French Critics Hate "Emily in Paris", But the Makers Are Already Planning S2

Mon dieu!

If you have spent the past few days binge-watching Emily in Paris on Netflix (and wishing you had a lifetime supply of croissants), you're definitely not the only one. 

Considering we haven't been able to travel on any European holidays this year, it is only natural that we would want to live vicariously through a character. 

In this case, that character is Emily (Lily Collins), an ambitious twenty-something 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. 

Me after binging all 10 Episodes of #EmilyInParis in a day: pic.twitter.com/CvodBIG2mg

— Laprincesse (@laprincessekw) October 8, 2020

For those of you who were dreaming of France during lockdown, the series has got everything you need. Directed by Darren Star (Sex and the City), there are a whole lot of berets, countless baguettes and glittering shots of the Eiffel Tower. 

However, there's simply no denying that there's one glaring issue with the show: its portrayal of Parisians is, quite frankly, very offensive. 

EMILY IN PARIS is so unwatchable that it's not only offensive to Parisians but also any Americans who have lived in Paris.

— Rachel King (@rachelking) October 4, 2020

In fact, French critics have absolutely slammed the series for stereotyping 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 Franche 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. 

Premiére's Charles Martin also gave the 10-episode series a scathing review, writing, "We thus learn that the French are 'all bad'... that they are lazy and never arrive at the office before the end of the morning." 

damn emily in paris does not translate very well and i'm already 3 episodes in. giving this one more ep but seriously the stereotypes are a bit offensive

— A💎 (@azALEAladaga) October 6, 2020

Despite the backlash, some viewers are addicted to the show. In fact, they're already demanding a Season 2. 

Lily Collins is at once completely unconvincing but also absolutely perfect in Emily in Paris which I inexplicably finished in 24 hours

— Ira Madison III (@ira) October 5, 2020

At this stage, it does seem likely that the show will be back for a second season. While Netflix hasn't officially renewed it, 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." 

Who knows? Maybe Emily will even get a chance to redeem herself to French critics. 

Others are pretty damn annoyed that Emily in Paris could be renewed for a second season, while critically acclaimed shows like GLOW and Teenage Bounty Hunters have been cancelled. 

Hard not to shake the idea that Netflix sees more of a future in consumers hate-watching Emily In Paris (which was all over my timeline this weekend) than sincerely watching something like GLOW

— Chris Mandle (@chris_mandle) October 6, 2020

Well, at least we can all agree on one thing: Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) is now officially the internet's new boyfriend. 

Header Image: Netflix