Yes, it's Full of Absurdity, Extreme Hosting and Psychobabble. Yet I Truly Adore Meghan's Holiday Special.
No matter the season, it's constantly fair game for scrutiny on the Meghan Markle's TV show, With Love, Meghan. Critics, from seasoned journalists to online pundits, have hardly ever agreed so completely as when enthusiastically shredding the series' earlier episodes to pieces. The general consensus held that a greater royal outrage had never been witnessed than the notorious snack re-labeling incident.
Now, as a festive rebel, she makes a comeback for another round with a "Christmas Special" (aka a yuletide episode). But this time, the dynamic has changed. The usual elements audiences anticipate – meaningless jargon salads, intense hospitality – persist, but framed of a holiday show, suddenly it all makes sense. The elements have slid into place; it's a flawless festive blizzard.
At this stage, Meghan has become the oddball family member at most festive family gatherings – dispensing unsolicited, unnecessary advice, and delivering 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 quite a personality, but her company is customary and unexpectedly soothing. And she appears content; she's causing a bit of damage.
She is aware her all subtle gestures, word and glance will be dissected and criticised, but nonetheless looks unburdened and serenely untroubled.
It could be this is the initial instance in history where that old chestnut – "Ignore them, they're just jealous" – may well be true. Since, let's face it, everything in Meghan's Holiday Celebration honestly feels lovely. Granted, it's all cringily ultra-extra, silliness and extravagant – but isn't that exactly what Christmas is about? And the words she speaks might be laughable, but the life she leads genuinely looks beautifully curated.
Anything she attempts, she pulls off with panache. Her cooking looks tasty, the wreath she makes is gorgeous, her presents are practically too exquisite to open. Nothing is ordinary or ugly – including the way she secures her kitchen garment is stylish and elegant. She doesn't bung a meal in the oven, it "goes for a spin", and she folds wrapping paper like an paper-folding expert. 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 deep longing for crafted festive snaps or a crudites platter where greens is positioned in the shape of a wreath?
Meghan was once an actress for a living, obviously, but nonetheless, after the level of scrutiny she has endured since she became involved with Prince Harry, even a hypothetical offspring of acting royalty would find it hard to appear this naturally. Her decision to alter or even tone down her shtick, even though it being so relentlessly, globally mocked, is strangely reassuring. In our uncertain world, here is one thing we can count on: Meghan will be like this, whatever happens. We will always know where we are with her.
If you're still not buying her message, a reminder that will undoubtedly come as a relief: you are not obligated to. The UK has abolished the draft these days, and were it to return, it would be unlikely to include watching With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, on the other hand, you choose to watch and are overcome with jealousy about her picture-perfect Christmas, there is hope either. Be you a duchess or a office worker, hardly any child fully understands the effort and hard work their mother expends in December. 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 homemade Advent calendar, rather than a candy.
