Eugenio Franceschini and Lily Collins, Emily in Paris
Giulia Parmigiani/Netflix
[Warning: The following contains spoilers for Season 4, Part 1 of Emily in Paris. Read at your own risk!]
Emily in Paris is saying, “Au revoir, Paris” and “Ciao, Roma” when it returns to Netflix on Sept. 12 for Season 4, Part 2.
The last five episodes of the season are bound to be full of fireworks following the shocking Part 1 finale bombshell that Camille (Camille Razat) isn’t pregnant with Gabriel’s (Lucas Bravo) baby after all. Unfortunately for Emily (Lily Collins) and Gabriel, who are in the infancy stages of their romance, they’re unaware of Camille’s pregnancy secret — adding to the intensity of the fallout that’s about to come once the truth is eventually out.
While the ending of Part 1 raised more questions than answers (we love mess and apparently so does creator Darren Star), there’s plenty to look forward to when Part 2 drops, including the introduction of two characters. As we await answers to all our lingering questions (like how will Gabriel react to Camille’s non-pregnancy news), here’s what you can expect from the second half of Season 4.
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More ‘unexpected twists’
The surprises won’t stop coming for Emily and the crew, who all have their own issues to sort out when the series returns. And in signature Emily in Paris fashion, the dramatics are only ramping up.
“Part 2 has a lot of unexpected twists,” Star teased to TV Guide. “It really does blow it out — and also the storylines. I love Part 1, but I love Part 2.”
More new faces
Part 2 will see the arrival of two new characters: Marcello (Eugenio Franceshini), an easy-on-the-eyes Italian client-turned-suitor, and Genevieve (Thalia Besson), an American girl hired by Sylvie at the agency.
Marcello is very clearly set up to be a formidable romantic interest for Emily, while Genevieve holds similar qualities to when Emily first arrived in Paris — naive, wide-eyed and overly enthusiastic.
Flashier European excursions
Part of the allure of Part 2 is the promise of more European locales. “We really get to visit some fantastic locations, from the French Alps to the polo fields of Chantilly,” Star revealed. “In a way, I feel like Part 2 is Part 1 on steroids.”
It was revealed last June that Emily finds her way to Rome, and a new trailer reveals why: Emily reluctantly agrees to go to Italy for a few days to try and secure new business — aka Marcello — for Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu). As often is the case with Emily in Paris, Emily finds herself blurring work with pleasure (something Sylvie rightly observes Emily is very good at), and is faced with whether Paris or Rome is ultimately right for her.
Collins shared that Emily’s Rome trip serves as a temporary respite from the stress that has consumed her messy life — both professionally and romantically. The relocation is a much-needed reset button for Emily. As the trailer suggests, a good portion of Part 2 appears to take place in Rome, with Netflix unofficially titling the next five episodes, Emily in Rome with Paris crossed out.
“Just wait, Emily gets to switch a little bit of her vacay mode on, put her phone down, and go on a Roman holiday,” she told TV Guide. “I do think at some point she gets to have a little bit of that [downtime].”
ALSO READ: Everything we know about Emily in Paris Season 4
A messier love triangle, er, square
In Episode 3 of Part 1, Emily decides to give things a go with Gabriel, though it’s not exactly smooth sailing for the couple as they face a flurry of challenges. The most notable wrinkle is Camille, who has moved into a neighboring apartment in Emily and Gabriel’s building and is keeping her non-pregnancy news secret (for now), and Alfie (Lucien Laviscount), whose feelings for Emily are left unresolved.
Collins and Star both hinted at a difficult road ahead for Emily and Gabriel if their relationship is to survive, with the group dynamics changing quite dramatically in Part 2. It’s compounded by the fact that Gabriel, still believing Camille to be pregnant, is still actively choosing his ex, leaving Emily the odd woman out. “They grapple with some real issues that they have with each other that maybe haven’t been as obvious before,” Star said, hinting that the specific obstacles are “all in Part 2.”
Alfie, who last appeared in Season 4’s third episode, returns in the back half of Emily in Paris (he’s seen briefly in the Part 2 trailer) and is a “part of our world,” Star promised. Still, questions linger over whether Alfie is really out of the picture romantically.
“Regardless of romance or not, they really respect one another and he’s not going anywhere,” Collins said. “She also has to work with him, so it’s definitely complicated. That’s why it’s great that there’s a second drop of episodes because we get to explore more of that.”
And Camille’s Greek lover Sofia (Melia Kreiling) may still be orbiting Emily in Paris, though she was last seen returning home to Greece after being fed up with the Parisian drama. “I love the character of Sofia. I also think Camille is a complicated character,” Star said. “In some ways, she wants it all and she’s a very strong character. But she’s also someone you don’t want to cross.”
A lot more personal growth for Emily
Though Emily has made questionable decisions over the last three-and-a-half seasons, Collins explained why it’s been rewarding to chart her progress — even if it’s been frustrating at times. At the end of the day, the aspiring marketing guru is just trying her best.
“To look back on the trajectory of her experiences, I feel for the girl. She’s gone through a lot, but it’s fun for me to be able to track different relationships, whether they’re romantic or work-related or friendships,” the actress said. “Her growth throughout the series and the connections she’s made to the city, they’re pivotal to understand in terms of where she’s at today. It’s nice to have been somewhere to know where you’re headed.”
Collins added that Emily has become “extra vulnerable” the more she’s rooted herself in Paris and kept a close circle of friends, co-workers, and trusted confidantes.
“For Emily in Season 1, I don’t think she felt as comfortable letting her guard down and being vulnerable. We saw more surface emotions and this constant optimism that was sprinkled on top of the reality of a situation,” she observed. “Whereas in Season 4, she feels safe and comfortable enough to feel all the feelings and break down. I’m excited that this season shows that maturity and vulnerability in Emily, so that she can work through her issues and problems, and navigate them in a genuine but more relatable way.”
Emily in Paris Season 4, Part 2 drops Sept. 12 on Netflix. Part 1 is now streaming.