Admittedly, it's Full of Gibberish, Extreme Hosting and Psychobabble. Yet I Truly Cherish Meghan's Festive Episode.
No concerned with the season, it's always open season for scrutiny on the Meghan Markle's Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. Critics, both professional and armchair, have rarely been so united as when enthusiastically shredding the program's initial installments apart. The common opinion was that a more egregious regal scandal had seldom occurred than the much-discussed pretzel re-packaging incident.
Now, as a festive rebel, she makes a comeback for another round with a "Festive Special" (aka a yuletide episode). However on this occasion, the dynamic has changed. The usual elements viewers are accustomed to – meaningless jargon salads, extreme hosting – are still present, but set of a yuletide episode, suddenly it all makes sense. The elements have slid together; it's a perfect snow storm.
Now, Meghan resembles the oddball family member at the typical holiday get-together – dispensing unasked-for guidance, and supplying the periodic peculiar declaration. ("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 strangely comforting. And she seems content; she's causing a bit of damage.
She understands her each tiny facial movement, utterance and glance will be dissected and judged, but manages to seem relaxed and too blessed to be stressed.
Perhaps this is the initial instance in history where that clichéd phrase – "Ignore them, they're just jealous" – could actually be true. The reason is, you know what?, everything in Meghan's Holiday Celebration truly is charming. Admittedly, it's all cringily ultra-extra, nonsense and over the top – but doesn't that represent precisely what Christmas is for? And the advice she gives might be ridiculous, but the walk she's walking seems authentically shop-bought.
Whatever she turns her beautifully manicured, diamond-adorned hand to, she accomplishes with style. Her culinary efforts looks scrumptious, the festive decoration she crafts is gorgeous, her presents are almost too pretty to tear into. Not a single thing is ordinary or visually unappealing – even the way she ties her kitchen garment is creative and fashionable. She doesn't toss a meal in the microwave, it "has a moment", and she creases gift paper like an paper-folding expert. She also seems to be genuinely relishing herself throughout. How could any cynical observer not be charmed, overcome by holiday spirit and left with a powerful yearning for handmade crackers or a crudites platter where broccoli is positioned in the form of a wreath?
Meghan used to pretend for a living, naturally, but nonetheless, after the intensity of attention she has weathered from the moment she met Prince Harry, the love child of Meryl Streep and Judi Dench would have difficulty behaving this genuinely. Her refusal to alter or even tone down her shtick, regardless of it being so persistently, globally mocked, is strangely reassuring. In our unpredictable world, here is one thing we can depend on: Meghan will remain herself, no matter what. We will forever know our position with her.
If you're still not buying her brand, a reminder that will certainly come as a reassurance: you don't have to. There isn't national service in this country, and if there were, it would be unlikely to include viewing With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, conversely, you decide to tune in and are gripped with envy about her flawless Christmas, you can take solace either. If you are a royal or a office worker, few children fully understands the effort and hard work their parent puts in in the holiday season. So you can find comfort by envisioning the young royals' faces when they unfold a handwritten message that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a DIY festive calendar, in place of a chocolate.
