Critic’s Rating: 4.4 / 5.0
4.4
Paris is the city of love and dreams, making it the ideal location for Hallmark +’s latest limited series.
Paris is Always a Great Idea appeals to viewers because it focuses not only on true love but on finding your dreams and on learning about yourself.
During each episode, Chelsea Martin (Lacey Chabert) revisits another time in her life and reconnects with an old boyfriend.
(Courtesy of Hallmark Media)
During Paris is Always a Good Idea Season 1 Episode 3, Chelsea revisited her time with her former French boyfriend, Sebastian (Julien Marlon Samoni).
The non-linear storytelling worked because the series tricked us into thinking that Chelsea might marry Sebastian before finishing their story.
After so much heartbreak, Chelsea deserved her own fairytale, but who actually treated her like a princess?
During “Sebastian, Revisited, Chelsea learned that good timing and knowing what you want matter just as much as fate and fairytales.
Old Connections and Beautiful Photographs Amid Paris
Paris was such a beautiful and peaceful place and ideal for nursing a broken heart.
(Hallmark+/Screenshot)
Chelsea poured her heartbreak into testing the water, and that’s how Sebastian met her. I love that they filmed by the Seine River.
It was so picturesque and believable that Sebastian wanted to photograph Chelsea among the scenic beauty.
Chelsea was so self-conscious, though, and he promised those photos were part of their shared connection.
Chelsea and Sebastian worked better together because they both shared bold ambitions and dreams and understood they had a whirlwind romance.
She thought the timing was off, but wondered if they could finally find it again.
Could Sebastian and Chelsea Reconnect?
(Courtesy of Hallmark Media)
In some ways, it felt like Sebastian cared more about his photography than Chelsea.
While he enjoyed watching him work, she wanted to talk uninterrupted without his co-workers or models.
He had become a big deal, and Chelsea’s career had flourished. They still had passion, but needed more.
I loved how she remembered to inquire about his love life before getting too involved. She had learned.
Sebastian was gorgeous and famous and wanted to schmooze Chelsea, and she looked like a princess in that red evening gown.
(Courtesy of Hallmark Media)
He had seen her admire it, and knew it was made for her. I had hoped it would be the start of a romantic evening, the kind she deserved.
Paris is Always a Good Idea Shows Us to Appreciate Family
I love that Paris is Always a Good Idea focuses just as much on healing family relationships.
Chelsea was always the closest to her mom, so she closed herself off after her mom died, throwing herself into her work as a way to honor her.
She loved her dad and sister, but she didn’t see them that often. It took Knightley scolding her to wake her up and help her appreciate them more.
I don’t think she ever thought about Knightley’s family, whether anyone helped him, or how lucky she actually was.
(Courtesy of Hallmark Media)
It was the first time she encouraged Annabelle to think of herself and date Declan. I hope we see that. They’re adorable.
Annabelle was so used to helping her older sister that she needed to learn she couldn’t fix everything.
It’s probably harder for Chelsea to accept Sherrie in some ways because she saw her parents together longer, but she needed to realize her dad deserved a second love.
I was relieved when she took the first step to acknowledge how her dad had been there and give him her blessing, even if he didn’t need it.
It said a lot about their relationship that he wanted his daughters to get along with his fiancée even if he didn’t need their permission.
(Courtesy of Hallmark Media)
Barbara Niven always plays such a fun matriarch on Hallmark, so I’m looking forward to seeing more of her.
Everyone Wants Something, and You Need to Learn Their Weakness
It’s a sad reality that everyone has an ulterior motive. Not everyone is as noble-hearted as Chelsea Martin.
Even Knightley knew they needed to work an angle with their Parisian investor. That man didn’t really care about helping cancer patients.
He cared about how he was portrayed to his customers, and Knightley knew that. That’s why he spun the speech, saying everyone would be impressed that he helped them, since cancer is a universal cause.
(Courtesy of Hallmark Media)
It was even more distressing that the theme carried over to Chelsea’s love life. Book lovers may be relieved, as I was, that Sebastian only coerced Chelsea for her permission for the use of her portrait.
In the book, his character wanted her to escort a friend of his to help him, and he seemed much more slimy in the present.
I still despised that he only built a day out of making her feel like a beautiful “Cinderella” to gain her consent for his photo exhibit, instead of truly getting to reconnect.
That hurt because he was the first man who made her believe she was beautiful, but was it only to help him?
Thankfully, Chelsea knew her own worth, but she still looked heartbroken as she ran down the streets of Paris.
(Courtesy of Hallmark Media)
She’s learning that these men weren’t who she thought they were.
Seeing a New Side of One Another
While Chelsea may not be attracted to Knightley (Scott Michael Foster) yet, it’s obvious he’s attracted to her and that he’s envious of how much time she spent with her old boyfriends.
While Knightley was a workaholic, he mainly came to France to spend time with her, but he had to leave his teenage sister behind.
Chelsea finally realized his dedication and saw a softer side to him. I loved how Knightley thought that any guy who sends an expensive red dress just wanted to see her in it.
There were undeniable sparks between Chelsea and Knightley, and there was something romantic about them sharing a plate of French fries in a cafe in Paris, all dressed up.
They didn’t plan to go on a date, but Chelsea looked so relieved to see a friendly face after another disastrous date.
(Courtesy of Hallmark Media)
Again, it’s a sign that she wants his comfort and friendship when things go wrong, and he remembered that she spilled things, so he handed her a napkin so she wouldn’t wreck her dress.
It felt like they were meant to be, but Chelsea still has to reconnect with one more old boyfriend. Will she stay stuck in the past, or focus on what’s in front of her?
We still have no idea who Chelsea marries, or if it’s her wedding. I assumed it was, but there’s a possibility that it could be Glenn and Sherrie’s big day, too. The non-linear storytelling will keep us on our toes until the end.
Over to you, Hallmarkies. Are you rooting for Chelsea and Knightley to be endgame? What was your favorite part of Sebastian, Revisited?
Let us know in the comments.
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Chelsea reconnects with her former French flame on Paris is Always a Good Idea Episode 3, but was it the fairytale she wanted? Our review.
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The Paris is Always a Good Idea series premiere introduces Chelsea, a savvy businesswoman grappling with her grief and embarking on a quest to find lost loves.
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We spent some time chatting with Scott Michael Foster about his new Hallmark+ limited series, working with Lacey Chabert, and more! Check it out!
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