When it made its debut in 2020, it was met with hostility from Parisians, saying it was stereotyping French people as “lazy, vain, preening, disloyal, parochial and hygienically challenged.” With its recently released fourth season, critics are emphasizing that the show does a great job at “whitewashing” the City of Lights.
Audience members are slamming Emily in Paris for its “tone-deaf” portrayal of French people
Share icon Image credits: Netflix The show follows main character Emily, an American, who temporarily moves to Paris in order to pursue a new job opportunity. She was sent abroad in hopes of offering “an American perspective” in high-fashion marketing. Throughout the series, viewers watch as Emily meets new friends, co-workers, and of course, potential love interests. Share icon Image credits: Netflix Pat Stacey from Irish Independent talks of the show’s unrealistic elements, saying, “Within minutes, she’s waltzing around in the kind of fabulous outfits that a 20-something with a mid-range salary couldn’t possibly afford unless they’re shoplifting on the side, and tripping over a minefield of French clichés.” But to Stacey, the most “egregious” thing about Emily in Paris is how it ignores the city’s racial and cultural diversity. “There’s a few non-white faces: Emily’s best friend is Asian (and even more shallow, annoying and materialistic than Emily), her gay friend and English hunk are black.”
Other viewers share similar thoughts, expressing their disappointment in the show’s four seasons
Share icon Image credits: Netflix Share icon Image credits: Netflix Users on Reddit were quick to continue with similar thoughts. One netizen said, “The show is insulting to Americans, to the French, to women, to gay people, to old people, to young people. It’s made by people who hate you, who hold you in deep contempt, but who want your money.” Share icon Image credits: KyRoses Another reviewer wrote that the show’s attempt at diversity in its second season did not succeed. “Season two was still the same whitewashed Paris of season one — but with a couple of POC characters to quell pesky diversity concerns, of course.” They later added that it would’ve been “groundbreaking” to see an American show peel back the layers to see what this iconic city — and the people who inhabit it — really look like.
Almost a quarter of France’s population is made up of foreigners
Share icon Image credits: Netflix France is a multifaceted country, with dozens of dialects and scores of languages being spoken — and many of these can be found in Paris. The CIA World Factbook defines France as being made up of many ethnic groups including Slavic, North African, Indochinese, and Basque minorities. Reports have also found that roughly 32% of people under 60 have immigrant ancestors, who are increasingly integrated into French society. In fact, approximately 23% of the population includes other ethnicities, according to Britannica. With these statistics in mind, viewers were quick to point out how the show capitalizes on romanticizing the city of Paris, rather than showing its diverse cultural makeup.
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People took to X to call out its lack of representation
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