Emily in Paris Recap: Catch Me If You Can

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It’s great to see this show finally acknowledging and exploring its main character’s sexuality, including her thoughts and desires. Kudos to the creators and everyone who made it happen!

Okay, so things got awkward at Emily’s. Marcello casually strolled downstairs completely naked, which, honestly, would have been fine if Mindy hadn’t been sleeping on the couch! Thankfully, Mindy’s being put up at this gorgeous hotel called the Orient Express La Minerva – and get this, it’s a real place! As for Luc, he’s always doing his own thing, and this time it involves staying at a convent – apparently, you can actually do that! I’ll admit, Luc’s storylines sometimes feel a little silly, but I actually really enjoyed this particular one.

I was there when Giancarlo pitched his idea – he really stressed it wasn’t an ad, but a film – to the Muratoris. Emily looked fantastic, a little daring for the office, but she pulled it off. He described it as a tribute to Cinema Paradiso, which was apparently old man Muratori’s favorite movie. It made me think of my own book, Retro – if you love the idea of escaping to a more beautiful time, you should definitely check it out! Anyway, that conversation led them to name the fragrance Muratori Paradiso. Marcello, who always has the worst suggestions – seriously, is Emily dating a guy who’s set up to fail? I get the feeling his mother won’t give him full control of the business because he’s not quite ready – suggested it should be more “cosmopolitan,” which felt totally off given that everyone knows the appeal is this very specific family and their village. Sylvie wisely reminded Emily that their real client is Antonia, not Marcello.

Following the loss of Fendi as a client, Agence Grateau is desperate for a new high-end brand to maintain their impressive office and rebuild their reputation. Princess Jane secures them a meeting with Intimissimi, a lingerie company. While Intimissimi is known for its popular, sheer tops, it doesn’t quite reach the level of luxury that Fendi represents. Luc is eager to work on the account, brimming with creative ideas – a provocative campaign inspired by the film The Night Porter exploring themes of power and submission – but Sylvie surprisingly assigns it to Emily, who is known for being reserved. Emily rightfully points out that, as an American, she’s probably not the best person to demonstrate, as Sylvie asks, that France is better at marketing sex appeal than Italy. I want to trust Sylvie’s judgment, but it seems odd that she would entrust such a crucial client – one that could determine the future of the Rome office – to Emily, of all people.

During rehearsals for Ballando Ballando Ballando, Mindy is being relentlessly teased by an Italian instructor who’s calling her names in Italian – a language she apparently doesn’t understand. It’s surprising, considering she went to boarding school in Switzerland and has lived in Europe for years! This situation really highlights how Mindy is navigating this experience without any professional representation to advocate for her. Luckily, Alfie used to take ballroom dancing, so he steps in, leading to a predictable storyline where learning to dance together sparks a romantic connection. While it’s a bit unoriginal to lift a famous move from Dirty Dancing without giving credit, it’s not the worst thing. If you’re going to borrow a reference, at least acknowledge it! They start kissing because it feels built into the dance routine. Mindy breaks it off, but it’s clear they’ll be back to it soon.

That night, I watched Emily getting ready, trying out silly advertising slogans in front of the mirror. Marcello was venting to her about Antonia – honestly, I could see his point! He explained she didn’t trust him because he used to be a bit of a rebel. It struck me that Emily felt similarly about Sylvie. Later, she frames it as a way to keep people at arm’s length, but considering Emily basically is her job and we know nothing about her personal life, it felt pretty revealing to me. Then, Marcello seemed really into what she was wearing, and it sparked an idea for Emily: she declared she wanted to create something that was ‘Sexier than naked.’

Intimissimi isn’t a fan, and Princess Jane, wearing a bold green and black striped outfit, doesn’t understand it either. She even wonders if the creator is gay! Emily has just one day to come up with a better idea, and she’s starting to panic, especially since her own outfit is a chaotic mix of patterns. Luc jumps to a conclusion, thinking Emily is admitting to personal struggles, and starts suggesting she’s been hurt in the past. Although Emily tries to correct him, it becomes clear that Luc actually understands the situation far better than she realized!

While filming the Muratori ad, Antonia and Sylvie shared a heartfelt moment about the isolation of making big decisions alone. Sylvie proposed a more optimistic ending – with the couple together – and Antonia immediately liked the idea. However, the director, Giancarlo, was very upset. Honestly, it’s a perfume commercial – maybe he shouldn’t be so insistent on his vision! He accused Sylvie of always getting her way and then threw a childish tantrum, walking off set. It was a pretty awkward scene, especially considering he agreed to a contract.

Okay, let’s talk about this week’s Ballando Ballando Ballando. Honestly, the whole misunderstanding – seriously, the guy with a bad back could have easily used a friend or a translation app to make sure Mindy didn’t jump on him! – was so predictable it just fell flat for me. I was really bored. And I felt like we’ve already seen enough scenes of Mindy embarrassing herself in public, but apparently not. The one bright spot was the scene between Mindy and Emily backstage. Their friendship feels like the only genuine relationship on the show, and it was nice to see that.

Alfie and Mindy are staying at the same hotel, and it’s pretty obvious what’s about to happen! I think Mindy should just talk to Emily – they could clear the air, and then Mindy could date Alfie. Emily and Alfie only dated for around three months, and it didn’t really work out because they were both super busy and living in different places. It’s been a year since they broke up, so it’s really not a big deal!

Bianca is late meeting Luc, so she can only quickly show him some lingerie from the street, much to the amusement of the other guests at the convent. The nuns surprisingly aren’t fazed, jokingly saying that while Jesus accepted everyone, rules are rules. I think they deserve their own TV show!

Marcello and Emily take a walk around the Mercati di Traiano, a historic site often called the world’s first shopping mall, though it’s now mostly ruins. During their walk, Emily shares her family background, explaining the pressure she felt to always succeed and prove her worth. She begins to accept that it’s okay to be imperfect. They share a kiss, but it didn’t quite feel genuine to me – maybe I’m off base? However, the next morning, their connection felt much more natural and comfortable, with a playful and intimate energy.

Naturally, Mindy receives a call from Emily while she’s still in bed with Alfie—it’s a particularly comfortable-looking bed, and she made the right decision to sleep there instead of on the couch.

Emily presents her campaign idea, “Reveal yourself,” to Intimissimi, and they love it. The current aesthetic is black and white, and I’m wondering if that’s meant to suggest everyone is in agreement, or if it’s just a simple wardrobe choice. Everything seems fine, except Sylvie, the star of the campaign, is struggling. She’s drinking vodka and smoking, clearly upset because she had to step in and finish directing the photoshoot. It’s ironic, because directing films is what brought her to Rome in the first place! I suspect the ad is fantastic, but that success will likely create even more tension with her insecure partner.

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2025-12-18 15:55