Emily in Paris Recap: Fake It ‘til You Make It

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I’ve previously stated I wouldn’t mind plot holes in this show, but I’m changing my tune. Just like the show itself, I’m ignoring consistency because the number of illogical moments in this episode is too much to bear. Many developments simply don’t make sense, even with minimal thought.

The Bavazzatini cocktail, which has been popular in Paris, is being celebrated with a launch party in Rome at La Posta Vecchia. It seems Italians are only now discovering the espresso martini! Singer Mindy will be performing, as her song “Ruins” from last season’s finale has become a big hit there. I find the idea of Mindy becoming a small celebrity quite amusing. It’s also funny how she immediately left Alfie alone in Paris after asking the guys to keep her company, and flew off to Rome.

Things have flipped! Emily is doing great, but Sylvie is really missing home. Laurent keeps telling Sylvie he misses her, and I’m not sure if he’s being genuine or trying to make her feel bad. Meanwhile, Sylvie’s getting flirty texts from Giancarlo, which is keeping her mind occupied. She always inspires me, though, reminding me to aim high and believe anything is possible!

During lunch, Antonia repeatedly tries to get close to Antoine, specifically asking to kiss his neck. To avoid her advances, Antoine convinces CFO Alfie to come on a weekend trip that Antonia pressures him to take. Meanwhile, Giancarlo, who is having an affair with Sylvie, will be filming a promotional video for the Muratori fragrance. Emily excitedly suggests posting the video on Instagram, which surprises her boyfriend – he didn’t realize Muratori even had an account. While there’s potential for great content, like photos of goats, the Instagram feed they see is clearly amateurish and uninspired, with awkward captions. It lacks the sophisticated or playfully ironic tone it needs, and Emily doesn’t seem to understand how to create that kind of image.

Gen is known for being mean and gossiping, so it’s no surprise she randomly told Julien that Mindy and Alfie seemed very close outside Gigi’s. I want to dislike her because she’s irritating, but I suspect she’s just incredibly bored working in that empty office.

Princess Jane made a grand entrance at the Rome office, announcing herself as “Senior Executive of Brand Relationships” while wearing a sparkly sequin suit. She casually advised everyone not to worry too much about job titles. Meanwhile, Emily is upset that her own made-up title isn’t gaining the same traction as Princess Jane’s. I think Emily could benefit from Princess Jane’s confidence, and I’m hoping she’ll learn to embrace a similar approach by the end of the season!

Mindy and Emily are out with Marcello, and their outfits are… questionable. Mindy seems to be wearing a strange combination that looks hastily put together, and Emily is wearing a top that’s essentially just a bra. But it’s Mindy’s outfit that really stands out as a fashion disaster. It also doesn’t seem believable that Mindy wouldn’t know what “secondi” means, especially considering she went to an expensive boarding school and has traveled extensively. It just doesn’t add up!

One of the biggest weaknesses of this episode is how Emily repeatedly has discouraging conversations with strikingly beautiful, thin women. While everyone can feel insecure sometimes, it’s odd that Lily Collins, who herself is a model and fits that description, is subjected to these interactions. It strains believability that a woman would immediately warn a visiting American that she shouldn’t get too attached, knowing she’ll likely be leaving soon. Furthermore, it’s naive of Emily to be surprised that a wealthy, fashionable man would have dated other attractive, high-society women. It’s far more likely he’s only ever dated models and socialites – women who probably made their debut at exclusive events like Le Bal!

Let’s get back to work: Agence Grateau is meeting with Fendi. Emily has been saving a Fendi bag she inherited from her grandmother for a special occasion, and now feels it’s the right time to use it. She also has amazing sunglasses. Sylvie is wearing a very stylish strapless jumpsuit – it’s surprisingly appropriate for the office, I suppose!

This episode has another major flaw that’s really frustrating. I can’t understand why the team at EIP consistently goes into important meetings with clients without any prepared ideas! It seems unbelievable that Agence Grateau wouldn’t get a briefing beforehand – it’s a waste of time if they aren’t ready to pitch. Instead, every meeting follows the same pattern: a client asks for something on the spot, Emily says the wrong thing, and the meeting falls apart. While Sylvie, as the boss, should be ensuring everyone is prepared, the show also wants us to believe this chaotic approach is just how business is done, which I find hard to accept.

