"Emily in Paris" Creator Darren Star Won't Apologise for the Show's Clichés

Soz , not soz. 

If you thought the drama surrounding Netflix's Emily in Paris had settled down, you were extremely mistaken. 

Over the past month, the show has made headlines after being slammed for its offensive portrayal of Parisians. Additionally, there was that whole fiasco surrounding Emily's age (Lily Collins reckons her character is 22; come on guys, she's obviously 19). 

In all seriousness though, hottie Lucas Bravo thinks Emily is around 24, and that seems far more accurate. 

For those who haven't watched the show, it follows Emily (Collins), an ambitious American woman from Chicago, who leaves her previous life and boyfriend behind and moves to Paris for an unexpected job opportunity. She is tasked with bringing an American point of view to a venerable French marketing firm.

Considering we haven't been able to travel overseas due to the coronavirus pandemic, the glittering shots of the Eiffel Tower and delectable French patisseries were undoubtedly appealing.

However, there's just no getting around the fact that the series contains many clichés about French people.

"The berets. The croissants. The baguettes. The hostile waiters. The irascible concierges. The inveterate philanderers. The lovers and the mistresses. Name a cliché about France and the French, you'll find it in Emily in Paris," said 20 Minutes. 

"It reduces the capital's inhabitants to vile snobs sporting Birkin handbags who light up a cigarette the minute they're out of the gym," wrote the women's webzine MadmoiZelle. 

Emily in Paris is the cringiest tv series I’ve ever watched and full of cliches but I’m still going 🥴

— Shaz 🇨🇩 (@Shazzashots_) October 25, 2020

Despite the significant criticism, Emily in Paris creator Darren Star recently told The Hollywood Reporter that he's not sorry for packing the show full with every stereotype you could possibly imagine.

"The show is a love letter to Paris through the eyes of this American girl who has never been there," he said.

"The first thing she is seeing is the clichés because it's from her point of view. I'm not sorry for looking at Paris through a glamorous lens. It's a beautiful city, and I wanted to do a show that celebrated that part of Paris."

Some viewers simply aren't accepting Star's justification.

Others believe the series is just some light-hearted escapism. 

At this stage, Netflix hasn't confirmed a second season of the show. Although, Star dropped some hints about Season 2 to OprahMag.com. 

"In Season 2, [Emily's] going to be more a part of the fabric of the world she's living in. She'll be more of a resident of the city," the director said.

"She'll have her feet on the ground a little more. She's making a life there." 

Look, as long as Gabriel (Bravo) is in every single scene, we'll be satisfied with Season 2. 

Lucas Bravo aka Gabriel in Emily In Paris. That's it. That's the tweet. pic.twitter.com/EIqImpK3ZN

— ✬ (@GoldeenAngeel) October 17, 2020

Header Image: Netflix