THE WORKING GAL
I did something completely unhinged this weekend: Emily in Paris Season 5 dropped on December 18th, and I immediately cleared my schedule, made coffee, opened Netflix, and didn't move from my couch until I'd watched the entire season. Every single episode. In one sitting. No regrets.
Well, maybe a few regrets about my productivity for the day, but none about the binge itself. Because listen, I have thoughts about this season, and I need to process them with you all. So grab your coffee (or wine, no judgment on timing), and let's talk about what just happened in Rome.
The Quick Take (Before We Get Into It)
If you're just here for the verdict: Season 5 was beautiful to look at, showed some genuine character growth, and gave us a more mature Emily. But it also felt like the writers couldn't decide if they wanted to evolve the show or keep playing the same relationship drama on repeat.
I'm genuinely conflicted, which is actually a first for this show. Usually, I either love the chaos or hate the predictability. This time? I'm somewhere in the middle, and that's kind of interesting.
What Absolutely Worked: The Highs
The Rome Scenery (Chef's Kiss)
Can we just take a moment to appreciate that Season 5 took us to Rome? Because wow. I am not exaggerating when I say every single frame looked like a travel magazine spread come to life.
The cobblestone streets, the golden hour lighting on ancient buildings, the little cafes and piazzas—it was visual perfection. I genuinely found myself pausing episodes to screenshot backgrounds because they were so gorgeous -even though I’ve been to Italy several times.
Paris is beautiful, obviously, and the show has always been a love letter to that city. But Rome brought something different—warmer tones, more lived-in spaces, a slightly softer energy. It felt like the show itself was taking a deep breath and relaxing into a different pace, which honestly matched where Emily's character needed to go.
Sylvie's Vulnerability (Finally!)
Okay, so Sylvie has always been the ice queen boss we simultaneously fear and want to become. She's chic, powerful, intimidating, and seemingly immune to human emotions. Which is why this season's attempt to show her more vulnerable side felt significant, even if it didn't quite land as strongly as I wanted.
We got glimpses of Sylvie dealing with actual feelings—her marriage struggles, her complicated past, the reality that being fierce and successful doesn't mean you have everything figured out. The show tried to peel back layers and show us the woman behind the perfect exterior.
Here's my honest take: the intention was there, but the execution felt a bit rushed. We got vulnerable Sylvie in moments, but it never fully developed into the deep character exploration I was hoping for. It's like the writers opened the door to her humanity, peeked inside, and then quickly closed it again before we could really settle in.
That said, even those glimpses were more than we've gotten in previous seasons. Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu is such a phenomenal actress that she made every second of vulnerability count, even when the writing didn't give her quite enough room to work with.
I wanted more. I wanted messy Sylvie, uncertain Sylvie, Sylvie who doesn't have all the answers. We got hints of that, and it made me hungry for a full season focused on her complexity.
The Styling Matured (And So Did Emily)
Can we acknowledge that Emily's wardrobe finally grew up? I know, I know—the over-the-top, sometimes chaotic styling has always been part of the show's identity. And I'm not saying it completely disappeared. But there was a noticeable shift toward more sophisticated, intentional looks that felt age-appropriate for where Emily is now in her career.
The Rome wardrobe gave us more tailored pieces, better color coordination, and elegant simplicity mixed with the bold choices Emily's known for. She looked like a woman who's been living in Europe for years and has developed actual style, not just someone wearing every trend simultaneously.
This wasn't just about clothes—it reflected Emily's overall growth. She felt more settled, more confident, less desperate to prove herself through her appearance. The styling matured because Emily herself matured, and that alignment between character development and wardrobe choices is exactly what good costume design should do.
I actually found myself wanting pieces from her Rome wardrobe, whereas in previous seasons I mostly just admired the chaos from a distance. That's growth, both for Emily and for the show's fashion direction.
