Yes, it's Brimming with Absurdity, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Psychobabble. Yet I Truly Cherish Meghan's Festive Episode.
No matter the time of year, it's perpetually fair game for scrutiny on the Meghan Markle's Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. Critics, expert and amateur alike, have hardly ever agreed so completely as when gleefully ripping the series' first and second seasons to pieces. The common opinion held that a more egregious regal scandal had hardly ever taken place than the now-infamous snack re-labeling incident.
Now, in the spirit of a holiday maverick, she is back with a new offering with a "Holiday Celebration" (or a Christmas special). But this time, it's different. The usual elements we've come to expect – vague self-help platitudes, overzealous entertaining – persist, but within the context of a Christmas special, suddenly it all makes sense. The pieces have fallen together; it's a ideal seasonal storm.
By this point, Meghan resembles the eccentric aunt at Christmas celebrations everywhere – providing unsolicited, unnecessary advice, and delivering the odd random outburst. ("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 presence is familiar and oddly reassuring. And she seems content; she's causing any harm.
She is aware her each tiny facial movement, utterance and look will be dissected and judged, but nonetheless looks unburdened and serenely untroubled.
It could be this is the first occasion in history where that old chestnut – "Don't listen, it's pure jealousy" – may well be true. The reason is, let's face it, each element in Meghan's Holiday Celebration honestly feels delightful. Admittedly, it's all cringily ultra-extra, nonsense and extravagant – but doesn't that represent just what Yuletide is about? And the words she speaks might be ridiculous, but the walk she's walking appears to be beautifully curated.
Whatever she attempts, she accomplishes with flair. Her culinary efforts looks delicious, the holiday arrangement she makes is gorgeous, her presents are almost too pretty to unwrap. Not a single thing is ordinary or ugly – even the way she fastens her apron is creative and fashionable. She doesn't bung a dish in the microwave, it "has a moment", and she wraps wrapping paper like an paper-folding expert. She also seems to be genuinely relishing herself from start to finish. How could any cynical observer not be convinced, filled with festive joy and left with a deep longing for handmade crackers or a crudites platter where broccoli is arranged in the shape of a Christmas ring?
Meghan used to pretend for a living, naturally, but even so, after the level of scrutiny she has weathered since she became involved with Prince Harry, a theoretical combination of Meryl Streep and Judi Dench would have difficulty behaving this naturally. Her unwillingness to alter or even tone down her routine, regardless of it being so relentlessly, widely parodied, is oddly heartening. In our unpredictable world, here is something we can rely on: Meghan will stay true to form, come what may. We will always know where we are with her.
If you're not yet convinced by her brand, a point that will undoubtedly come as a comfort: you aren't required to. We don't have the draft in this country, and were it to return, it would be improbable to include streaming With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, on the other hand, you choose to watch and are consumed by longing about her picture-perfect Christmas, there is hope either. Be you a royal or a data administrator, hardly any child fully understands the time and energy their mother expends in December. So you can console yourself by picturing her children's faces when they reveal a beautifully scripted letter that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a homemade Advent calendar, instead of a chocolate.
