Netflix hasn’t been known to have long running tv shows. Until recently, the longest the streaming service ever kept an original series was 4 seasons, with each season consisting 10 episodes. Just recently, it broke that rule with Emily In Paris. The fifth season was just released this past December, and a sixth season is now in the works. Just recently, Netflix CEO revealed that Emily in Paris led to a 38% growth in tourism to France, influencing travel plans and cultural phenomena. The show achieved massive global success, evolving from a 2020 pandemic escape into a top-tier Netflix franchise, with season 5 garnering over 13.5 million views in its first four days and reaching the top 10 in 91 countries. Its success is driven by aspirational fashion, romantic escapism, and a “love-to-hate” social media buzz. To break things down more thoroughly:
- Massive Viewership & Ratings: The show consistently ranks in Netflix’s global top 10, with season 5 debuting at No. 2 and season 2 being the most-watched show of 2022.
- Cultural & Tourism Impact: The “Emily Effect” has significantly boosted tourism in France, with visitors seeking out specific locations featured in the show, such as the restaurant Terra Nera.
- Fashion and Brand Integration: The series serves as a major marketing vehicle for luxury brands like Fendi, Celine, and Balenciaga, often launching trends and driving sales for featured fashion houses.
- Escapism and Popularity: Despite critical mixed reviews, the show has a massive, dedicated following that finds joy in its “seductive absurdity” and romantic storylines, especially during its launch during the 2020 lockdowns.
- Social Media Power: The show achieved over 1 billion social impressions, with its fashion-focused content, curated by Patricia Field, fueling intense online conversation.
It’s really no wonder that Netflix has decided to break their 4 season cut off with Emily In Paris. I mean, why would it not continue on when it’s bringing in so much viewership and success? Finally, the streaming service learned its lesson on how longevity can work in their favour.
I was a huge fan of Emily In Paris when it first came out in 2020. It had a Sex And The City vibe to it, which actually wasn’t surprising since Darren Star was behind it. Over a period of time, however, Emily became somewhat annoying. Lily Collins, the woman behind the character, previously defended that notion in a 2021 interview with Nylon magazine. She said at the time, ‘A lot of the qualities that Emily has, if you put them on paper, would seem so annoying. To have someone be optimistic, bright and bubbly—it’s sad to think that people would look and go, ‘That’s a lot.’ They’re such beautiful qualities, and the fact that she can partner that with being vulnerable and asking for help and making mistakes—she’s not infallible. She’s in no way mimicking Carrie’s life. Emily probably grew up having Carrie Bradshaw posters on her wall. I think that this is a heightened reality for Emily, to be moving to Paris, and what she experiences and what she sees. It’s just that when you put them all together in a TV show that also aesthetically looks the way it does, it’s a little less believable.’
By season 4 of the series, I was fully prepared to give up on Emily. Her constant back-and-forth with Gabriel, played by Lucas Bravo, was seriously getting old. When season 5 was released, I initially wasn’t going to watch it. But one Saturday afternoon, I was left alone at home when my husband and son left for their father-son time. So I decided to give it a try while I was smoking hookah and enjoying being bored for once. And let me tell you, I was utterly shocked by how good season 5 actually was. It made me so relieved and happy that I didn’t end up giving up on Emily after all.
Season 5 saw Emily in a relationship with Marcello. And she was in Paris. This time, she was in Rome. While there, she was navigating her relationship with Marcello, which had gotten pretty serious, her work as a social media influencer and a marketing executive, as well as her friendship with Mindy, who’d been by her side since the very first day she’d arrived in Paris. As the season progressed, I made the realization that Emily In Paris was, indeed, ALWAYS about the love story between Emily and Mindy, and despite Gabriel being the main love interest in the show, Emily’s one true love was actually Mindy; NOT Gabriel. The latest season was all about Emily finally realizing that about herself.
