Indeed, it's Brimming with Absurdity, Extreme Hosting and Psychobabble. But I Do Cherish Meghan's Christmas Special.
No matter the season, it's constantly fair game for scrutiny on the Duchess of Sussex's Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. Reviewers, from seasoned journalists to online pundits, have hardly ever agreed so completely as when eagerly tearing the program's earlier episodes apart. The prevailing view held that a more egregious regal scandal had seldom occurred than the notorious snack re-labeling incident.
Currently, in the spirit of a holiday maverick, she has returned with a new offering with a "Holiday Celebration" (aka a Christmas special). But this time, it's different. The usual elements viewers are accustomed to – meaningless jargon salads, overzealous entertaining – persist, but set of a Christmas special, suddenly it all makes sense. The pieces have fallen perfectly; it's a perfect snow storm.
By this point, Meghan is like the oddball family member at the typical holiday get-together – providing unasked-for guidance, 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 a bit of a character, but her aura is known and oddly reassuring. And she looks content; she's inflicting a bit of damage.
She knows her each tiny facial movement, word and look will be analyzed and judged, but still appears unburdened and serenely untroubled.
Perhaps this is the initial instance in history where that old chestnut – "Pay no mind, it's only envy" – could actually be true. The reason is, you know what?, all aspects in Meghan's Holiday Celebration is lovely. Granted, it's all painfully excessive, nonsense and over the top – but isn't that exactly what Christmas is about? And the words she speaks might be ridiculous, but the example she sets appears to be beautifully curated.
Anything she sets her mind to, she accomplishes with style. Her culinary efforts looks tasty, the festive decoration she crafts is stunning, her gifts are almost too pretty to open. Nothing is average or ugly – even the way she secures her kitchen garment is stylish and elegant. She doesn't bung a dish in the oven, it "goes for a spin", and she creases gift paper like an origami guru. She also seems to be genuinely relishing herself the entire time. How could any skeptical viewer not be charmed, filled with festive joy and left with a powerful yearning for crafted festive snaps or a crudites platter where greens is arranged in the likeness of a wreath?
Meghan was once an actress for a living, of course, but nonetheless, after the intensity of examination she has endured from the moment she became involved with Prince Harry, even a hypothetical offspring of Meryl Streep and Judi Dench would struggle to act this authentically. Her refusal to change or even tone down her routine, even though it being so persistently, internationally ridiculed, is oddly heartening. In our uncertain world, here is one thing we can rely on: Meghan will be like this, whatever happens. We will consistently know what to expect with her.
If you're remaining skeptical of what she's selling, a reminder that will undoubtedly come as a reassurance: you aren't required to. We don't have mandatory conscription anymore, and if there were, it would be doubtful to include streaming With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, however, you willingly check it out and are gripped with jealousy about her picture-perfect Christmas, there is hope either. Be you a duchess or a everyday person, hardly any child truly appreciates the effort and hard work their mum expends in the holiday season. So you can find comfort by imagining Archie and Lilibet's faces when they open a handwritten message that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a homemade Advent calendar, instead of a chocolate.
