The premise of Emily In Paris sounds delightful: twentysomething Emily Cooper moved to Paris for her job. Being young and full of wanderlust, she figured this would be a grand adventure and was thrilled at the chance to experience something new.
While sometimes Emily made some mistakes that made a lot of sense, she was in a place that she hadn't been before, she also made some decisions that didn't go over that well with fans. From Emily's love life to the way that she acted around her co-workers, the first season of this Netflix show has both logical storylines and some plots that didn't add up.
Most Realistic: Emily's Long-Distance Romance Not Working Out
Emily and Doug broke up at the beginning of season one as Emily realized that their long-distance relationship wasn't going to be successful.
This is one of the most realistic storylines on the show, as many times, the distance is just too great. In this case, Emily wanted to have a fun, cool new experience, and Doug wanted her to be in Chicago. They had different wants and needs and visions for the future.
Least Realistic: Emily Moving To A New Place Without Learning The Language Or Knowing Much About It
Emily In Paris didn't always talk about Paris properly and it seemed totally unrealistic that this character would move to a new place and be so unprepared.
She didn't speak the language or have any idea where she was or what she was doing. Wouldn't she want to know more about the beautiful city she was going to reside in for a year? If she was so smart and determined and ambitious, it seems like she would create a whole spreadsheet or prep document about Paris. Sure, she might have annoyed her coworkers with her questions and observations, but she would have at least tried a little harder.
Most Realistic: Sylvie Being Unhappy About Emily Joining The Team
While Sylvie never really took to Emily and it's easy to see her as a harsh person, it's realistic that she didn't want a new person joining the team.
After all, Sylvie had been at the top of her game for a while, and she didn't know Emily. It made sense that she wouldn't want a random person working with her, as she didn't know if Emily was any good and if she would be a benefit to the company. While she could have treated Emily a lot better, it's true that sometimes coworkers just can't get along or understand each other.
Least Realistic: Emily Making New Friends Right Away
From Mindy befriending Emily in a park to Camille loving Emily right away, it's unrealistic that Emily would make two new friends so soon after moving.
Usually when someone moves to a new city (let alone a new country), they need some time to settle in and get the lay of the land. They want to feel comfortable and before that happens, they might be nervous about meeting new people and talking to strangers.
Most Realistic: Emily Crushing On Her Friend's Partner
Emily may be torn between two men, and she has a choice to make in the second season when the show returns.
But in the first season, she had a huge crush on Gabriel as soon as she met him. Unfortunately, he was already in a serious relationship with her new pal Camille, and she only found that out after kissing Gabriel. This is a super realistic storyline, as it's logical that Emily would meet Gabriel and Camille separately and have no idea that they were a couple. It's also realistic that she would find herself unable to stop her feelings for Gabriel even after finding out he was already attached.
Least Realistic: Emily Mixing Business With Pleasure On A Weekend Away
Camille is a nice person with a bohemian sensibility and she invited Emily to spend the weekend at her chateau. She wanted Emily to start marketing her family business, as they were at a crossroads.
Emily slept with Camille's brother, and it was only afterward that she found out he was actually 17 years old and, therefore, a minor. This was incredibly awkward and it only got worse when Camille's mother called Emily into her office and asked if her son was good in bed. It wasn't realistic that Emily would sleep with Camille's sibling when she was trying to sign the family as new clients. The other characters often commented on Emily's work ethic, but this didn't seem professional.
Most Realistic: Mindy Finding Her Singing Voice Again
Mindy is from China and she once appeared on a singing competition TV show. She messed up royally and felt humiliated by that experience.
In episode 8 of season one, "Family Affair," Mindy went to a club with her best friend from back home and her bridesmaids. They wanted her to finally get back on the stage and sing, and after she did, she realized that she wasn't afraid of it anymore. This was a super realistic storyline, as many people experience awkward and embarrassing moments and then have a fear of history repeating itself. It was nice to see Mindy shine and face her fears.
Least Realistic: Emily Didn't Like The Ad Her Company Was Creating
In the third episode of the first season, Emily's company was making an ad for Antoine's perfume. As the new person in the office, perhaps Emily should have kept her opinions to herself and waited until she was a bit more settled to speak up.
Instead, Emily said that she didn't like the ad and that she felt it was sexist. This didn't go over well and only upset her coworkers more. It didn't seem realistic that Emily would go against her coworkers when she was so brand new.
Most Realistic: Emily Bonded With Another American
In the first season episode "An American Auction in Paris," Emily went to a meeting with Judith, who was in charge of a group called American Friends of the Louvre.
The two bonded instantly over being able to order a cheeseburger and speak English, and when Judith suggested that Emily get involved with an event she was throwing, Emily jumped at the chance. It seemed logical that Emily would connect with someone who was also from the U.S. And even though it was a bit problematic that Emily was so glad to have a place in Paris where she could basically escape the culture, it was still a realistic storyline.
Least Realistic: Emily Going To An Event For Popular Instagram Influencers
In the episode "Faux Amis," Emily went to a private and exclusive event for Instagram influencers.
This is because she had been posting photos about her time in Paris, but it wasn't realistic for her to be able to go to this type of event. Some fans did like Emily as a person but it's also possible to see her as someone who was quick to say that she had the best ideas without listening to others. That's definitely how she acted at her office in Paris. Instead of going to an event like this, it would have made more sense to have Emily try to learn from her peers.