While Emily navigated complex, often dramatic relationships with French colleagues and love interests, her bond with Mindy was often portrayed as the only truly stable, judgment-free connection. Through everything, Mindy was a constant presence in Emily’s life. The two friends moved beyond superficial, fun moments to share deep, emotional moments, which, as stated on Netflix, became crucial for showing the depth of their relationship. According to Ashley Park, the on-screen bond mirrors her real-life friendship with Lily Collins, allowing their interactions to feel organic and authentic.
The friendship and close bond between Emily and Mindy was gravely tested in season 5 when Mindy embarked on a fling with Emily’s ex-boyfriend, Alfie, while they were in Rome. What started as a weak moment in time turned into a love affair with deep care and affection between two people. Mindy felt guilty of her growing feelings for Alfie. But no matter how much she tried to stop herself from being too attached, she couldn’t. She also couldn’t bring herself up to tell Emily of the affair, which further complicated the relationship. Alfie wanted to tell Emily himself, but Mindy stopped him from doing so.
Eventually, Emily found out about Mindy and Allie’s affair. To say that she was heartbroken would be an understatement. She wasn’t mad about their relationship. She was mad that Mindy hid it from her. She was mad that she had to find out through other people. Mindy was the one person Emily trusted most in the world, and in her hiding the fact that she even hooked up with Alfie broke that trust. This caused an intense conflict between Emily and Mindy regarding honesty, though it strengthened their bond in the end.
Park had a lost to say on the notion of a woman hiking up with her best friend’s ex. In an interview with REFINERY29, she said, ‘The main thing in terms of girl code and your best friend’s ex [is] first of all, Emily broke up with Alfie, there were a couple relationships [in between], there’s time that’s passed. I think that the hurt that is caused is because [Emily and Mindy] have always been each other’s safe place, and they’ve always been nothing but honest with each other. And for Mindy to be leading her life out of fear and assuming and projecting that Emily’s gonna feel a certain way towards it, and not giving her the opportunity to be happy for her, that’s not friendship. It’s the first time we see that tested. It’s not necessarily about, oh, you slept with my ex, it’s how could you not trust that I would be so happy for you? When we first heard about this might be a plot line, I really thought it was a joke, and I called [Lily], and I was like, ‘Wait, what’s going on’? But it’s because I didn’t see how the story was going to blossom and flourish and in the end really deepen their sisterhood. And I think that’s something we really enjoyed doing.’
Mindy was concerned about “girl code” and assumed Emily wouldn’t approve of her budding romance with Alfie, leading her to hide the relationship, which felt like a deeper betrayal to Emily than the romance itself. Truth be told, however, Emily didn’t care about Alfie enough when they were dating for her to actually care about Mindy dating him. She cared for him, for sure. But she didn’t love him. Their story always had an expiration date because she was always in love with Gabriel. The central issue in why Emily was so angry was the lack of transparency, which hurt more than the fact that Alfie and Mindy were dating. Once she had Tim’s to process the new situation at hand and talked things out with Mindy, she was actually happy for them; even rooting for them. She supported Mindy through her unresolved feelings.
Emily and Alfie broke up in the season 3 finale. Camille called out Gabriel’s feelings for Emily during the joint engagement party and wedding. Alfie was heartbroken over this, which was 100% valid, and bowed out of his romance with Emily. He wanted to be someone’s priority, not an option. When it came to Emily, he was always going to be her option. As he publicly broke things off with her, she tried to defend herself to get him to see that it wasn’t true, but he refused to listen and walked away; practically ran. Deep down, he knew she always had lingering feelings for Gabriel. He just didn’t want to believe it.
Emily ended up getting together with Gabriel. They then broke up. This blog entry isn’t about Emily and Gabriel, and their relationship has nothing to do with what we’re talking about here, so I won’t go into their on-and-off drama that never seems to have an end to it. What I will say is that no matter how many times Emily might’ve fucked things up, Mindy was right there to support her, and while it took some time for Emily to get to be in a good place with Alfie following their breakup, they became good friends. Their work always connected them somehow, and that was exactly how Alfie and Mindy became closer while in Rome.
