Emily in Paris season 4 part 2 blasted as ‘tedious’, ‘mindless entertainment’

Emily in Paris is back and this time Lily Collins‘ marketing genius Emily Cooper is heading to Rome, a Roman holiday if you will, with a surprising new love developing in the process.

The Netflix hit has long been a darling of the streaming service, bringing in a huge fanbase thanks to its easy-to-watch narrative, stylish fashion and emphasis on finding love. It’s Sex and the City for a new generation, and is even made by SATC creator Darren Star, but even though the series is a hit with viewers the same can’t be said about the critics.

Read more: Everything that’s happened in Emily in Paris so far

Critics often share scathing analysis of the show, but it is just as likely to get bad reviews as it is to draw an uproarious response from subscribers. The second half of Season 4 landed on Netflix on Thursday, 12 September and it seems that things haven’t changed much when it comes to the critic response to Emily’s adventures in Paris, or in this case Rome.

The series has been derided for being repetitive and tedious by some, but (fans may well be happy to hear) not by all.

The Telegraph‘s Anita Singh felt strongly about the series’ five new episodes, criticising the series for being “essentially an Instagram post stretched out over four years” and continuing to tell a narrative in this vein in a new setting.

Singh did commend the show for moving Emily’s romantic storyline into new territory by introducing a new love match in Marcello (Eugenio Franceschini) because it gives viewers “some blessed relief from the tedious love triangle with Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) and Camille (Camille Razat).”

When it came to the fashion int he show, though, the critic wasn’t as positive as she wrote: “Now she has two handsome men fighting for her attention. God knows why. She continues to be the worst-dressed woman on Earth.

“This series may have her in the most terrible outfits yet, including a ski-resort ensemble of white, purple and black yeti jacket, green tights and plaid shorts.”

Collider‘s Emily Capello took a different approach to her analysis of Emily in Paris’ new episodes, writing that the show has a tendency to “constantly shuffle its cards” which can make it difficult for viewers to connect with it: “While this lack of uniformity may be an attempt to keep audiences interested, the never-ending swapping of romantic interests, friends, and loyalties means there is never a space of familiarity that allows the audience a place to rest.”

However, the introduction of Marcello was a welcome change because he “is a put-together, level-headed individual” compared to Emily’s previous love matches, and the critic wrote that his and Emily best friend Mindy Chen’s (Ashley Park) presence “rescues the second half of Emily in Paris Season 4 from itself.”

The critic wrote: “The smart writing, as well as strong directorial and acting choices, make the finale feel like another series completely, further highlighting the need for the right kind of change in Emily’s life.”

For The AV Club‘s Saloni Gajjar having some changes in the show is a good thing, because it has often “gotten away with four seasons of being a superficial, laid-back time filler” and is basically “mindless entertainment” at best.

But season 4 part 2 is different, the critic wrote: “Don’t worry, parts of it are as laughable and even downright enraging. But it all shapes up into a surprising final act that hopes to shift the predictable status quo Emily In Paris thrives on.

“Collins also levels up her performance to aid this. Nothing is too drastic, but the script takes small steps to evolve and the show lands slightly better than it ever has because of this risk-taking, if that’s what we very generously want to call it.”

Emily in Paris season 4 part 2 is out now on Netflix.