In three seasons and less than a year in the life of Emily Cooper, our plucky Chicago girlboss’s Parisian adventures in love and marketing have somehow gone from infuriatingly absurd to deflatingly dull. Season three revolves around endless workplace furniture-moving that ultimately leaves our core Savoir team almost exactly where they began; on the romantic front, Emily, Mindy, and Sylvie all find themselves locked in deeply forgettable love triangles. After two vibrantly chaotic seasons about the misadventures of an American girl with all the depth of an Instagram photo but an unparalleled ability to inspire instant loathing, this season found the show treading water.

So what happened? Mostly, it’s the original sins of the show coming home to roost: a protagonist written with minimal emotional depth, and played with even less by a lead actress who struggles to display chemistry with any romantic interest; the show’s fixation on work and Emily’s workaholism, which set the stage for endless networking conversations and mind-numbing meetings; the absence of real stakes from any relationship except, perhaps, Camille and Gabriel. These flaws often added to the hilarity of the first two seasons, but by season three, they’ve settled into tedious ruts. It’s time for Emily to show some growth, or at least take a first step in that direction by experiencing an emotion more profound than mild regret.

In this episode, we offer our unfiltered takes on Emily’s funky blazers, basic-ass marketing pitches, and inability to have a conversation without turning it into a business meeting. Enjoy! xo

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We’ve been reading…

“Spare,” by Prince Harry — not because of personal choice or interest, per se, but because of professional obligations. Lots of purple prose and scenery description, lots of sly jabs at Prince William. Stay tuned for more reactions! -Claire

Lol. SAME. Willy! Pa! The todger! Can’t wait to discuss. -Emma

We’ve been watching…

“The Circle” season 5: the all-singles season, baby! Absolutely delighted at this twist on the “Circle” formula, which amps up the sexting quotient to a significant degree. Eggplant emoji, peach emoji, eyes emoji, send message! -Claire

A screener of the upcoming Reese Witherspoon/Ashton Kutcher Netflix rom-com, “Your Place Or Mine,” which I *cannot wait* for it to come out next month so I can talk about it with people. It is such a treat to see some stars with big star power (and production power) really taking the rom-com seriously again. -Emma

We’ve been listening to…

Aubrey Gordon on the Burnt Toast by Virginia Sole-Smith podcast. I love Aubrey’s work and Virginia’s work, so to hear them in conversation is just brilliant. -Emma

We’ve been buying…

Even though I’ve been treating my nails like garbage lately (biting them, not oiling them or caring for them in any way), I got optimistic and bought some more Color Camp press-ons in the winter wool design. Love a neutral nail with a little bejeweled detail! Maybe I’ll even be inspired enough to apply them soon, despite the winter doldrums I’ve been idling in. -Claire

A soft, ultra-flattering, knit maxi dress from Abercrombie — currently 20% off! They were sadly sold out of my size in petites, so I went for the regular length. Also contemplating these embellished Vince Camuto knee-high boots, which have a rare wide-enough-calf for my legs and are absolutely gorgeous and also half off. -Emma

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