Yes, it's Brimming with Gibberish, Extreme Hosting and Self-Help Jargon. But I Do Cherish Meghan's Festive Episode.
No concerned with the time of year, it's always hunting season for scrutiny on the Duchess of Sussex's televisual offering, With Love, Meghan. Critics, both professional and armchair, have hardly ever agreed so completely as when eagerly tearing the lifestyle show's first and second seasons apart. The common opinion was that a more egregious regal scandal had hardly ever taken place than the notorious pretzel re-packaging incident.
Currently, in the spirit of a holiday maverick, she is back once again with a "Festive Special" (also known as a yuletide episode). However on this occasion, the dynamic has changed. The standard components viewers are accustomed to – psychobabble word salads, overzealous entertaining – are still present, but set of a yuletide episode, it all clicks into place. The pieces have fallen together; it's a flawless festive blizzard.
By this point, Meghan is like the eccentric aunt at Christmas celebrations everywhere – providing unasked-for guidance, 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 an interesting figure, but her company is customary and oddly reassuring. And she looks content; she's inflicting a bit of damage.
She is aware her all subtle gestures, utterance and gaze will be analyzed and scrutinized, but nonetheless looks carefree and serenely untroubled.
Perhaps this is the initial instance in history where that old chestnut – "Don't listen, it's pure jealousy" – may well be true. Since, you know what?, each element in Meghan's Holiday Celebration honestly feels lovely. Granted, it's all painfully excessive, silliness and extravagant – but isn't that precisely what the holiday season is for? And the words she speaks might be laughable, but the walk she's walking appears to be impeccably styled.
Anything she turns her beautifully manicured, diamond-adorned hand to, she pulls off with flair. Her culinary efforts looks tasty, the festive decoration she makes is gorgeous, her gifts are almost too pretty to unwrap. Not a single thing is ordinary or aesthetically displeasing – even the way she ties her apron is stylish and elegant. She doesn't bung a dish in the microwave, it "takes a twirl", and she folds gift paper like an origami guru. She also seems to be genuinely relishing herself from start to finish. How could any skeptical viewer not be won over, bursting with holiday spirit and left with a intense desire for crafted festive snaps or a crudites platter where broccoli is organized in the likeness of a festive circle?
Meghan had a career in acting for a living, of course, but nonetheless, after the level of scrutiny 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 authentically. Her decision to change or even tone down her persona, regardless of it being so persistently, widely parodied, is oddly heartening. In our unpredictable world, here is one thing we can count on: Meghan will be like this, come what may. We will forever know our position with her.
If you're still not buying what she's selling, a point that will certainly come as a comfort: you aren't required to. We don't have national service in this country, and if there were, it would be unlikely to include viewing With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, on the other hand, you willingly check it out and are gripped with longing about her flawless Christmas, there is hope either. Be you a royal or a everyday person, few children completely grasps the time and energy their parent puts in in the holiday season. So you can console yourself by imagining her children's faces when they unfold a calligraphy note that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a homemade Advent calendar, rather than a sweet treat.
