To indulge travel fanatics while stuck at home due to COVID-19, Netflix released another rom-com hit, Emily in Paris. The show features astonishing views of France and iconic outfits, as viewers watch acclaimed actress Lily Collins portray Emily. Producer and creator Darren Star has designed numerous award-winning shows such as Beverly Hills, 90210. 

In the series, Chicago marketer Emily jumps on the opportunity to move to Paris to work at a marketing firm called Savoir. The only issue is that Emily doesn’t know any French, which proves a difficult challenge while she attempts to add her American point of view to Savoir’s business. She starts to gain an Instagram following as she becomes accustomed to the French life while balancing work, romance, and friends. However, this only provides more confusion as she heads down an unknown path of social media, which Savoir’s traditional marketing techniques resist. 

Although this 10 episode series has quickly gained popularity, it has also received its share of criticism. Many travelers share that Emily embodies what Europeans hate about Americans when they travel. Emily’s boss in the show, Sylvie, played by Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, has similar negative feelings towards Emily. Sylvie critiques Emily for not learning the language and even says that she treats “the city like it’s [her] amusement park.”

Darren Star has conveyed that although they have received a lot of backlash, he doesn’t regret making the series. He states that the show’s purpose was for it to be a “love letter” to Paris, and it successfully accomplished the goal. Less than two months after the release date, Netflix has already confirmed another season for Emily in Paris.