Most people have heard by now about the show Emily in Paris, which has recently been taking Netflix by storm. It’s rated sixth on the top 10 movies and shows on Netflix and has a whopping 58 million viewers, but why is that?

Emily in Paris premiered October 2, 2020 after filming since August 2019. It was one of many shows released during the pandemic, showing extreme dedication from the actors and producers, and it’s definitely deserving of the hype that it has received.

Lily Collins, the lead actor of Emily in Paris, plays aspiring marketing executive Emily Cooper. Emily is an American who moves to France to provide an American perspective on a French sales company. Along the way, she makes new friends and a multitude of love interests who help her along her journey to becoming her truest self. Emily faces conflicts – but she faces them with the help of her close friends. The show touches upon gender inequality, discrimination in the workplace, the fashion industry, French culture, and fashion revolutionization.

Some components of the show appeal to the majority more than others. Many viewers like the fact that the setting is in Paris because it gives them the French experience and helps them to understand the language and culture.

However, Emily in Paris has been the center of some controversy during its time on Netflix, mainly because French audiences think that the show gives a poor and inaccurate depiction of French people and their culture. The show’s fictional storyline has caught the attention of many fans worldwide, and it’s also received a bit of backlash for highlighting French stereotypes, such as Parisians who love to smoke cigarettes. Others hold that they should have had French actors play French roles. Since the depiction of the French is arguably defamed in this show, many are starting to wonder if it actually is a good thing to be watching.

Aside from the French aspect of the show, it also touches upon women in the workplace and gender inequality. Lily Collins said in an interview with rotten tomatoes, “Season 1, I was asked [if Emily were] more of a workaholic or romantic, and I feel like that question just so much defines what we’re used to in the romantic comedy world,” The quote highlights the fact that Emily in Paris passes beyond the barriers of the basic romantic comedy.

Many believe that the show gives an accurate depiction of what women go through in the workplace, and therefore that they are able to form a connection with Emily via the way she is treated at work. There is a different group of viewers, though, who believe that the show puts a bad light on the fashion industry and the way it is being revolutionized.

Overall, it seems that the show Emily in Paris has exactly the right amount of popularity and is receiving just the right amount of attention. The best conclusion, though? Watch and form an opinion of your own.