Emily in Paris celebrates its success with a brand new season on Netflix. The series tells of Emily, a marketing executive from Chicago who moves to Paris to follow her dreams and expand her career. The show justifies its title as it shows the bustling life of Emily in Paris, France, her adventures and misadventures, and different aspects of her new French life.
The series is a new addition to the working girl moving to a new city trope. Another television series that comes to mind with the same story is the successful Sex and the City starring Sarah-Jessica Parker as lead Carrie Bradshaw. Indeed, the two were compared before because they have the same premise. Both leads have unique fashion choices, both series have numerous good-looking characters—especially hot guys, and both lead actresses are beautiful ladies trying to settle down in a new city.
Emily in Paris and Sex And the City were both created by Darren Star. That might explain the similarities. They also have the same costume designer. And because the outfits are a huge part of Emily in Paris, it is no wonder it is reminiscent of the older Sex And the City.
Even though Emily in Paris and Sex and the City were decades apart, fans can not help but point out the similarities. Lily Collins, who plays Emily, is flattered by the comparisons. “That is one that I will always take with utter love. I just love Carrie Bradshaw. I love Sarah Jessica. We both are very much fashion shows and they celebrate the cities in which they film, Paris and New York. They’re characters unto themselves, the fashion and the city,” the 33-year-old actress said.
Collins is not new to playing characters based in France. She previously played the iconic Fantine from Les Miserables for the PBS adaptation. However, Fantine and Emily, of course, have entirely different roles.
Emily in Paris is widely successful, as evidenced by its third season. The appeal comes from seeing French culture and the lead actress’ hilarious misadventures. It also delves into how Emily was treated differently because she is a foreigner and how she makes meaningful connections with her new friends.
Lily Collins shared her experience starring in the show. “For me, I was excited to ground myself more in the French culture, whether that be the language, the fashion, or just feeling a deeper sense of home within the city. And I was excited that the show, itself, leans more toward the comedy among the characters, as opposed to all being about Emily’s fish-out-of-water experience. It allowed me, as Emily, to feel a little bit more grounded, as a character, knowing that the comedy wasn’t just about me and my experiences and the culture clash. It was more about the comedy that each of the actors brings to the characters.”
The newest season of Emily in Paris dropped on Netflix just before Christmas, on December 21st. It has stayed among Netflix’s top shows since then. Season three has ten episodes, with recurring and new characters joining the series. It is only available on the streaming site.