Emily, expat in Rome
It’s no longer a secret. Emily in Paris will be back on Netflix for a fifth season. Part 2 of Season 4 undoubtedly features the best episodes of the series. I already have no memory of Part 1 of this final season because the storyline was always the same—Sylvie still manipulating her clients and competitors, and, of course, the endless love triangles. And there are a lot in Emily’s world.
A Snowstorm and a New Romance
The second part begins the day before Christmas vacation. Emily decides to join her family in Chicago. At the airport, she discovers that she’ll be flying business class, courtesy of her boss. Honestly, what kind of boss does that? If yours does, sign me up for a permanent contract at your company.
A snowstorm hits Paris: in the Air France lounge, Emily learns that her flight has been canceled due to weather conditions. But, surprisingly, for once, the French railway company SNCF isn’t affected, because the American somehow ends up in Megève. And once again, she crashes with Camille’s family. Camille is thrilled to see her best frenemy again, as she was hoping for a different Christmas miracle—the chance to win Gabriel back.
I’ll let you judge the bizarre outfits in these episodes for yourself, right up until Gabriel, once again, leaves Emily hanging. She plays dead on a ski slope after falling an incalculable number of times. Eventually, a handsome Italian comes to her rescue. When she finally finds Gabriel, she confronts him (and honestly, who could blame her?)—right in front of Camille, who revels in the moment. Emily returns to Paris, and, of course, she just happens to run into Alfie. The Englishman has moved on. And I have never been more Team Alfie, because he politely ignores her advances and walks off with his new girlfriend.
Back at the Grateau agency, the team kicks off the new year with a new recruit, Geneviève—who just so happens to be Sylvie’s stepdaughter. And just like that, the drama is back. Once Emily realizes that Geneviève is a total nightmare, she takes a few days off. Everyone thinks she’s in Krakow, but in reality, she’s sipping Spritz cocktails with Marcello. Yes, the handsome Italian from the ski slopes. They flirt, she betrays him, they fight, and then they make up. A classic in Emily’s love life. It all ends in Rome with scenes that look almost identical to Season 1.
La Dolce Vita
The introduction of new characters was a breath of fresh air, and that’s the main reason I binged the last few episodes. Marcello represents Emily’s second attempt at a healthy relationship. There’s not much to say about him—except that it’s reassuring to see that not all men are like Gabriel.
On the other hand, Geneviève awakened some personal traumas in me. Who hasn’t encountered that seemingly innocent young woman you try to mentor, only for her to drain all your energy in an attempt to take your place? I swear, she reminded me of the last backstabbing girl in my life—right down to her expressions and mannerisms. It’s actually kind of nice to be annoyed by someone other than Emily for a change.
The entire Italy segment only reinforced my desire to leave Paris and escape my own impossible love story. It’s clear: the grass is greener elsewhere—whether it’s for a better quality of life or new opportunities. I know it’s just a TV show, but I prefer stories that open new horizons.
And honestly, it could have ended right there, leaving viewers to imagine what happens next. In my opinion, the shortest series are the best ones. I loved Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars, but at some point, the never-ending plot twists just made me lose interest.
Yet creator Darren Star is relentless, bringing us another installment of Emily’s adventures. According to multiple media sources, Emily’s relationship with Marcello will deepen, but of course, trouble is on the horizon. Who’s surprised? Not me.
