Emily In Paris returns for highly-anticipated fourth series as Lily Collins' character FINALLY ends the love triangle and a shocking twist is revealed - but Netflix show fails to impress critics
- Contains spoilers for Emily In Paris season four
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French accents, bold fashion statements and a love triangle can only mean one thing: Emily In Paris is back.
Lily Collins returns as the title character - Emily Cooper - a young American woman from the Midwest who uproots her life and takes a new job in Paris.
The show returns after a two-year hiatus, though that wait wasn't seemingly long enough for some critics, who savagely bashed the show.
The first five episodes are available to watch on August 15 with viewers having to wait almost an entire month for the second installment on September 11.
The latest season had a web of complex storylines to untangle, including Camille's (Camille Razat) shocking pregnancy announcement to Emily's intricate love triangle involving her chef neighbour Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) and hunky Brit Alfie (Lucien Laviscount).
And Emily finally makes her choice, as she and Gabriel choose to explore their romance, and declare their love for one another during the mid-season finale.
French accents, bold fashion statement and a will-they-won't-they romance can only mean one thing: Emily In Paris is back
Emily finally makes her choice, as she and Gabriel finally choose to explore their romance, and declare their love for one another during the mid-season finale
In other relationship news, pregnant Camille and Athens-born Sofia, portrayed by Melia Kreiling, move in next door to Gabriel, but after struggling to make it work they end up going their separate ways.
The final episode ends in a shocking twist, as Camille goes to her gynaecologist for a check-up and learns the devastating truth that she was never expecting; the test was a false positive and her stress was behind her late period.
Camille feels like she's lost it all - Gabriel, Sofia, and the baby she thought she was carrying. As she later arrives at his restaurant L'Esprit de Gigi to share the heartbreaking news, she stays quiet as a thrilled Gabriel reveals he no longer cares about not having a Michelin star as he has the baby on the way.
Netflix viewers will have to wait until next month to discover how Gabriel takes the news, and if his and Emily's romance is the real deal.
The first episode in the new series kicks off three days after Gabriel and Camille's disastrous wedding that was called off thanks to the steamy love triangle involving Emily.
A TikTok exposing Emily's very messy love life goes viral and her breakup with Alfie was broadcast to the world, landing the American in hot water.
This transfers over to her work life, creating a less-than ideal situation as she and hunky boxer Alfie, who haven't spoken since the wedding, are supposed to be presenting as a loved-up couple as the new faces of a brand campaign.
Blocked and deleted by her former beau Alfie, Emily is determined to do what she can to win him back, but it's clear her feelings for Gabriel are still in the picture.
The Brit finally breaks his silence after seeing a giant poster of himself and Emily kissing on a billboard outside his gym, calling her to ask her to make it go away.
A TikTok exposing Emily's very messy love life goes viral and her breakup with Alfie was broadcast to the world, landing the American in hot water
In other relationship news, pregnant Camille and Athens-born Sofia, portrayed by Melia Kreiling, move in next door to Gabriel, but after struggling to make it work they end up going their separate ways
Emily hasn't had the best luck with dating since relocating from Chicago to Paris in pursuit of her dream marketing job
Alfie and Emily even share a smooch on the kiss cam at a tennis game as part of their new odd PR relationship.
Meanwhile, Gabriel and Emily's awkward first neighbourly encounter sees the chef explain he 'rushed into marrying Camille' and she's staying at her family's chateau in Paris.
Elsewhere in the French capital, Emily's bestie Mindy and her musical group have been selected to represent the country in Eurovision, but need to raise money for their performance.
She's still trying to make things work with her toxic boyfriend Nicolas, who's father hasn't taken a liking to her outfit choices - but the pair quickly make up when he allows her access to the brand closet full of designer gear.
Emily's love triangle gets thrown into full swing once her two love interests face off and square up to each other in Gabriel's restaurant.
Alfie questions Gabriel on whether he still has feelings for Emily and his refusal to answer only makes tensions higher.
