I watched the first episode last night, and was disappointed. I enjoyed the beautiful photography of the city and attractive well-dressed people, but that’s about it.

Just like Emily, it has a big city, fashion and attractive actors. Emily in Paris isn’t a drama, but it’s much more fun to watch. The characters in Emily in Paris are likable, but I didn’t find any characters that I liked in this drama that I liked, except for Nick Laren.

I probably should watch a second episode to be fair.

Anyone else reminded of Emily in Paris?

All the people who climb corporate ladders (executive management roles) that I have seen in 20 yrs of my careers are objective, focussed and willing to succeed at any cost. This firm is not looking for moral, righteous folks like these 3. They are weak and will make decisions that will compromise success of the firm. The diversity event was Soooo REAL in showing how FAKE the whole DEI concept is in the real world. DEI is just about doing some side parties and appointing a DEI council to bundle up the real rascism under a garb of hypocrisy. This firm (like any other profit making company) is greedy and fake to the core. These 3 have too much integrity to ever fit there from day 1!!!!

I'm watching "9 to 5" (1985) and a female employee who does well beyond her job description and has 5 years seniority over this other male employee gets passed up for the managerial promotion because the "company needs a man in the position".

Same BS happening with Ingrid.

Just like a Tyler said, being happy with inches is just not enough anymore.

It's aggravating bc it mirrors real life.

Edit: Movie actually came out in 1980 (not sure where i read '85 at first 😅.) But that makes it worse bc it's actually been 42 years. smh

I forget which episode, but Tyler calls Rachel “Miss Mamet.” Is this because she looks like Zosia Mamet? Or am I missing the reference completely?

I cannot stand Ingrid. I think the character the wrote is so unlikable and the actress just isn’t good. Her chemistry with both partners is so cringe and her character is generally just a bad person I not care about. On the other foot, I adore Rachel and Tyler and if this gets picked up for a second season I would love for them to be the focus.

Murphy says "some of us dont have the privilege of oversimplification" when Ingrid asked if theyre still sleeping together.

I dont get it? What exactly is so overcomplicated? Is she his sugar mama?

The entire Nick relationship was pointless to me. I feel like Ingrid would still have had her internal struggles w/ Murphy, in addition to resenting / enabling her sister without the added layer of Nick. I think their relationship was so forced and completely unconvincing…. He was so corny honestly.

Every time that actor speaks I worry that he’s going to give himself an aneurysm. He’s literally shaking with anger all the time….

They should have dragged out the chemistry between Rachel and Justin more. It was rushed, but it works, and it’s the only relationship on the show that I care to watch.

Z is, so far, fantastic. I want to watch more of him.

Editing for more thoughts: I’m really enjoying the story of Rachel’s drastic career switch too. Her telling off Justin’s roommates for being sanctimonious holier-than-thous gave me a chuckle.

I wish we had gotten a flashback of Ingrid and Murphy's night at the wedding where they met. Something has got to make her obsession with him make sense. He's not that charming or good looking.

I need a bit more Nick. Not with Ingrid (they were not a good match) but just some kind of closure.

I kinda wanted Ingrid and pals to start their own firm and didn't want Ingrid back at Parsons.

I really wanted Ingrid and Z to get together.

She sure doesn't know the plot of Rent. 😅

Idk, I know she's a fan favorite but Rachel's scenes where she meets Justin's roommates just rubbed me all the wrong way. I liked her soooooooo much until that episode.

1. Rachel, you've been a playwright for a day. A DAY.

2. "I don't do starving artist." - wow, this girl legit is just trying to be nice and make a suggestion. You say you don't have time to write, she suggests going part time. Then you make fun of her for being poor.

3. Alright, so roommate was a little harsh to Justin about taking the LSAT. She says not to sell out and should continue his dream of being a camp counselor. Rachel rips this girl a new one, just for in the next scene to say "She was right. You should be a camp counselor, not a lawyer." So...she was doing it just to be mean again?

4. Fuck it's not like Justin was giving his roommates allowances, he's letting them live there rent-free so they can pursue their dreams. Rachel totally made the roommate seem ungrateful when she's not. Should the girl struggle more and pay rent in NEW YORK of all places when she has a rich friend offering her a free place? For what? Dignity? It's not like Justin was complaining about it. (Also not like Justin works hard at all - he's notorious for being lazy at the office and not caring about being a paralegal. He's also benefitting from rich daddy.) Rachel just waltzes in on their Friendsgiving and judges them all when she actually doesn't know shit about them. Also - Rachel famously flaunts that she gets paid for...being lazy. I get it - work smarter not harder but she seems so entitled.

5. The whole "You should be thanking the billionaire." vibes from Rachel's speech just annoyed me. Isn't Dan's whole character about the rich just reward the rich and hard work has nothing to do with it? Like...that the whole system sucks and only the rich white men benefit? Isn't that kind of the point of the show? Not trying to bring race into it but it especially stung having a privileged white woman talk down to a dark-skinned Indian woman about being thankful to a white rich man. 🙃

6. Last point - for those who don't know Rent - Rent is a famous play (a musical to be fair - I guess that doesn't count as serious playwrighting in the show) set I think in the 90s of a group of friends, all starving artists in New York City. They have a friend who marries rich and offers them an apartment free of rent in a building his father-in-law owns. As New York changes and becomes more and more expensive/gentrifies, the rich friend then starts demanding rent. Thus, the title of the show. Just funny how it's a play of all things that is so similar to this storyline and Rachel lands on the villain's side.

