By: thewanderingempath
Life, , ,

Question of the Day: “Why do I love Emily in Paris so much?”

Netflix has a lot of great programs, but there is one I just recently started: Emily in Paris. Written and produced by Darren Star, it centers around a young, female protagonist who takes a job in Paris as the social media director at a marketing firm. You may recognize Darren Star’s name. He wrote and produced Sex in the City, which is very similar to this “new” hit.

Despite the similarities to its popular predecessor, I really thought I would not like this new Gen Z rom-com world. Could my Generation X particularities be able to handle this juvenile traversing the difficult world of a city I have only ever dreamed of visiting? Am I too far gone on romantic comedies as my teenage boys begin their own independent journeys through this world? Can Darren Star still create accessible women I can connect with? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding “YES”.

Here’s exactly why:

Relatable: Despite her age, Emily is a very relatable female character. She is strong and bold. Slightly on the prudish side, she still is able to come across as sexy and confident. Emily is also quite intelligent, and she uses this to help solve problems (often inadvertently created by herself).

Interesting: The plot line contains just enough sexual tension between characters to keep things moving, and things always just seem to have a way of working out for Emily, but they also have an intriguing way of getting screwed up as well. Star weaves in romance, friendship, and love to tie the stories together in ways that just keep me coming back for more. It really reminds me of Nora Ephron, my favorite rom-com writer. Much like her female characters, Emily is a wonderful mix of girl-next-store, a tireless supporter of the right thing, and a willing fighter who will keep going until the end. Her male characters, like the ones in Emily in Paris, are either romantic interests or comedy relief.

Endearing: Obviously, the setting is Paris. There is nothing like it, and it becomes a character in itself because Paris is nothing if not a conglomerate of its beautiful Parisians, who both welcome Emily and admonish her. There is almost nothing in between. The French people she meets either become strong supporters and loyal conspirators or they despise her and work to bring her down. All of this creates an endearing cast of characters who are loveable as well as a bit cringy at times.

You live to work. We work to live.

Emily in Paris (Season 1)

If you are a Gen Xer like me, and you have spent a lot of time entertained by romantic comedies, I highly recommend Emily in Paris. If you do check it out or have already watched it, drop me a line and let me know if you agree.

Love and Light!