The meeting was a disaster, mostly because no one came prepared, and the ideas people came up with on the spot were shockingly bad – seriously, a baguette-shaped bag for Paris? It didn’t go over well. Things got even worse when Emily found out the vintage Fendi bag her grandmother gave her was a counterfeit. She desperately tried to make it sound okay – suggesting that even if it was fake, it could be a trendy, ironic fake that would sell in Los Angeles – and left feeling thoroughly defeated.

Emily sadly realized that something she believed in wasn’t genuine. It makes you wonder if she’s talking about something deeper than it seems.

At the Bavazzatini party, Mindy refuses to jump into a giant espresso martini, which leads to a lot of jokes about it resembling a toilet. It makes me wonder who this show is even made for! Luckily, Princess Jane has a speedboat, allowing Mindy to do a performance called “Espresso.” It’s a silly performance, but the made-up language – “me-espresso” – is funny and seems to transcend language barriers. Honestly, the whole thing feels pretty ridiculous, but Princess Jane stealing a bunch of Bavazzatini bottles is a highlight – she’s the real star of the episode!

After her performance, Mindy has an awkward moment with Alfie, briefly believing he came to Rome for her before remembering he works for Antoine. She was planning to return to Paris, but a producer from Ballando Ballando Ballando—the most popular celebrity dance competition on Italian TV—asks her to stay and be on the show. It feels unrealistic that Mindy is handling all of this herself – doesn’t she have an agent? It’s also a missed opportunity for an interesting new character within the show’s universe. You can tell Mindy is flustered around Alfie; she even says she needs to put more clothes on, which is very unlike her. Meanwhile, Julien awkwardly confronts Mindy about rumors surrounding her and Gabriel, which is ironic since the only person talking is Genevieve, who isn’t really influential anyway.

Okay, so Sylvie’s dress is definitely a choice – it’s crochet, so at least she’s covered, and she looks amazing! I really don’t want to criticize her, but honestly, all the PDA with Giancarlo feels a bit much. It’s like, pick a lane – either a daring dress or a private moment, right? And then, of all people, Laurent shows up! He was furious to see Sylvie with ‘the one man I told her not to be with,’ and Sylvie immediately called him out for not stopping his ex – the mother of his child – from seeing other people. She was totally right, but I have to admit, it was kind of intense when Laurent yelled at Giancarlo to ‘Kindly fuck off and let me talk privately with my wife.’ While they were arguing, Sylvie just… took off! She escaped by speedboat! Seriously, the glamour of it all! And of course, she knows how to drive a boat. She’s just effortlessly cool.

Emily then meets Celia, an even more slender version of herself, who happens to be the hotel owner’s daughter. (It’s a bit strange that the only way a woman is portrayed as a threat to Emily is by being thinner, isn’t it?) Emily is shocked again, but it’s clear Marcello would be attracted to someone like Celia! Princess Jane warns Emily that Marcello is a flirt who’s always chasing after attractive women on his Vespa. Jane pointedly asks, “What is it about you?” – a question that feels odd considering Lily Collins is clearly playing Emily! It’s as if they don’t realize we can see the actress!

Emily tried to call out Marcello for flirting, but she got tangled up in a silly story about a fake Fendi bag and couldn’t quite get her message across. His explanation – that Italians are just naturally touchy-feely – reminded me uncomfortably of Andrew Cuomo. He then asked if he could pick her up the next morning, but they didn’t bother with details like a time or what she should wear. Emily seemed all too eager to play the part of his next date, already picturing herself on his Vespa. Marcello insisted he’s always been honest with her and that his past relationships are completely over.

He took her to Fendi to try and win her over. I hope Emily understands that a grand gesture from a rich person means the same thing as a simple treat from anyone else – like someone buying you a drink. It was supposed to be romantic, but it felt very much like a scene from Pretty Woman, and not in a good way. I wish them the best, though.

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2025-12-18 14:56