The idea of releasing a new season in two parts is probably what is not working for Part 2 of Emily In Paris 4, observes Divya Nair.
Emily in Paris is one of those fluffy Web series, where you are buckled in the fancy world of a young marketing professional, who sees the world through her designer sunglasses and takes you on an aspiring journey filled with misadventures, whirlwind romance and exotic experiences.
In Part 2 of the fourth season of the much-awaited Emily in Paris, Emily and Gabriel end up at Camille's place for Christmas. The couple gets a taste of reality when Gabriel is forced to choose between his present and former girlfriend.
Emily gets upset when Gabriel chooses pregnant Camille during a skiing trip in the French Alps.
Emily chooses to be practical and returns to Paris where she realises that her former boyfriend Alfie will be getting engaged to his girlfriend.
Heartbroken, Emily decides to turn a new leaf where she promises to prioritise herself and hopefully keep her personal and professional lives separate.
Enter a new trouble in the form of Genevieve, Sylvie's husband's daughter. She doesn't understand boundaries, and encroaches on the lives of Sylvie, Emily and Gabriel, causing more misunderstandings and trouble in their lives.
We are yet to find out if she is an Emily-in-the-making or a potential negative character.
Gabriel, the centre of all problems, is a classic example of poor timing and communication.
Instead of mending things between him and Emily, his lack of initiative distances himself from Emily, who seals their break-up.
Meanwhile, Mindy and Nico break up over a tabloid report and Emily finds new love in the form of Marcello, an Italian stranger who, predictably, becomes her valued client. His fragile ego reminds us of the insecure Alfie. The makers seem to have invested little creativity while fleshing out new characters.
The idea of releasing a new season in two parts is probably what is not working for the series.
That happened with Bridgerton as well where the intensity of investing yourself in a chaotic situation is weakened.
In Emily In Paris, part 2 of the new season, feels like an entire new season where the continuity of characters ends abruptly for the sake of convenience.
The idea of two men competing for the same girl or two women competing for one guy is also overstretched.
Apart from her professional life, Emily hasn't matured emotionally and ends up repeating the same pattern of behaviour. It's hard to figure out how she can move on from one intense romance to another in just a matter of days.
Although Sylvie is the boss, it is always Emily who has the brains, does all the hard work and handles the chaos. All other characters are reduced to extras.
There are times when you'd notice how Mindy and Julian had more things to say in their brief situations than Emily ever did through her four seasons.
Season 4 ends with a major twist as Sylvie announces how Emily will handle their new agency from Rome. Emily's decision to stay back in Rome is welcomed by Marcello.
Back home in Paris, Gabrielle checks with Mindy how he can find Emily in Rome.
With Camille looking to adopt a baby and Genevieve developing feelings for Gabriel and trying to upstage Emily at work, one can only predict what trouble a new season might bring in for Emily and Marcello.
Will it be renamed Emily In Rome?
Emily In Paris 4 Part 2 streams on Netflix.