As the American marketing consultant parades around Paris in her usual flamboyant outfits, she seems to be no closer to deciding who she's going to choose.
As the American marketing consultant parades around Paris in her usual flamboyant outfits, she seems to be no closer to deciding who she's going to choose
Netflix viewers will have to wait until next month to discover how Gabriel takes the news, and if his and Emily's romance is the real deal
Swanning between visiting a shirtless Alfie as he trains for his boxing matches, to conveniently running into Gabriel every time she leaves her apartment, it's hard to tell who will come out on top for Emily.
The storylines veers off in another direction when it's revealed that Camille is MIA and no-one can find her anywhere.
Of course, Emily is the one who finally tracks her down in Giverny, and the duo finally have it out, before making up and heading back to Paris.
Camille and Gabriel quickly call things quit as the blonde beauty reignites her relationship with Sofia - the woman she had an affair with in the lead up to her wedding.
Sylvie's more serious storyline sees her tackle sexual misconduct in the workplace, as she looks into the string of sexual harassment that's affected women at JVMA, including her own experiences.
As we watch her scenes unravel, she's torn as exposing the abuse could have an impact on her hard-earned career.
The reviewer insists there is, 'absolutely nothing at stake' when it comes to the love triangle, with the 'drama' in the show coming from her professional life, though that appears to be a stretch too
The heat is turned up in the third episode as all of the characters head off to a masquerade ball and Emily is playing with fire as she dances and flirting with both Gabriel and Alfie
The heat is turned up in the third episode as all of the characters head off to a masquerade ball and Emily is playing with fire as she dances and flirting with both Gabriel and Alfie.
Despite it seeming like she was ready to rekindle with Alfie, Gabriel comes out on top as the two share a passionate kiss in a carriage on the way home, leaving her decision once again up in the air.
Episode four confirms that Gabriel is winning Emily's heart, as the pair enjoy a steamy candlelit rooftop date and their romance reaches the next level.
Emily hasn't had the best luck with dating since relocating from Chicago to Paris in pursuit of her dream marketing job.
In the first series she fell for neighbour Gabriel despite the chef being in an on/off relationship with her close friend Camille.
And her romance with Brit Alfie came to a dramatic end when Camille refused to marry Gabriel in the series three finale, revealing she had always known about his hidden feelings for Emily.
There are secrets yet to be exposed including Camille's affair with artist Sofia, which Emily knows about, but Gabriel remains unaware.
Plus, the major revelation of Camille's pregnancy, which will leave any possible chance of a romance between Emily and Gabriel even harder to navigate.
Swanning between visiting a shirtless Alfie as he trains for his boxing matches, to conveniently running into Gabriel every time she leaves her apartment, it's hard to tell who will come out on top for Emily
The storylines veers off in another direction when it's revealed that Camille is MIA and no-one can find her anywhere
Despite it seeming like she was ready to rekindle with Alfie, Gabriel comes out on top as the two share a passionate kiss in a carriage on the way home, leaving her decision once again up in the air
Emily In Paris was created by Sex and the City writer Darren Star, who has admitted he understands why viewers have made comparisons between Lily's character and Carrie Bradshaw, played by Sarah Jessica Parker.
He said: 'I get why people will link the two series. Each takes place in a glamorous city with a female lead but the idea of Emily In Paris was very different. I've wanted to write a show about an expatriate living in Paris for quite some time.'
With Season 4 debuting on Thursday - and the L.A. premiere happening on Wednesday - the reviews are starting to file in, many of which are not positive.
A review from Leila Latif of The Guardian was perhaps the most brutal, calling the show a 'televisual black hole' that is, 'devoid of plot, charisma and intrigue.'
The critic revealed she had viewed the first half of Season 4 - which debut on August 15 - with the second five-episode half dropping on September 12.
She insists that, 'nothing happens,' as the title character continues working as a marketing executive while getting involved in a love triangle.
