The Emily in Paris Obsession Explained

When I think of Paris, I think of the Eiffel Tower, baguettes, and Emily Cooper. The last one might seem irrelevant to mention, but with the hype around Netflix’s very own Emily in Paris series, I find it hard not to associate the City of Light with the American marketing executive working abroad. 

To be fair, I’m completely aware of how much the show has deviated from reality. I haven’t been to Paris myself, nor have I lived abroad to conduct business for several years. Despite my lack of experience, I still think that making a genuine effort to learn the native language of the country where you’re working is basic decency. What happens here is the opposite, though. Emily’s attempt to learn French halts after a few classes and a failed letter to Camille, resulting in the label of “illiterate sociopath”—the insult of the century.

So why can’t I stop watching it? You tell me. This show is like an elixir. I can barely remember anything from the last three seasons, but I excitedly clicked the “Watch Now” button on Netflix as soon as it was available. Is it the Gabriel effect? Is it Alfie? Um, it’s hard to tell. Let me break down some of the most likely reasons this show has hooked me:

There is something absurd about Emily's life, and it's addicting to watch. Emily’s life is full of ridiculous, over-the-top surprises that don’t fail to amuse me. If you must know, I've tried hard to come up with some comedic scenes from the show to mention, but I can recall none… So, to put it simply, watching this show feels like reaching out to a hotline specialized in entertainment. You watch and you forget.

Every drama can be solved with a simple conversation (and of course it includes Emily!). I have so many things on my watch list that I keep postponing just because I’m not in the right mood to watch them. It can be draining for me to watch a deep movie or show when my mind is not on the right track. The fact that Emily gets everything to work out in her favor effortlessly adds a touch of comedy that requires no serious mood to enjoy. Emily in Paris is so light that I can watch it after a long day at work or even a bad breakup.

I don’t care about Gabriel, Alfie, or Emily’s other love interests I can’t remember the names of. Being invested in this show doesn’t mean that I’m invested in one of Emily’s love interests. Don’t get me wrong: I still care enough to see whether Emily will fumble hard in this regard, but I won’t be disappointed if Emily doesn’t end up with Gabriel. Or Alfie. Or Gabriel.

In conclusion, I will continue to watch Emily in Paris even if the show spans another ten or twenty seasons. Oui, I’m addicted, but I’m not ashamed of it.