I have no shame, so I'm committing to the internet that I've just finished the second season of Emily in Paris, and I quite like the show. I'm under no illusions that it's the kind of prestige drama that HBO trades in, but for what it is, it's a charming enough show that I was happy to see a second season coming out. And while I watched the first season with my now-ex, my sister was on hand this January to watch the first few episodes before she went back to London.
So what's to like about a show that even its writers think is pretty silly? It's a fairly cliche look at Paris and the French, and it essentially completely ignores the lived experience of people who live in the outer arrondissements. Even at the individual level, most of the characters are pretty thin archetypes, like the sassy gay guy and the horny coworker.
However, it may just be the pandemic talking, but it makes Paris look so good. I love the city, even though I haven't been there since 2014, when I stopped long enough to grab a sandwich between the Eurostar and the TGV on my way from London to Turin. My previous visit before then had been in 2011, when I went for a work conference. But whenever I'm there, I love the feel of walking around the city, enjoying the cafes and deploying my rapidly declining French (to be answered in English). Watching Emily scurry around the city on her stilettos transports me there and lets me imagine how much fun I'd have out there, if it weren't for a global pandemic.
The city itself makes for a wonderful supporting character in the show. It struck me today that you couldn't really do something like this with any other European city. London's too rainy to host an American's candy-colored fantasies of romance, Berlin is too grimy and Rome is too frustrating (though Rome would make a great setting for a similar show). It's also worth noting that Americans don't really know anything about Europe anyway, so it's better to set it someplace that comes with its own associations, even if a cute romantic comedy set in Krakow or Barcelona would be a fun watch on its own terms.
Emily in Paris is also a great showcase for classic and recent French pop music, which I've always liked. I'm a little weird about music in languages other than English, but the French have long had a good sense of mixing genres, adding some jazzy and electro inflections to their pop and guitar music. The French pop from the 60s that I particularly like (think Moi Je Joue by Brigitte Bardot) leans hard into the bright, exciting image that Paris has long cultivated, especially with playful lyrics and charming singing by beautiful singers. It's a nice backdrop for watching characters zoom around Paris's landmarks on scooters or walking down the Seine.
Another thing I like about the show is watching it with someone else. It's fun to tease the characters, or be catty about their clothes, when watching it with my girlfriend or my sister. More serious shows like Mare of Easttown or even Star Trek demand a certain focus, lest you miss a plot point; this is a good communal watching experience, where paying attention is less important than the social aspect.
It doesn't matter that I'm not really the target demographic. For 30 minutes or so, I can enjoy pretty people having their romantic problems against the backdrop of a city I miss terribly, and not worry about seeing some gritty depiction of urban decay or sci-fi violence. It makes for a nice palate cleanser, which everyone needs from time to time. So avant le saison trois! If they do a third season, I'll be eagerly waiting for it to drop by the end of this year.
After all, we need to see what happens with Gabriel and with Emily's job...
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