Genuine Character Development
Here's what surprised me most about this season: characters actually evolved. Not all of them (we'll get to Gabriel in a minute), but enough that it felt like the show was finally interested in forward momentum instead of just spinning wheels.
Emily made decisions based on her own wants instead of just reacting to what men in her life wanted from her. She took ownership of her career path. She set boundaries. She acknowledged her patterns and tried to break them. Was it perfect? No. But it was movement, and I'll take movement over stagnation any day.
Mindy has faced some real consequences for her choices. Even minor characters felt more three-dimensional than they have in past seasons.
The show finally seemed to understand that we've been watching these characters long enough to want growth, not just repetition. We needed to see them learn from their mistakes, change their patterns, and become fuller versions of themselves. This season attempted that, and while it wasn't always successful, the effort was visible and appreciated.
What Didn't Work: The Lows
The Mindy and Alfie Situation
I love Alfie. I genuinely do. He brought a grounded, sarcastic energy to the show that balanced out the chaos. He was the voice of reason, the "normal person" reaction to the wild situations these characters create. He made Emily better when they were together because he challenged her in ways that felt healthy.
But Mindy and Alfie? I don't see it. I don't feel it. I don't want it.
The chemistry isn't there for me. Where Alfie and Emily had natural banter and push-pull tension, Alfie and Mindy feel forced, like the writers needed to do something with both characters and decided to push them together because they were both available, not because it made emotional sense.
Mindy deserves a romance that matches her energy—someone artistic, ambitious, willing to take big swings. Alfie deserves someone who appreciates his stability and doesn't need him to suddenly become spontaneous and wild. They're both great characters who bring different strengths to the show, but those strengths don't complement each other romantically.
It feels like the show is trying to keep Alfie around (which I support!), but didn't know what to do with him after the Emily breakup. And rather than letting him exist as a friend in the group or developing a storyline separate from romance, they paired him with the nearest available woman. That's not good writing—it's convenient writing.
I'm hoping this is a short-term plot line and not where they're taking both characters long-term, because they both deserve better than "we're together because we're both single."
Gabriel Still Hasn't Evolved
Oh, Gabriel. Sweet, brooding, passive Gabriel, who has been in love with Emily since literally Season 1 and FIVE SEASONS LATER, still cannot communicate like an adult human.
I appreciate that we got less Gabriel screen time this season—it gave room for other storylines to breathe. But the Gabriel we did get was frustratingly unchanged. He's still pining, still not being direct about what he wants, still waiting for Emily to somehow read his mind and make all the moves while he stands there looking conflicted.
Five seasons in, I need Gabriel to have evolved past the "I want you, but I'm also confused and can't clearly communicate that" phase. He's a successful chef. He runs a restaurant. He manages staff, creates menus, and handles high-pressure situations. But when it comes to Emily, he reverts to unclear, passive behavior that makes me want to shake him.
Where's the assertiveness? Where's the clear, direct conversation about feelings? Where's the "I know what I want and I'm going to actually say it out loud with words" energy?
I'm not asking Gabriel to become an entirely different person. But I am asking the writers to let him grow. Let him learn from previous miscommunications. Let him develop the emotional intelligence to match his professional competence. Let him be more than just the hot chef who's perpetually confused about his own feelings.
By the end of these episodes, I found myself more frustrated than invested in Gabriel's storyline, which is disappointing because he could be such a compelling character if the writing would just let him mature.
Not Enough Drama and Scheming
Here's my controversial take: I wanted messier. I wanted bigger scandals. I wanted more scheming, plotting, and high-stakes drama.
Emily in Paris has always lived in this space between lighthearted rom-com and workplace drama, but this season felt like it pulled back from both extremes. The romance was less chaotic than previous seasons, but the professional stakes also felt lower. We got resolution and maturity, which is great, but sometimes I watch this show specifically because I want the delicious mess.
Where were the major professional conflicts? The office politics? The competitive scheming that made Sylvie such a fascinating character? The big client disasters that force Emily to actually use those marketing skills we keep hearing about?