Mindy was broken up with Nico. She was free to do what she wanted. Alfie did too. Emily was in a serious relationship with Marcello. She seemed to have moved on from her lingering feelings for Gabriel had that ended her relationship with Alfie. With Emily and Alfie, the timing was never right. In season 4, after they broke up, he told another woman he loved her at a masquerade, thinking she was Emily, only to see Emily with Gabriel immediately after. He had hope, even after the breakup, and he believed her when she said to him that he wasn’t just an option. But it was then, when he saw her with Gabriel, that he realized it was over between them for good.
Emily’s relationship with Marcello was different. There wasn’t a love triangle involved like there was in Emily’s relationship with Alfie. With Marcello, Emily was finally in a committed relationship that was meaningful, mature, passionate, and even somewhat boring, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Maybe it seemed that way because Gabriel wasn’t in the way of their happiness. Gabriel was barely seen in the latest season, and it was somewhat refreshing. I even somewhat forgot he existed.
Emily supported Marcello through his family rift and him starting his own fashion line. After successfully launching his new line, Marcello was called to lead his family’s company, necessitating a move to his hometown in Italy. He asked Emily to move with him, which showed just how serious he was about her; that he didn’t just see her as a fling. She didn’t give him an answer straight away. She had to think about it. After she saw an engagement ring in a pile of his things, assuming that it was his to give to her, she made the realization that she couldn’t turn her entire life for him.
While on a double date with Mindy and Nico, who just recently got back together after her brief fling with Alfie, Marcello took the ring out of his pocket. Seeing this, Emily burst with emotions begging him not to propose. But the ring wasn’t his to give to Emily. It was Nico’s to give to Mindy. He proposed. Mindy accepted. It was a happy occasion, but not for Emily and Marcello. That was the moment that both realized their relationship was truly over. No matter how much they loved each other, it wasn’t enough for Emily to turn her whole life around for him. She just couldn’t do it; not for him, or any man for that matter.
The breakup between Emily and Marcello was tearful and heartbreaking. But it was also necessary. Not for her to get back together with Gabriel, but for her own growth and development as an individual. Through her newfound grief, Mindy was right by her side to support her; as always. As they walked through the streets, the friends bumped into Alfie. Mindy didn’t tell him of her engagement. He saw the ring. He was visibly shaken. Even so, Mindy wasn’t the one to tell him of the engagement. Emily was. He bluntly told Mindy she was making a mistake. As he left, Emily shockingly asked Mindy if she still had feelings for Alfie. Barely able to breathe, Mindy asked Emily, ‘What am I doing?!’
That was the end. Not the end of an episode, but the end of the season. But perhaps it marked a new beginning; a new realization. More particularly, a new realization for Mindy. Perhaps the reason she didn’t tell Emily about her relationship with Alfie because it was, in her mind, always meant to be a fling; to be forgotten about. It wasn’t meant to be anything serious or involve any feelings; strictly sexual. But the more times they slept together, the more feelings were felt. Perhaps her not telling Alfie of the engagement was her not wanting to close the door on the possibility of them being together. Then again, she was practically waving her left hand in his face when she and Emily bumped into him.
Of Mindy’s engagement, Park told Elite Daily in an interview, ‘When I first read that scene, I was like, ‘Oh, poor Emily, no.’ Because one of our favorite scenes to shoot was when Emily discovered the ring and came to Mindy. It felt very nostalgic of them on their park bench, where they used to have all these heart-to-hearts. So I think that Mindy was concerned about her friend in that moment. She was really thrown off her feet; it was a true surprise to Mindy. Mindy’s never picked the easy path for herself. She could be at home being an heiress and have everything she wants, but she’s always had that gumption of going for broke, not really knowing what she’s doing, and going full throttle with it anyway. I think that this is the first time she’s choosing the easier path. Maybe it’s because she’s feeling a little shaky from the rift she had with Emily and she’s unsure of herself for the first time romantically. Someone shows you a big old ring on a gondola, you take it.’
