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“Emily in Paris” is Netflix’s newest cringeworthy show, but this time, it has a French twist. The series follows Emily Cooper, a smart and bubbly marketing executive who works for a firm in Chicago, as she’s suddenly sent to Paris to fill in for her boss.

Gilbert Group, the company Cooper works for, recently acquired French marketing firm Savoir. For some reason, Cooper must oversee this transition, so she leaves behind her unadventurous, suit-wearing boyfriend and jets off to France. But she hasn’t done any research on the country, and her only knowledge of the French seemingly comes from American movies — one of the first things she says while in Paris is “the entire city looks like ‘Ratatouille.’”

While spending time in the City of Love, Cooper ditches her Urban Outfitters flannels for a Parisian wardrobe. She ends up looking like the ultimate stereotype of French fashion, even wearing berets. People make fun of Cooper for her over-the-top garb, and we’re supposed to feel bad for her.

Cooper’s French colleagues are rude to her because she can’t speak any French, despite being in Paris for her job. But it’s not unreasonable for them to be rude. How could they not resent her, as she immediately assumes a managerial role on the company’s social media team and forces Chicago best practices on them? She does manage to make one friend simply by sitting on a park bench by looking sad and American.

After the inevitable breakup with her far-away boyfriend who doesn’t respect her ambitions, Cooper finds herself romantically involved with many Frenchmen. All of the men that Cooper encounters are handsome, mysterious, suntanned and somehow endeared by her American naivety. None of them are very distinct from each other. It’s hard to tell them apart, let alone remember their names. The most consistent male figure is Gabriel, but he is not single. His girlfriend is Camille, one of Cooper’s best friends who welcomed her to Paris with open arms.

Cooper is an all-around confusing character. She lives in designer clothes and never re-wears a single piece. She also goes out to eat for every single meal and lives in a trendy neighborhood. Her affluent lifestyle seems even more unrealistic when her age is determined. Lily Collins, who plays Cooper, said in a recent interview that Cooper is “fresh out of college … like, 22-ish,” yet she also has a master’s degree and an executive position.

While in Paris, Cooper wants to assimilate but does little to blend in. She shows no personal growth as she fails to learn French or shift her overbearing personality in the workplace. Additionally she repeatedly gets risqué with Gabriel behind Camille’s back despite her being a kind, loyal friend to Cooper.

The show’s plot is heavy on business, with a lot of office dialogue, strategy meetings and client introductions. There are fleeting moments of romance and attempts at comedy, but they always fall flat.

The show does not know what it wants to be. It cannot be a charming and relatable portrayal of an average young woman struggling to fit in and get her voice heard. Cooper’s designer wardrobe, constant VIP invites and fairly immediate invitation into the affluent French lifestyle quickly muddle this narrative.

French critics and audience members aren’t too happy about it either. Some Parisians are displeased with the portrayal of their city and its people. Influencers are also doubting Cooper’s social media success. There is even a dicey age-gap moment (Cooper spends the night with a 17-year-old, but I won’t go into that).

The cliffhanger ending episode makes room for another season, so what is Cooper going to possibly do next? Continue to be overbearing and overly American at work? Put together even more absurd attention seeking outfits? Somehow cause even more drama and conflict with Savoir’s clients? Ruin her best friends’ relationship? Well, to be honest, I think Paris is probably better off without Cooper in it.

Published on October 19, 2020 at 9:46 pm