Netflix's Emily in Paris follows the adventures of 22-year-old Emily Cooper, who makes the move from the Midwest to Paris for work. While most people love Emily in the States, she quickly realizes the culture in Paris is different and she's going to have to take another approach if she wants to be respected and liked at work.
Along the way, Emily meets attractive men, English-speaking friends, and has many ups and downs in her career. But as an American girl touring around Paris, there are plenty of stereotypes on both ends of the spectrum that have annoyed fans. But as frustrating and inaccurate as these stereotypes or assumptions are, viewers still can't help but binge the series.
Not Every French Couple Allows Affairs
One of the first clients Emily meets is Antoine Lambert, the owner of the perfume company Maison Lavaux. Antoine is bright and handsome and is intrigued by Emily. But it's clear from the start that Emily's boss Sylvie hates when the three of them are together. It turns out that Antoine is a married man and Sylvie is his mistress. Julien warns Emily that the only thing a mistress hates more than the wife is another mistress (which didn't make sense to Emily).
When Bustle spoke to two Frenchwomen and asked if the stereotype of French couples being open with affairs is normal, they were torn. One woman said most relationships don't "accept affairs" but as we get older the narrative changes. "I think we are aware that love is more complicated than just sex," she said.
American Influencers Aren't All Vapid
In the episode "Faux Amis," Emily gets mistaken as an influencer and is invited to an influencer's lunch. As she's waiting in line to enter, a judgmental man is checking the guest list and handing out gift bags. Throughout the entire lunch, the scene made influencers look materialistic and vapid. The woman who had the Instagram-famous dog cut the line and judged others, and the woman with the selfie-stick — who tells Emily to get out of her shot — was also rude. It was like another version of Mean Girls.
Real-life influencers quickly defended themselves. Though their careers are through their phones, they're not all mean to each other or judge others for petty reasons.
Not All French Men Adore Older Women
One cannot deny the glamour of Emily's boss, Sylvie. She's dressed to perfection, confident, and could easily be on Sex and the City. In the show, it's joked that Frenchmen love older women for this exact reason. When those at Bustle asked French women if that was true, one said it was a "myth" while others said it depended on the person. Nevertheless, the number of French/American cliches thrown throughout Emily In Paris has been a topic of discussion on social media.
Emily's Flat Is Not A Chambre De Bonne
In the pilot episode, Emily travels to Paris where she's taken to her new flat. The man showing her the place called it a "chambre de bonne." Emily, of course, had no idea how to pronounce her new home but the man said the term used to stand for tiny maid's quarters but in modern-day terms, it's a studio apartment.
But when a Frenchwoman named Marie talked about the show with BuzzFeed, she said Emily's chambre de bonne is dramatized. Emily's has far too many windows, a breathtaking view, and a fully-equipped kitchen. In real life, a chambre de bonne is not that extravagant.
Not Every French Person Is Mean
When Emily first meets Mindy, Mindy warns her that "Chinese people are mean behind your back. French people, mean to your face." Emily understands Mindy because she hasn't had too many pleasant experiences with her French co-workers. However, the French are upset with how they're portrayed in the show. According to The Local, most state they're not "snobs" and respect those who respect them.
It didn't matter that Emily looked the part. If she didn't demand everyone to speak English to her and insult the native language, maybe she would have been treated better.
Not Every Frenchman Is An Aggressive Flirt
The more French people Emily meets, the more prudish she appears. Most of the men she meets ask her on dates abruptly or suggest spending personal time together. Remember the man she met at Mindy's party? She bolted when he whispered something inappropriate in her ear. However, the French told The Tab that they're not "all sex fiends." Not every Frenchman is a demanding flirt like the men shown in Emily In Paris.
Emily's Instagram Climb To Fame Was Too Unbelievable
As a woman in marketing, experts couldn't believe that Emily only had 48 followers. How does a woman in social media marketing have fewer than 50 followers? When she got to Paris, Emily changed her handle and seemingly grew thousands of followers overnight. Influencers and social media masters quickly chimed in. Emily's hashtags were generic, she had no aesthetic or plan for her page, and she somehow had over 20,000 followers in the span of two weeks! This was a big mistake that fans quickly called out.
Not Every Tourist Is Ignorant
As helpful as Emily thinks she's being, she also shows sides of being an ignorant tourist. She didn't know French and ended up making everyone's lives at work harder by slowing down and speaking English to her; she insulted the layout of Paris because it didn't make sense to tourists; she threw shade at how they numbered apartment floors — the list goes on.
Not every tourist is ignorant. Many travelers attempt at speaking the language and enjoy trying the local cuisine with zero judgment or hassle. Emily, sadly, gives a bad representation.
Is Every European Man Gorgeous!?
It seems like everywhere Emily turns there's an attractive man waiting for her and kissing her hand. Her neighbor Gabriel is breathtaking, the men she works with all have a nice glow and dress impeccably, and every new stranger has an instant crush on her.
Funny enough, fans can all agree this is just for TV. Many took to Twitter and asked where all these Frenchmen Prince Charmings were hiding because it's not always that easy to find someone so perfect; it's unrealistic.
What Happened To All Of The People?
Emily is constantly seen roaming the streets of Paris to get to work, her apartment, or for a drink with Mindy. And sure, there are people around shopping and dining, but she ultimately has a sizeable amount of space around her. Those living in France quickly noted that Paris is a big city but has a ton of people living and traveling through. The metros and streets are constantly jammed packed, yet in the show, these throngs of people are nowhere to be found.