Yes, it's Brimming with Gibberish, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Psychobabble. But I Do Love Meghan's Festive Episode.
No considering the season, it's always open season for scrutiny on the Meghan Markle's TV show, With Love, Meghan. Reviewers, expert and amateur alike, have seldom found such common ground as when enthusiastically shredding the series' first and second seasons apart. The prevailing view held that a bigger monarchy-related faux pas had seldom occurred than the notorious pretzel re-packaging incident.
Now, like a merry renegade master, she is back once again with a "Holiday Celebration" (or a yuletide episode). But this time, things have shifted. The standard components we've come to expect – meaningless jargon salads, overzealous entertaining – are still present, but set of a Christmas special, suddenly it all makes sense. The pieces have fallen perfectly; it's a flawless festive blizzard.
Now, Meghan is like the oddball family member at Christmas celebrations everywhere – offering random tips, and delivering 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 an interesting figure, but her presence is familiar and strangely comforting. And she seems pleased; she's inflicting the slightest hurt.
She understands her every micro expression, utterance and glance will be dissected and judged, but nonetheless looks unburdened and serenely untroubled.
It could be this is the only time in history where that well-worn saying – "Pay no mind, it's only envy" – may well be true. Since, you know what?, everything in Meghan's Holiday Celebration honestly feels charming. Granted, it's all cringily ultra-extra, foolishness and extravagant – but is that not exactly what Yuletide is all about? And the talk she's talking might be absurd, but the walk she's walking genuinely looks impeccably styled.
Whatever she turns her beautifully manicured, diamond-adorned hand to, she executes with flair. Her cooking looks delicious, the festive decoration she crafts is stunning, her gifts are almost too pretty to tear into. Nothing is average or visually unappealing – even the way she secures her kitchen garment is stylish and elegant. She doesn't toss a dish in the oven, it "takes a twirl", and she creases gift paper like an origami guru. She also seems to be completely savoring herself throughout. How could any hate-watcher not be charmed, filled with festive joy and left with a deep longing for handmade crackers or a crudites platter where greens is positioned in the form of a wreath?
Meghan used to pretend for a living, naturally, but even so, after the level of attention she has endured from the moment she became involved with Prince Harry, the love child of Meryl Streep and Judi Dench would struggle to act this naturally. Her decision to alter or even tone down her shtick, despite it being so constantly, internationally ridiculed, is oddly heartening. In our uncertain world, here is something we can count on: Meghan will be like this, no matter what. We will always know what to expect with her.
If you're remaining skeptical of what she's selling, a point that will undoubtedly come as a relief: you aren't required to. There isn't the draft in this country, and were it to return, it would be unlikely to include streaming With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, on the other hand, you willingly check it out and are overcome with jealousy about her picture-perfect Christmas, you can take solace either. Be you a duchess or a everyday person, no kid truly appreciates the dedication and labor their mother expends in December. So you can find comfort by picturing Archie and Lilibet's faces when they reveal a calligraphy note that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a homemade Advent calendar, in place of a sweet treat.