She insists that, 'nothing happens,' as the title character continues working as a marketing executive while getting involved in a love triangle with her co-worker Luc (Bruno Gouery) and roommate Mindy (Ashley Park)
Fans of the new series gushed that it was 'self-aware, stunning and adorable' in their reviews
The reviewer insists there is, 'absolutely nothing at stake' when it comes to the love triangle, with the 'drama' in the show coming from her professional life, though that appears to be a stretch too.
'In every episode, she has to use her talent and sunny disposition to ensure social media strategies are executed with aplomb. To say that this is as thrilling as watching paint dry would be a disservice to the many excellent shades of paint,' she says.
The critic adds there are several subplots involving, 'missing people, #MeToo and Michelin stars,' though they ultimately, 'go nowhere.'
Another review from the Irish Independent was equally savage, calling this show's version of Paris, 'a theme park version of the City of Light.'
He touches on the show's running gag that Emily does not speak French and even after four seasons makes no effort to learn the language, and yet everyone in Paris seems to love her, which would likely not be the case in the real Paris.
'If this were the real Paris rather than a theme park version, Emily would get on everyone's nerves. Instead, they all find her cute and adorable. Irresistible, too. Men fall at her feet on every street corner,' critic Pat Stacey says.
The first five shows will be available to watch on August 15 with viewers having to wait almost an entire month for the second instalment in September
Another point of contention in this review is how the show ignores the city's racial and cultural diversity, adding, 'this fantasy Paris is as whitewashed as Richard Curtis's Notting Hill.'
However, another piece from The Guardian 's Joel Golby - while admitting the show is 'terrible' - thinks the time has come to 'drop the beef' with the show.
'The point of Emily in Paris is that it isn't for me – it's not even particularly for people who are sitting upright – and once you see through all of that, you can: well, 'enjoy' is not the right word, exactly. But you can at least appreciate Emily in Paris for what it is, which is: an unashamedly silly, soapy, Technicolor whirlwind of nonsense,' he said.
'It's a make-work programme for beautiful people who can't act and a show where, 30 episodes in and with 10 more pending, nothing significant has actually happened,' he adds, though he realizes he's 're-igniting' his 'beef' after reflecting more, concluding, 'It is beneath every single person who has ever watched it.'
Meanwhile Paste Magazine's Jay Snow claimed that the new series 'continues to have nothing new to say'.
Sinking their claws into Emily and Gabriel's romance scenes, they wrote: 'They can drag out the Emily and Gabriel romance as long as they like, but, so far, it has done nothing except stunt the story and character growth.
'Unless there's a major change coming after this season, it might be time to say 'au revoir' to Emily and company.'
However other critics were fonder of the latest drop of episodes and showered them with praise.
Lily and the stars of Emily In Paris gathered together for a cast photo ahead of the hotly-anticipated launch (pictured L to R: hilippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Lucas Bravo, Ashley Park, Lily)
Her romance with Brit Alfie came to a dramatic end when Camille refused to marry Gabriel in the series three finale, revealing she had always known about his hidden feelings for Emily
Over at The Daily Beast Emma Stefansky heralded season four as 'absurdly and adorably idiotic.
'It's as entertaining as anything else the show has cooked up,' she said of the new plotlines.
'I don't pretend to know anything about fashion, and I certainly won't learn anything from this particular show, but it's always fun to see the wardrobe department going full-out on something like this while other shows dress their cast in a sea of crewnecks and black trousers.'
Collider's Emily Cappello called the show's return 'stunning and self-aware... a fashionable ride through the streets of Paris.'
She noted that in season four Emily finally 'explored her need for control and embraced her vulnerability.
She also praised the new episodes for letting Sylvie shine, claiming there was more space and weight given to her 'realistic and throught-provoking internal conflicts.'
Meanwhile The Times' Robert Crampton gushed: 'When the writing's as good as this, you can't dismiss Darren Star's show as mere fantasy fluff'
