In October 2020, a new show debuted on Netflix and quickly became a sensation. Emily in Paris follows the story of Emily Cooper, a young woman working at a marketing firm in Chicago. When her boss, Madeline (Kate Walsh), is set to move to Paris for a position at a French firm recently acquired by Emily’s company, everything changes. Upon discovering that she is pregnant, Madeline informs Emily that she will be the one relocating to Paris.
Naturally, Paris is quite different from Chicago, and Emily finds herself struggling with French customs and the language barrier. Fortunately, she has her charming French chef neighbor Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) and new friend Mindy (Ashley Park) to help her navigate this new city and make it feel like home.
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Despite its popularity, Emily in Paris has generated considerable controversy since its premiere, holding a 49% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics argue that the storylines often feel contrived and ridiculous, with some suggesting that the writing lacks depth.
Let’s be honest: in the first 10 minutes of the pilot episode, the Chicago Cubs make it into the playoffs with a walk-off grand slam. Then, after some time in Paris, we find out it’s early August, implying the Cubs made it to the playoffs in July. A quick two-minute Google search reveals that this is highly improbable. Just because many viewers may not be die-hard baseball fans doesn’t mean the show can’t strive for at least a bit of accuracy.
Despite Emily in Paris’s success and popularity, Lucas Bravo, who plays Chef Gabriel, has openly criticized aspects of the show. During an interview with Le Figaro, Bravo denounced the series’ writing quality, calling it “archaic.” He expressed dissatisfaction with his character’s direction, stating that the script’s repetition of tired romantic tropes is uninspiring.
So, will Chef Gabriel be a part of Emily in Paris season five? Bravo isn’t sure.
“It will depend on the script because I think I’ve covered everything a bit. I don’t really have any freedom and, as I’m starting to be given some elsewhere, I’m getting a taste for it. Life is short. The filming of this series lasts five months. Do I want to sacrifice them to tell something that doesn’t stimulate me? “
“I would like him to find a bit of panache again. In the last season, the writing was in this idea of the 90s where lovers move away, kiss, move away again… Everything is based on the lack of communication. It’s a bit archaic. Today, the new generation verbalizes, confronts each other, it doesn’t work anymore this side we cross paths and we don’t understand each other. People see this mechanism coming from miles away… And I don’t want to be part of a cog that tends not to consider the intelligence of the spectators.”
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Despite Bravo’s criticism, Netflix has officially renewed Emily in Paris for Season 5, promising to follow Emily’s journey in Rome. This announcement comes after the gripping conclusion of Season 4, which left viewers intrigued by the tensions between Emily and Gabriel, especially with her new romantic interests.
In Season 4, Emily encounters a new love interest named Marcello and chooses to spend time with him in Rome. While there, she discovers that his family runs a small company known for producing some of the finest and rarest cashmere in the world. After navigating various relationship ups and downs, Emily ultimately decides to stay in Rome when Sylvie reveals plans to expand Agence Grateau to represent Marcello’s family.
Would you be upset to see Chef Gabriel written off Emily in Paris? Do you think Emily should stay in Rome or come back to Paris? Let us know in the comments!
