Admittedly, it's Packed with Nonsense, Extreme Hosting and Psychobabble. But I Do Cherish Meghan's Holiday Special.
No concerned with the time of year, it's constantly hunting season for criticism on the Meghan Markle's Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. Critics, from seasoned journalists to online pundits, have seldom found such common ground as when gleefully ripping the lifestyle show's first and second seasons apart. The common opinion was that a greater royal outrage had never been witnessed than the now-infamous pretzel-bagging incident.
Now, like a merry renegade master, she makes a comeback with a new offering with a "Christmas Special" (also known as a yuletide episode). Yet now, things have shifted. The familiar ingredients audiences anticipate – vague self-help platitudes, extreme hosting – are still present, but within the context of a Christmas special, the purpose becomes clear. The pieces have fallen into place; it's a ideal seasonal storm.
By this point, Meghan has become the quirky relative at Christmas celebrations everywhere – providing unsolicited, unnecessary advice, and contributing 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 a bit of a character, but her presence is familiar and unexpectedly soothing. And she appears content; she's causing a bit of damage.
She knows her all subtle gestures, utterance and glance will be picked apart and criticised, but still appears relaxed and serenely untroubled.
Perhaps this is the only time in history where that clichéd phrase – "Don't listen, it's pure jealousy" – may well be true. Since, you know what?, everything in Meghan's Holiday Celebration honestly feels lovely. Admittedly, it's all cringily ultra-extra, nonsense and extravagant – but is that not just what Christmas is all about? And the talk she's talking might be laughable, but the walk she's walking genuinely looks impeccably styled.
Anything she turns her beautifully manicured, diamond-adorned hand to, she executes with flair. Her cooking looks delicious, the wreath she makes is gorgeous, her presents are nearly too beautiful to tear into. Not a single thing is mediocre or ugly – even the way she fastens her kitchen garment is stylish and elegant. She doesn't throw a meal in the microwave, it "has a moment", and she wraps gift paper like an craft master. She also seems to be completely savoring herself the entire time. How could any skeptical viewer not be charmed, bursting with seasonal cheer and left with a intense desire for personalized Christmas crackers or a vegetable display where greens is positioned in the likeness of a Christmas ring?
Meghan used to pretend for a living, obviously, but nonetheless, after the degree of scrutiny she has faced since she became involved with Prince Harry, a theoretical combination of Meryl Streep and Judi Dench would find it hard to appear this genuinely. Her decision to alter or even moderate her persona, even though it being so constantly, globally mocked, is strangely reassuring. In our unpredictable world, here is something we can count on: Meghan will be like this, no matter what. We will always know our position with her.
If you're not yet convinced by her brand, a point that will undoubtedly come as a comfort: you don't have to. We don't have the draft anymore, and were it to return, it would be improbable to include streaming With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, on the other hand, you decide to tune in and are gripped with envy about her idyllic Christmas, all is not lost either. Be you a royal or a office worker, no kid fully understands the time and energy their mother expends in the holiday season. So you can console yourself by picturing the young royals' faces when they unfold a beautifully scripted letter that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a DIY festive calendar, rather than a chocolate.
