Emily in Paris Recap: The Lying Life of Adults

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Things are going so well with the show here in Rome, and honestly, it feels like a huge part of that is not having Gabriel and Camille around. I’m just saying, they really slowed things down!

It’s finally time to launch Muratori Paradiso. Emily’s idea to host a small launch party in Solitano for a few influencers is smart. However, Marcello’s question – “How will inviting TikTokers and paying them help us sell perfume?” – and the way he asked it, just proves he doesn’t get it. Seriously, doesn’t he realize this is standard practice? And why does he always talk like he’s trying to flirt, even in business meetings with his own mother? It reminds me of Bec’s breathy voice on YouTube – a little too affected, a little too much effort. Regardless, Emily has to explain social media to Marcello, which is hard to believe considering he’s clearly dated plenty of model-influencers and should understand the basics.

Sylvie is really struggling and hasn’t let anyone see her film yet, which I totally understand. I just finished a big project of my own, and it’s the same feeling! Her line, “I’m so stressed, and you banned smoking at the office!” was hilarious. I just love her character. It’s a clever move to have Sylvie falling apart while Emily stays calm and collected. I liked Emily’s outfit at first, but then I took a closer look. I thought it was a dress, but it’s a shirt and pants… and is that a tail? Like a weird half-skirt hanging off the back? So close, Emily, but no cigar!

Mindy is clearly in denial about her casual relationship, repeatedly telling herself – and us – that this is just a one-time thing and that the guy isn’t worth anything serious. The show keeps hammering home silly metaphors, like comparing him to a fleeting vacation trend, which is frustrating. I wish Mindy and Emily would just date if they have feelings for each other – a simple conversation could solve everything! But I have a feeling they’ll end up getting caught in a messy and embarrassing situation, even though it could be easily avoided.

Marcello acts like Emily has plenty of time and is fully on board with exploring every detail with him, playing the role of a very proud and supportive boyfriend. He’s surprised Emily managed to talk Antonia into holding a marketing event in Solitano, and he’s definitely exaggerating his enthusiasm.

Things in Paris are falling apart, which isn’t shocking considering Luc and Julien were supposed to be managing things from there. However, they’ve both been transferred to the Rome office, leaving Agence Grateau in the hands of the least capable person imaginable: Gen. Clients in Paris are noticing Sylvie and her team have completely disengaged and are now actively expressing their dissatisfaction.

Sylvie is completely overwhelmed and has retreated to the editing room, where her stress is clearly visible in the growing pile of cigarette butts. This situation perfectly explains how I end up writing these summaries! Her editor isn’t helping at all – she needs someone like Martin Scorsese’s legendary editor, Thelma Schoonmaker. In desperation, Sylvie asks Giancarlo for assistance, only to discover he’s been complaining about the ad and sharing negative feedback behind her back. However, it’s hard to believe his version of events. It seems like Giancarlo is just being difficult, which is apparently a common occurrence. Ultimately, Sylvie fires him and makes it clear she’s cutting all ties.

Emily and Mindy are having a fun girls’ night in, complete with face masks! While they chat, Emily explains what’s at stake: if her boss’s campaign goes well, she could permanently move to the Rome office, which is a big deal for her. She’s feeling good about staying calm even though her coworker Sylvie is stressed. Meanwhile, Mindy avoids a potential flirtation, but Emily is too focused on work to notice. Everyone keeps saying “when in Rome,” but they don’t really seem to understand what it means!

Luc’s comfortable situation is completely disrupted when Marianne, his girlfriend who pretended to be a Michelin-starred chef, unexpectedly shows up. Despite Luc trying to keep things secret, Bianca discovers them. During one lunch, Luc loses a major client, his girlfriend in Paris, and his girlfriend in Rome. This is exactly the kind of risky situation I was warning about when I said your employees dating clients could create problems.