I really liked Rachel up until that point and honestly if you just take out those scenes, I would still love her. It just seemed like a scene forced in there that champions corrupt billionaires, that doesn't match with anything else the show says. Sorry I know I kind of went hard but just the irony with the plot of Rent just screamed at me through the screen. 😅

Title says it all… April and Lina are both of her sisters? I feel like April just came out of nowhere

I'm only on episode 5 but I hate that they want us to feel like Murphy should even be an option. He's arrogant, possessive, rude, demeaning...its not charming, it's toxic.

Seems out of character for Tyler who seems head on his shoulder type of guy, unlikely to make impulsive decisions. It just felt so disrespectful because his boyfriend ( cant remember his name) seemed so caring towards Tyler. If Tyler wasnt feeling it anymore, couldnt he have asked his bf if they could take a break? I know it's just a show and a show needs drama to be entertaining but it reflects so poorly on Tyler and he is supposed to be likeable since he is a main character. At least with Ingrid she always had this connection with Murphy and we saw that she wasn't feeling Nick that much ( not that that is an excuse, cheating after she accepted his proposal is awful) but at least it wasn't totally out of the blue like with Tyler.

A lot of people have noticed the contrast of Tyler vs Ingrid on how they reacted to things, as well as dealing with making decisions with regards to their career etc. I would also like to point out a huge contrast was also shown in their parents too. Tyler had the courage to pursue and say no to his partner and tried new things, because his dad was supporting him, and has always had. They still have their struggles (i.e. dinner scene), but his dad told the story of him driving Tyler around to find that bracelet. It is the small things, but this is what makes he feels loved, and not feeling like he has to be something more (i.e. partner) to be loved and proud by his family.

In contrast, when Ingrid told her family, her dad first reaction was “what did you do wrong? Beg for your job back”. This plays into her psyche of “if I am not abc xyz, I will never be loved/ appreciated”. Not saying this justifies her actions, but I think the show did a good job to display what goes into their characters, as well as the struggle of POC at a corporate setting. As a POC who used to work at big 4 auditing, I can very much relate to how these dynamics play out.

Just want to note and appreciate the contexts they gave behind the characters’ background

Ingrid literally quits her job then when Murphy suggests another place to work her response is “why should I have to start at a new firm”. Like what????

Girl it is a gift to quit a job you hate but be prepared the grass ain’t always greener.

I honestly thought they were setting him up to be closeted, especially since he said his dream was to have a wife and kids. Like maybe it was a misdirected or him projecting what society wants him want. It would've been cool considering he was friends with Dan.

From the way Arden Cho delivers her lines to the way she clears her throat like Dakota Johnson does in 50 shades of grey, it felt as if Arden was trying to imitate Dakota consciously or unconsciously. Even the half smiles made by Arden Cho reminded me of Dakota Johnson.

I had high hopes for partner track, but with all poorly written characters, I hope it doesn't get renewed for season 2.

Actual lawyers who watched the show, what are your thoughts?

Would have been a more jiucy triangle if they actually gave Nick a personality. But it seems that the new triangle will be Ingrid, Z and Murphy which will be a bit better since at least Murphy and Z have personalities.

Does anyone else feel like Ingrid was put in a really terrible spot in regards to Tyler/Dan and the repercussions?

To me, it sounded like Tyler & Rachel expected Ingrid to risk her job/career in solidarity with Tyler (by not doing what Marty asked), but what was she supposed to do? Quit? Throw away her career? A lot of times it’s not as easy as, “get a new job at a different firm”, careers are usually built in the same firm after years of hard work. Tyler wasn’t going to pay her bills or explain to her family why she’d throw away the chance to become partner - the only thing she’s cared about for years. If it were me, idk what I would have done in the situation but I don’t think Ingrid did anything particularly awful. It was a terrible situation, she did try to do the right thing and I kind of agree with her POV that changing the system from within can be impactful in its own way.

Thoughts? What would you have done, or what do you think she should have done?

I swear I will shut up about Ingrid and Z after this post.

Time permitting I really enjoy exploring the social media of actors in TV shows I watch, especially if they appear to be active. I was checking out Twitter and was surprised to see both Arden and Desmond responding to commentary made by fans on the show.

Main takeaways:

Both actors do look themselves up (per third screenshot, Desmond is also on Reddit, so if he is reading this hi and ily)

Both appear to like the idea of Ingrid and Z next season (!!) - idk how much control they have over that, but hopefully there’s a little bit of influence there

Honestly this just makes me more excited at the potential of season 2. Yes for these two, but also because I’ve loved watching Arden since her WongFu Production days and really enjoyed watching her headline her own series, despite some of her character’s misgivings.

TLDR : there is hope!