The Rome setting provided beautiful scenery, but the plot itself felt a bit too comfortable. Too resolved. Too neat. I missed the unpredictability of earlier seasons, even when that unpredictability sometimes tipped into "absolutely ridiculous."
I'm not saying I want the show to become a chaotic drama that takes itself too seriously. But I do want higher stakes—professionally, personally, romantically. Make me gasp. Make me text my friends "DID YOU SEE WHAT JUST HAPPENED?" Give me something to obsess over between episodes.
This season felt like the show was trying to be more mature and grounded, which I appreciate in theory. But in execution, it sometimes just felt... quieter than it needed to be.
The Character-by-Character Breakdown
Emily: Genuinely grew this season. Made better choices. Still occasionally frustrating, but in more realistic ways. I'm actually interested in her journey now, which hasn't always been true.
Sylvie: Glimpses of depth that I desperately want more of. The potential is there—give us a full Sylvie-focused arc next season, please.
Mindy: I love her, but this Alfie situation isn't it. She deserves a romance that feels authentic to her character, not convenient for the plot.
Gabriel: Still waiting for evolution. Still disappointed it hasn't happened yet. Still hoping future seasons will finally let him communicate clearly.
Alfie: Being wasted in this Mindy plotline when he could be so much more interesting as a friend to the group or in his own separate storyline.
Luc: Never enough Luc. Give me more Luc in every season, always.
Should You Watch It?
Yes, absolutely. Even with my critiques, this is still an enjoyable, beautiful, escapist watch that's perfect for a lazy weekend binge.
If you've been watching Emily in Paris from the beginning, you need to see how the Rome arc plays out. If you love the show for its fashion and scenery, this might be your favorite season yet. If you're invested in any of the relationships (even the frustrating ones), there's enough development to keep you engaged.
Just go in knowing this isn't the chaotic, messy energy of earlier seasons. It's more refined, more grown-up, more settled. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing depends entirely on what you want from the show.
For me? I'm glad I watched it. I have complaints, sure, but I also genuinely enjoyed the experience. The Rome scenery alone was worth it, and there were enough moments of real character growth to make me hopeful for where future seasons might go (spoiler alert: in Greece maybe?).
The Professional Skills Connection
Speaking of Emily's growth—if you're interested in the actual professional skills Emily demonstrates (when she's not busy with relationship drama), I have already written a whole breakdown of career lessons we can learn from Emily in Paris.
Because here's the thing: underneath all the romance and gorgeous scenery, Emily actually does showcase some legitimate marketing skills and professional strategies that translate to real careers. Her networking ability, her creativity under pressure, her willingness to take risks—these are actual professional strengths worth examining.
The show isn't just escapist fantasy (though it absolutely is that too). It's also, occasionally, a showcase of how a young professional navigates an international career, builds client relationships, and develops her own professional identity. When you strip away the love triangles and focus on the work stuff, there's real value there.
My Final Verdict
Emily in Paris Season 5 was beautiful, occasionally frustrating, and ultimately enjoyable. It showed growth where I wanted it and stagnation where I didn't. It gave me the gorgeous Rome content I didn't know I needed while pulling back on the drama I definitely wanted.
Would I binge it again? Probably not immediately (though it only dropped last week, so ask me again in a month). But would I watch Season 6 when it eventually comes out? Absolutely. Because even with its flaws, this show is pure comfort viewing—and sometimes that's exactly what we need.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go research flights to Rome and figure out how to incorporate more Sylvie-level sophistication into my own wardrobe. The show might not be perfect, but its influence is undeniable.
Rating: 7/10 - Beautiful to look at, uneven in execution, but still an enjoyable binge that delivered enough growth to keep me invested in these characters.
What did you think of Season 5? Are you Team Mindy/Alfie or absolutely not? And more importantly—are we finally done with the Gabriel/Emily will-they-won't-they, or are we doing this for another season?