It’s time for the Solitano party! Emily’s makeup and hair are a bit overdone for a daytime event, but it’s probably okay since things won’t really get started until it’s dark. Those heels she’s wearing on the cobblestones, though – a terrible choice. Sylvie is unusually upset, and Emily uses the opportunity to grab Sylvie’s phone and text herself the link to Muratori’s movie. Meanwhile, Princess Jane, the queen of sponsored content, is planning a live stream to promote “Collagen Forever.” Emily quickly tells her that no one is allowed to live stream the event—not even to reach Princess Jane’s dedicated fans, whom she calls her “royal subjects.” The only promotion allowed is a single post on Instagram.

As night falls, Emily shares with the guests that the Muratori workers have lunch in this very spot. Then, to Sylvie’s dismay, the short film is shown – and surprisingly, everyone loves it. By the end, Sylvie isn’t horrified by the film’s quality, but by the fact that it’s actually brilliant and credits Giancarlo, not her. Meanwhile, Alfie and Mindy sneak off for a make-out session, and Emily eventually discovers their fling thanks to Julien’s gossiping.

Giancarlo unexpectedly appeared, likely hoping Sylvie would lose. Instead of offering help, he tried to claim credit for her accomplishments. They had a strangely polite conversation about it, where Sylvie calmly apologized. Giancarlo was initially unpleasant, but then condescendingly complimented her talent and suggested they could work together – as if she’d want to, after seeing how he reacts when she disagrees with him!

I’m not thrilled with how things turned out. Basically, Sylvie turns out to be a talented director – exactly what she always wanted – but surprisingly, she decides she’d rather just go back to her husband. It’s a bit strange, honestly.

Antonia is thrilled with Emily. Sylvie is pushing Emily to fully embrace Italian culture, hinting that Emily is about to get her wish: a temporary assignment working at the Rome office. Sylvie herself is returning to Paris, as she misses being able to smoke indoors.

The following day, everyone was thrilled with how well things were going. Articles appeared in Vogue and Tatler, and pre-orders for the fragrance were through the roof. Sylvie instructed Antoine to get rid of anything linking the fragrance to babies, a comment that felt more like a playful joke than a foreshadowing of major secrets. Everything was going too smoothly, actually. Marcello then called Emily to Solitano, which had suddenly become packed with annoying tourists thanks to all the buzz from social media influencers.

The story unfolds with a thrilling, comedic pace. Emily finds herself among a group of younger women who are filming with drones, much to the shock of the goats. Antonia is furious, claiming Emily has destroyed the peaceful atmosphere of Solitano – she laments it’s gone from a paradise to a crowded Disneyland! This is precisely why Emily resisted any publicity. Antonia feels their peaceful haven has been spoiled, and as a result, Emily is let go.

To make things even worse, Marcello seems completely unconcerned. He got what he wanted – JVMA increased their offer – and it turns out he’d been secretly negotiating with them the whole time. He casually says, “Of course, I’m always negotiating,” which feels like a direct contradiction of his promise to never lie to Emily. He actually seems surprised that she’s upset, and I suspect he genuinely didn’t consider how much this meant to her. He’s so wealthy and detached that it’s like nothing really matters to him. The way he says “Emily” as she walks away sounds incredibly insincere.

Sylvie quickly called a meeting. Emily predicted Julien would react badly, knowing he’d be upset to hear it only took a day to mess things up. Sylvie’s decided to close the Rome office, and honestly, it’s because she always bases business choices on who she’s dating. Now that she’s no longer with Giancarlo, she wants to move back to Paris.

It’s honestly hilarious how they arrived in Rome just six months ago and completely messed everything up. They alienated all of our Paris clients – except for Antoine – and seriously damaged Solitano’s reputation. You have to admit, they’re efficient at causing chaos! Sylvie is being supportive of Emily, who was thrilled to be running her own office. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Emily’s true passion is her work! She’ll get over Marcello, but she’s really upset about losing the Muratori account. Sylvie reminds us that sometimes you need to accept losses. And, ultimately, she needs Emily in Paris to keep things running smoothly.

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2025-12-18 19:58