The second part of Emily in Paris Season 4 redeems the show from its scattered first half. However, it would be beneficial if creator Darren Star could dial down the melodrama and move away from the daily soap approach.

The second part of Netflix’s once comforting, easy-breezy rom-com series, Emily In Paris season 4 feels like an entirely new season rather than a continuation of the previous one. But what remains constant is the star of the show.

Before you loyalists of the series jump the gun and start imagining the ever-stylish, ever-flamboyant Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) prancing around the streets of Paris, let me burst your bubble. It is not her. This season’s standout is her impeccably dressed, uber-confident, and forever fabulous boss, Sylvie Grateau (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu), owner of the marketing firm Agence Grateau.

The only person who comes second to her in star value this season is Emily’s roommate and best friend, Mindy Chen (Ashley Park). More on her later.

Though Sylvie comes across as a boss lady on the surface, she ensures her work does not define her.

At the onset of the second part of the fourth season, Sylvie tells the overachiever Emily, “The whole purpose of a lounge, spa and a holiday is to relax and unplug,” before disconnecting the call without waiting for a response. She gets back to cooking a Turkey in an absolutely stylish costume. That is the sort of clarity she brings to the life of the frivolous and messy Emily.

As sorted and composed as Sylvie appears with her clients, she manages her personal relationships with equal precision. Even if it means hiring her husband’s step-daughter Genevieve (Thalia Besson) to keep her “off her couch.”

The way Sylvie slays at her husband’s club to send a “you-never-forget-who-I-am-and-what-I-am-capable-of” message makes you root for her.

Sylvie, played by Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, in Emily In Paris.
The other character you’ll find yourself rooting for is not Emily, but Mindy. Darren Star, the creator of Emily in Paris, who also gave us Sex and the City, has developed Mindy with more nuance than Emily, who sums up her life with one line: “Lucky at work and unlucky in love.”

Mindy, on the other hand, has a complete character arc. She evolves from struggling to finding her passion for singing, being selected for a singing competition, raising funds for Eurovision, managing her high-profile boyfriend Nico, and still feeling a spark with her ex, to being offered a job as a reality show judge.

Despite the roadblocks in her life, Mindy never forgets to be a great friend to Emily. She is a friend you would cherish deeply. She offers direct advice, free from sugarcoating. With her by your side, you can be assured of navigating even the harshest storms.

The moment when Park gets to display her singing talent in Rome brings a sense of calmness to an otherwise chaotic show. While the lead character faces numerous issues, none of them are new or surprising compared to previous seasons. She remains stuck in the loop of trying to find the right man for herself.

The fifth episode of Emily in Paris Season 4 Part 1 ended with Camille lying about her pregnancy and Gabriel being excited about his life with his unborn child and girlfriend, Emily. The first part also touched on Sylvie’s MeToo expose. However, none of these storylines are mentioned in the second part, making it seem like a completely new season rather than a continuation of the same one.

But, Darren Star’s fascination with melodrama continues. At this point, I am sure he exchanged notes with Indian soap queen Ektaa Kapoor, who delivered some of the most popular saas-bahu sagas. While he presents the evil in Camille in part one as she hid the truth of her pregnancy, in part two, he demonises Genevieve, who manipulates Emily to have Gabriel for herself.

Emily and Genevieve in Emily In Paris.
The only relief comes in the ninth and tenth episodes when Emily travels to Rome, and the show once again reconnects with what originally appealed to its audience: something easy and simple to watch. Her romance with Marcello (Eugenio Franchesini) is particularly delightful, making you wish either that she never returns to Paris and continues living her Lizzie McGuire moment or that Gabriel never boards a plane to Rome.

With a cliffhanger ending where Emily hovers over the Instagram handle edit button, stopping just before changing it from @EmilyInParis to @EmilyInRome, it’s clear the show will return for a fifth season. However, it would be preferable if the new season is less dramatic and returns to what its loyal fans love: simple romance.