While it might seem like Mindy is in a love triangle, that’s just not the case. Their relationship wasn’t exactly the point. Mindy’s engagement marked the beginning of the end. Mindy’s decision to accept Nico’s proposal wasn’t necessarily based on love, but rather comfortably. She chose the easier path rather than her usual tumultuous, independent route. After feeling shaky and insecure romantically, the grand gesture of a proposal in Venice was, as Park herself put it, “someone shows you a big old ring on a gondola, you take it”.
The proposal gave Mindy a sense of security that she accepted, even though, deep down, she still held feelings for Alfie. Nico showed himself to not be good to Mindy. While his proposal was romantic and intimate, as I watched the entire scene unfold, I just couldn’t help but wonder if he was proposing for all the right reasons. I already know that Mindy accepted his proposal for the wrong reasons, but why was he proposing in the first place? Perhaps it was only so that he could regain access to his trust fund. Alfie did, after all, call Nico a “snake”, and maybe he had a point.
Nico was Mindy’s fantasy guy; someone she envisioned spending the rest of her life with. Maybe he would’ve been perfect for her had he not shown his true colours; even while he and Mindy were together before. When I think of Nico, I think of the moment where he intentionally had Emily leave Mindy’s party to celebrate her success. He then passive-aggressively informed Mindy that Emily was leaving, forcing Emily to make up an excuse and leave to avoid conflict, separating her from her friend. Mindy was upset, thinking Emily didn’t care about her. Luckily, Alfie, who was dating Emily at the time, told her the truth. After her conversation with Alfie, Mindy made it clear to Nico that whether he liked it or not, Emily “isn’t going anywhere” despite Nico’s attempts to drive a wedge between her and Mindy. That was the moment where I thought Mindy should’ve truly ended things with him, but she didn’t.
Alfie had his reasons for calling Nico a snake. Those words didn’t just come out of nowhere. When he called him that to Mindy’s face, I immediately thought of that very moment that happened years prior. And Alfie was right. Nico WAS, indeed, a snake. His snake-like behaviour didn’t even stop at that moment. In season 4, Nico manipulated and sabotaged Mindy’s music career out of jealousy and insecurity regarding her relationship with her bandmate, Benoît. He attempted to force her to drop out of Eurovision, and when she refused, he took actions that lead to her group’s disqualification, causing them to break up. To break things down more thoroughly:
Key actions by Nico in Season 4:
- Eurovision Sabotage: Nico pressured Mindy to withdraw from the competition to protect his public image. He subsequently shared a clip of the band’s song in a commercial, which technically disqualified them from the competition.
- Controlling Behavior: Early in the season, Nico pressured Mindy to dress more conservatively to appease his father, Leon, leading to conflict.
- Insecurity Regarding Benoît: Nico was threatened by Mindy’s close bond with her ex-boyfriend and bandmate, Benoît.
- Relationship Tension: The couple hit further hurdles when Mindy refused to be used for PR damage control following allegations against his father, Louis de Leon.
Ultimately, these actions caused Mindy to choose her career over the relationship, leading to their breakup. Those were all the actions that made Nico a snake. Nothing less than that. Mindy was right to break off the relationship. I was utterly disappointed with her for getting back with him. That was a “Mindy thing to do”. In true Mindy spirit, she’d tell Nico off and tell him to fuck off. That man didn’t deserve her. Whether she was involved with Alfie thereafter or not, he truly didn’t deserve her.
Thankfully, Mindy’s proposal to Nico didn’t mark the end of the story. Thankfully, we get a season 6 to look forward to as Mindy sorts out her feelings and comes back to life. Luckily, she’ll have Emily by her side to help her through; just like Mindy had always been there for her since the very moment Emily landed in Paris all those years ago…
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