Season 5 of Emily in Paris takes the familiar formula of glamorous escapism and playful romance and propels it into new terrain by moving much of the action to Italy before returning to Paris. Released on Netflix in December 2025, this installment is notable for its shift in setting, its attempts at more mature character arcs, and a finale that leaves major questions unanswered as the series heads toward Season 6.
Emily Cooper arrives in Rome with a professional mission. Promoted within her Parisian marketing firm Agence Grateau, she is charged with launching and leading an Italian office, a premise that sets up cultural clashes, creative challenges, and some of the season’s most interesting work scenes. The move from Paris to Rome and Venice provides striking visuals, from Roman ruins and Venetian canals to haute couture backdrops that bring fresh energy to the show’s signature aesthetic.
On the surface the season delivers exactly what longtime viewers expect: stunning fashion, mouth‑watering meals, scenic European streets, and Emily’s boundless optimism. Costume design embraces the Italian context, blending bold colors, classic silhouettes, and playful accessories that keep the series visually compelling. These elements help sustain the show’s escapist charm even when the narrative falters.
Despite the glamorous veneer, criticism from reviewers and fans alike centers on the season’s uneven storytelling. Season 5 holds a roughly 76 % critics score on review aggregator sites, with many reviewers labeling it “absurd” or overly “fluffy,” pointing out that it often sacrifices narrative depth for spectacle and superficial conflict.
The central narrative thread revolves around Emily’s evolving relationships, both professional and romantic. In the romantic arc, Emily becomes involved with Marcello, a charismatic Italian fashion heir. Their relationship oscillates between passion and tension as they navigate professional overlaps and personal expectations. At the climax of their arc, the series leans into a major emotional turning point: during a romantic gondola outing in Venice, Emily realizes that committing to Marcello in Solitano would require abandoning her life in Paris. This realization leads her to break off the relationship, choosing personal independence over a conventional romance.
Parallel to Emily’s romantic developments is her complex, long‑running connection with Gabriel, the French chef from earlier seasons. Although Gabriel is largely off‑screen for much of Season 5, he makes a dramatic return of sorts when he accepts a prestigious chef position on a yacht and later sends Emily a postcard inviting her to Greece. The final scenes intercut Emily’s decision to remain in Paris with Gabriel’s invitation, leaving their future intriguingly unresolved.
Supporting characters receive varying degrees of attention. Mindy, Emily’s best friend, experiences romantic upheavals involving Alfie and another love interest, Nico, culminating in an engagement that raises more questions than answers. Their relationship drama adds emotional texture, but some viewers feel these subplots are rushed or underdeveloped. The dynamic between Emily and Mindy also undergoes strain when secrets are revealed, leading to arguably the season’s most meaningful conflict between friends before they reconcile.
Sylvie Grateau emerges as a standout figure in Season 5, often stealing scenes with her complexity, wit, and unpredictability. Critics and audiences have highlighted her storyline as one of the most compelling, noting that her personal life and leadership challenges bring depth to the ensemble and, at times, outshine the titular protagonist.
While some viewers enjoy these expanded interpersonal stories, others feel the writing is inconsistent. Social media threads and fan forums reflect a broad divide: some find Season 5 the best yet for its emotional stakes, while others view it as unfocused, repetitive, or “forced,” with recycled tropes and uneven character motivations. Frequent comments note that it lacks the coherence and charm of earlier seasons, with several characters underused or sidelined.
One common criticism is that the Rome arc initially promised a fresh direction but ultimately serves more as a backdrop for familiar relational struggles rather than a fully realized evolution of Emily’s career or identity. Some longtime fans feel that Emily has grown less relatable and that her development over five seasons oscillates without clear direction or meaningful payoff.
Yet other viewers appreciate a calmer pace and a focus on daily life over dramatic spectacle. These audiences see Season 5 as a reflective chapter that allows characters to exist in a less turbulent space, even if the dramatic stakes seem lower than in past seasons.
The finale reinforces this tonal duality. Instead of offering a neat resolution, the season closes with Emily committed to her life and career in Paris but also facing an open invitation to a new adventure with Gabriel, while Mindy’s engagement remains ambiguous. This leaves the show poised for further exploration rather than closure as it heads into Season 6. Netflix has confirmed the renewal of Emily in Paris, indicating that the emotional and narrative threads left dangling will likely be explored further, possibly involving new locations and character developments.
Season 5 of Emily in Paris is visually sumptuous and often emotional, but it is also one of the most polarizing in the series. Its strengths lie in its escapist visuals, fashionable costumes, and moments of genuine character insight. Its weaknesses stem from uneven pacing, repetitive romantic arcs, and the sense that in pushing toward maturity, it sometimes loses the coherent, vibrant spark that defined earlier seasons.
Ultimately, this season feels like a transitional chapter. It depends on whether you watch Emily in Paris for the romance and fantasy or for deeper storytelling. For the former, there is much to enjoy. For the latter, disappointment is easy to find. Whatever your view, the season sets the stage for more drama and transformation ahead.
