Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sexy, soapy serial has mature humor, lots of smoking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Emily in Paris
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 23 parent reviews
Parents say that the series is a light-hearted comedy-drama that provides entertainment, but many found the explicit sexual content inappropriate for younger viewers. While some enjoy its engaging storylines and characters, others are disappointed by the excessive nudity and suggestive scenes that overshadow the show's appeal for families.
- inappropriate for children
- light-hearted comedy
- explicit content
- engaging storylines
- comfort show
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 62 kid reviews
Kids say this show elicits mixed reactions, with some appreciating its portrayal of Paris and fashion, while others criticize its heavy sexual content and stereotypes about French culture. Many reviewers suggest it may be suitable for teens aged 13 and up, but caution due to explicit scenes and language, emphasizing that it may not be ideal for younger audiences or family viewing.
- mixed reactions
- sexual content
- suitable for teens
- cultural stereotypes
- inappropriate for kids
- good messages
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Created by Sex and the City's Darren Star, EMILY IN PARIS begins just as Emily (Lily Collins) is handed a plum work assignment: living in Paris for a year and bringing a more American point of view to the French branch of her marketing company. But her new French colleagues are dismayed by Emily in dozens of different ways: her clothes, her loud voice, the brashness with which she discusses business, and, most particularly, the fact that she barely speaks a word of French. But it's going to take more than a few vindictive co-workers to make Emily back down, and with time, effort, and a full-on charm offensive, she just might make it in Paris after all -- and wonder whether she wants to return to the United States at all.
Is It Any Good?
As a great big slice of wish fulfillment, this confection is as bubbly as champagne and twice as heady. Viewers who hoped this show from Star would carry a whiff of Sex and the City are definitely in luck -- of course, the action is transplanted to the City of Light rather than New York City, and the quartet of friends is cut down to a twosome (Emily almost immediately meets a sympathetic best buddy by chance in a park, and the two are soon rendezvousing for cozy sidewalk cafe meals). It's also faintly ridiculous in some of the same ways that Sex and the City was, with a charmingly egocentric lead who's constantly hit on by devastatingly handsome men (with French and British accents, of course), wears several stylish outfits in every episode, and always finds a clever solution to every problem.
Emily's supposed talent for social media also strains belief, given that her Instagram account starts racking up thousands of followers and likes with photos of marble statues hashtagged #chiseledabs or selfies of her eating pain au chocolat. At work, too, her campaigns are pun-based and cringey -- but she's so, so, so, so talented, everyone says so! Ah, but it hardly matters when Emily in Paris has Collins as viewers' gorgeous-young-thing-in-the-city avatar and a sufficient amount of conflict in the form of an impossibly chic French boss (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) who's actively trying to sabotage her. Renowned costume designer Patricia Field creates outfits that are almost striking enough to draw focus away from the radiantly shot Parisian street scenes overlaid with a kicky score of mostly French pop. Give Emily in Paris a kiss on each cheek and settle in for your binge -- there's no fighting it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about other shows like Emily in Paris that also feature a "fish out of water" premise -- that is, a character in an unfamiliar setting. What are the dramatic and/or comic possibilities of this type of premise? What variations can you name? Is the audience supposed to root for Emily? How can you tell?
Like creator Darren Star's claim to fame, Sex and the City, Emily in Paris features a young woman in a big city who has lofty career and romantic ambitions. If you've seen Sex and the City, how does the show's Paris setting change the setup? In what ways is Emily like or unlike Carrie Bradshaw?
Much of the humor in this show is derived from cultural misunderstandings between Emily and the people she meets in Paris, such as when she attempts to send back a dish in a restaurant or makes a language-based error in a social media campaign. How does Emily find ways to turn her uniqueness into an advantage?
Emily constantly worries about social media and letting people see what she's doing. How much time should you devote to thinking about others' opinions? How can social media be used in a healthier way?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 2, 2020
- Cast : Lily Collins , Frédéric Anscombre , Samuel Arnold
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : December 11, 2025
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