Yes, it's Packed with Absurdity, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Psychobabble. Yet I Truly Adore Meghan's Festive Episode.
No matter the time of year, it's always fair game for commentary on the Duchess of Sussex's televisual offering, With Love, Meghan. Reviewers, both professional and armchair, have seldom found such common ground as when enthusiastically shredding the program's first and second seasons to pieces. The common opinion was that a more egregious regal scandal had never been witnessed than the much-discussed pretzel re-packaging incident.
Now, like a merry renegade master, she makes a comeback with a new offering with a "Festive Special" (aka a yuletide episode). Yet now, the dynamic has changed. The usual elements viewers are accustomed to – vague self-help platitudes, overzealous entertaining – remain, but set of a Christmas special, it all clicks into place. The pieces have fallen into place; it's a flawless festive blizzard.
Now, Meghan is like the eccentric aunt at most festive family gatherings – dispensing random tips, and contributing 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 aura is known and unexpectedly soothing. And she appears content; she's causing a bit of damage.
She knows her all subtle gestures, utterance and gaze will be picked apart and judged, but manages to seem carefree and remarkably at ease.
Maybe this is the first occasion in history where that well-worn saying – "Pay no mind, it's only envy" – may well be true. Since, in all honesty, all aspects in Meghan's Holiday Celebration is delightful. Granted, it's all cringily ultra-extra, silliness and flamboyant – but doesn't that represent just what Yuletide is about? And the talk she's talking might be ridiculous, but the walk she's walking appears to be impeccably styled.
Anything she attempts, she accomplishes with panache. Her culinary efforts looks tasty, the wreath she crafts is stunning, her presents are almost too pretty to open. Not a single thing is average or visually unappealing – including the way she fastens her kitchen garment is stylish and elegant. She doesn't throw a dish in the oven, it "has a moment", and she folds gift paper like an paper-folding expert. She also seems to be genuinely relishing herself the entire time. 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 broccoli is positioned in the likeness of a wreath?
Meghan used to pretend for a living, obviously, but despite that, after the level of attention she has faced from the moment she became involved with Prince Harry, a theoretical combination of Meryl Streep and Judi Dench would struggle to act this naturally. Her refusal to modify or even moderate her routine, regardless of it being so relentlessly, widely parodied, is oddly heartening. In our volatile world, here is one thing we can rely on: Meghan will remain herself, whatever happens. We will always know what to expect with her.
If you're still not buying her brand, a reminder that will surely come as a relief: you are not obligated to. There isn't national service anymore, and were it to return, it would be doubtful to include viewing With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, on the other hand, you willingly check it out and are overcome with jealousy about her idyllic Christmas, you can take solace either. Whether you're a royal or a everyday person, no kid fully understands the effort and hard work their parent expends in December. So you can console yourself by envisioning the young royals' faces when they reveal a beautifully scripted letter that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a homemade Advent calendar, rather than a sweet treat.
