Emily in Paris Season 5: Good riddance, Gabriel

Emily in Paris Season 5 landed on Netflix on December 18, 2025. That means more Paris (plus a little Rome), more fashion crimes, and, of course, the romance saga that refuses to stay buried: Emily and Gabriel.

Emily and Gabriel are still stuck in their never-ending, headache-inducing cycle. At this point, I’m convinced these two would be way better off just blocking each other and moving on with their lives.

The season rolled out the usual stuff: gorgeous European backdrops, Agence Grateau, and Emily ricocheting between guys. But you know what really hit this time wasn’t the Roman holiday, wasn’t that over-the-top Venetian fashion show. It’s the obvious, screaming fact that has been hanging in the air for five seasons: Emily and Gabriel just don’t work. They never did, and I’m sure they never will.

Emily in Paris Season 5: Emily and Gabriel, same old same old

Emily in Paris Season 5 kicks off with Gabriel jetting off to Rome on a mission to win Emily back, only to find her content with Marcello. So, he heads back to Paris, and, for once, doesn’t blow up her life. It’s probably the most grown-up thing he has ever done. Fast forward a few episodes, and Emily is single again, so Gabriel sends her a postcard from Greece.

After five seasons of these two circling each other, I’m convinced that they are a disaster together. Actually, I’d go so far as to say they might be one of the most mismatched couples on TV. And Emily in Paris Season 5 hammered it home.

Let’s get one thing straight: I’m not denying the chemistry. Lily Collins and Lucas Bravo light up the screen together, credit where it’s due. But chemistry isn’t the same thing as compatibility, and this show has been proving that on a loop since Episode 1.

Go back to how it all started. Emily goes to Paris, immediately falls for her neighbor, who is dating her first French friend, Camille. That has been haunting their story ever since: sneaking around, lying, friendships blowing up. Every season it’s the same pattern: crazy attraction, a few happy moments, some ridiculous problem, messy breakup, then, for no logical reason, they end up right back where they started.

What really drives me nuts isn’t just that it’s repetitive. It’s that they actually make each other worse. Emily, who is smart and driven at work, turns into an anxious wreck around Gabriel. Gabriel, who supposedly loves cooking and has all these big dreams, keeps tanking his own progress just to chase some doomed love story. It’s not romantic, it’s exhausting.

Emily in Paris Season 5: More of the same

Emily in Paris Season 5 was supposed to be Emily’s big break. Finally, a shot at moving on. She is building a relationship with Marcello, the Italian guy with the vibe and the suits, while Gabriel is off working as a private chef on a billionaire’s yacht. Talk about actual distance for once, miles and miles of ocean, and a whole different country. Emily is trying to build a whole new life in Rome, and Gabriel is living his own chef dream out at sea.

But then, you know how it goes. Gabriel pops back into Paris for like two seconds in Episode 9 and plans a lunch with Emily, and you can see the romantic tension oozing through the screen. It is soundtracked by Mindy performing “Come What May” from Moulin Rouge because this show cannot help itself. Even when they are both off in their own worlds, the writers just have to pull them back together for a little emotional whiplash.

At the end of the day, the core problem hasn’t changed one bit as of Emily in Paris Season 5. Emily and Gabriel are on totally different frequencies. Emily is all about chasing her next big thing, totally fueled by chaos and fresh starts. Paris was a snap decision. She dives into work, and she lives for adventure, even if it gets her in trouble. Gabriel has a different story. He is rooted. His restaurant, his little Parisian bubble, that’s his whole thing. Even when he is off on a yacht, he is still clinging to tradition in ways Emily just can’t relate to. They are both stubborn and maybe a little delusional about what they actually want.

Emily in Paris Season 5 is particularly frustrating because the show dangled Marcello like an actually interesting option for Emily, and then he is gone. I get it, she chose her Paris over the Italian whirlwind, and sure, fair enough. Even Lily Collins herself said Emily and Marcello cared about each other, but they just weren’t on the same page. Happens all the time. You can totally love somebody and still let them go. That’s just adulting.

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But why can’t the writers give Emily that same kind of grown-up clarity with Gabriel? Yes, we know sparks are flying, and they have all this history, but sometimes that’s not enough. You can have all the ‘will-they-won’t-they’ you want, but if being together is just going make you both miserable, maybe don’t do it? Walk away.

Even if he is standing there in that annoyingly perfect sunlight with a baguette or whatever. The fantasy is cute, but real maturity is knowing when to leave, no matter how Instagrammable the moment is.

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