Yes, it's Full of Absurdity, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Psychobabble. Yet I Truly Love Meghan's Festive Episode.
No matter the season, it's constantly open season for criticism on the Meghan Markle's Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. Reviewers, from seasoned journalists to online pundits, have hardly ever agreed so completely as when enthusiastically shredding the lifestyle show's earlier episodes to pieces. The prevailing view held that a bigger monarchy-related faux pas had seldom occurred than the now-infamous pretzel-bagging incident.
Now, like a merry renegade master, she is back once again with a "Holiday Celebration" (aka a holiday episode). Yet now, it's different. The usual elements viewers are accustomed to – psychobabble word salads, intense hospitality – are still present, but framed of a holiday show, suddenly it all makes sense. The puzzle has come perfectly; it's a ideal seasonal storm.
At this stage, Meghan has become the quirky relative at the typical holiday get-together – providing unsolicited, unnecessary advice, and delivering the occasional strange exclamation. ("I love spinach!" … "A tradition has to have a beginning." … "A tree is part of my memory and love of the holiday season.") She's quite a personality, but her company is customary and strangely comforting. And she appears happy enough; she's inflicting a bit of damage.
She understands her all subtle gestures, word and gaze will be analyzed and criticised, but still appears carefree and serenely untroubled.
Perhaps this is the initial instance in history where that clichéd phrase – "Pay no mind, it's only envy" – may well be true. The reason is, you know what?, each element in Meghan's Holiday Celebration is lovely. Yes, it's all awkwardly over-the-top, nonsense and extravagant – but doesn't that represent precisely what Christmas is about? And the words she speaks might be ridiculous, but the example she sets appears to be beautifully curated.
Anything she attempts, she accomplishes with panache. Her cooking looks delicious, the wreath she crafts is breathtaking, her presents are almost too pretty to open. Nothing is mediocre or ugly – including the way she secures her kitchen garment is stylish and elegant. She doesn't bung a meal in the microwave, it "takes a twirl", and she creases wrapping paper like an origami guru. She also seems to be thoroughly enjoying herself the entire time. How could any skeptical viewer not be charmed, filled with holiday spirit and left with a powerful yearning for personalized Christmas crackers or a crudites platter where greens is organized in the shape of a Christmas ring?
Meghan had a career in acting for a living, obviously, but despite that, after the degree of examination she has weathered ever since she became involved with Prince Harry, the love child of two legendary actresses would struggle to act this authentically. Her unwillingness to alter or even moderate her persona, even though it being so relentlessly, widely parodied, is strangely reassuring. In our uncertain world, here is one thing we can depend on: Meghan will be like this, no matter what. We will forever know where we are with her.
If you're remaining skeptical of what she's selling, a thought that will undoubtedly come as a relief: you don't have to. The UK has abolished the draft anymore, and if there were, it would be unlikely to include streaming With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, conversely, you choose to watch and are consumed by longing about her flawless Christmas, all is not lost either. Whether you're a royal or a everyday person, no kid truly appreciates the time and energy their mum expends in December. So you can console yourself by picturing Archie and Lilibet's faces when they unfold a handwritten message that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a homemade Advent calendar, instead of a chocolate.
