Emily In Paris 2 Review: The Series Maintains A Sparkling And Pressing Pace But There is A Catch?

Cast: Lily Collins, Ashley Park, Lucas Bravo, Camille Razat

Creator: Darren Star 

Streaming Platform: Netflix (click to watch)

Filmyhype Ratings: 3/5 (three star) [yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Award-winning creator and showrunner Darren Star returns to direct the second season of the Emmy-nominated series EMILY IN PARIS, which became Netflix’s most viewed comedy series of 2020. Producer and star Lily Collins reprises the role of Emily Cooper, joined by fixed cast of the series consisting of Philippine Leroy Beaulieu, Ashley Park, Lucas Bravo, Camille Razat, Samuel Arnold, Bruno Gouery and William Abadie, recurring guest star Kate Walsh and new cast members Lucien Laviscount, Jeremy O. Harris and Arnaud Binard. EMILY IN PARIS is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, Darren Star Productions and Jax Media.

Emily In Paris 2 Story Plot

Season 2 picks up exactly where we left off the first. Emily spends a night of passion with chef Gabriel and is tormented by guilt for her friend (as well as Gabriel’s girlfriend) Camille. But another man enters her life, Alfie. Unfortunately, however, the ending of this triangle seems almost taken for granted, Alfie, however fascinating, does not breach the spectator’s heart and is also at times unpleasant and rude, the obvious contrast of Gabriel, always sweet and polite and who made our heart beat in the first season.

As already mentioned, however, the second season of Emily in Paris, loses some of that part that had conquered us in the first season. The girl’s personal social media, the photos, her rapid rise as an influencer were what had made the series interesting despite being a romance series, had brought something new. Yet in these 10 episodes we see little and nothing of all this, the focus is mainly on Emily’s love life which also has implications on her friendships and her work, not always with excellent results.

If the first season focused on Emily’s millennial approach that clashed with the “old-fashioned” approach of Sylvie and colleagues in the communication of their brands and customers, now this generational reflection is lost between the lines to follow more storylines, perhaps too many, in a somewhat dispersed way. We forget the importance of social communication which remains but is less incisive, and could have told, for example, the maintenance of an influencer status after having shown its creation in the inaugural cycle. What emerges from the new episodes is an almost detestable Emily for her love behavior compared to the first season.

It encompasses the American contradiction par excellence: Europeans are seen as slackers and libertines in love, while the Americans are too dedicated to work and puritanical, but then it is the protagonist who combines cooked and raw! In the midst of the usual Franco-American clichés and stereotypes, among the many (too many) dispersive storylines of the more or less secondary characters, often improbable, we mention Mindy’s (mis) singing adventures (Ashley Park), Emily’s only other friend and now roommate in Paris, who tries to make it as a singer after the debacle that made her viral and famous in China. She will literally start “from the bottom”, as a pee lady or the woman who takes a tip in the rooms outside the toilet, without revealing her “noble” origins.

Emily In Paris 2 Review

Now more integrated in Paris, Emily moves better around the city but is still struggling with the idiosyncrasies of life in France. After getting involved in a love triangle with her neighbor and her first true French friend, Emily is determined to focus on her work, but it gets more complicated every day. During her French class she meets an expatriate like her, who infuriates her but at the same time intrigues her.

If you loved the first season of Emily in Paris you will also like the new one. Despite the long line of clichés in the series, we enjoyed the first season because it brought something new, a cheerful and bubbly air, the beautiful sights of Paris and a new vision of social media. The second season still brings that fast-paced rhythm, and the joy of the protagonist, the outfits are increasingly iconic but… unfortunately, attention is diverted from the protagonist’s personal social networks and from her work to focus – too much – on her love life.

One part that we really appreciated is, finally, the use of French. Being a series set in Paris it sometimes seemed strange that the characters, even in the absence of the American protagonists, continued to speak English. In fact, the second season brings a little French language, managing in fact to immerse the viewer a little more in the culture. Yet there is no shortage of clichés that are too frequent and many jokes repeated since the first season that now begin to make those who are watching turn up a little.

Another point in favor of the second season is certainly the deepening of secondary characters such as Mindy and Sylvie, two strong and courageous women, of whom I would like to see more. In the second season both find the courage to live a new love that will dig into their past, into people’s insecurities and even prejudices. However, Emily in Paris remains an enjoyable and entertaining series. Smooth and without dead spots, cheerful and fun even if it loses some of the bite of the first season that had us so passionate. We still don’t know anything about a hypothetical third season but, given the success expected for the second, we cross our fingers hoping that Netflix will give us a third season that can revive the fortunes of the series.

The Last Words

The second season loses some of the bite that had us passionate in the first season. In the midst of all the clichés and the obvious (but enjoyable) love triangle, the social vein that had enchanted us at the beginning is lost. But, the series maintains a sparkling and pressing pace that entertains and keeps the viewer glued to the TV, or to the PC, waiting for the finale and to find out what will eventually happen to our Emily in Paris!