative of feminine empowerment, wrapped in a pretty bow, yet afraid to let its protagonist be messy, carnal, or flawed. It's an Instagram filter superimposed on a Vaseline-smeared lens, stripping both its protagonist and the city of their innate charm."
