Admittedly, it's Full of Gibberish, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Psychobabble. But I Do Adore Meghan's Holiday Special.
No considering the season, it's constantly fair game for criticism on the Duchess of Sussex's Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. Reviewers, expert and amateur alike, have hardly ever agreed so completely as when eagerly tearing the program's first and second seasons to pieces. The common opinion was that a more egregious regal scandal had hardly ever taken place than the now-infamous snack re-labeling incident.
Presently, like a merry renegade master, she has returned for another round with a "Holiday Celebration" (also known as a yuletide episode). Yet now, it's different. The usual elements we've come to expect – psychobabble word salads, overzealous entertaining – persist, but set of a holiday show, it all clicks into place. The puzzle has come into place; it's a perfect snow storm.
By this point, Meghan resembles the quirky relative at most festive family gatherings – offering random tips, and supplying 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 an interesting figure, but her company is customary and oddly reassuring. And she seems content; she's causing a bit of damage.
She is aware her each tiny facial movement, syllable and glance will be dissected and criticised, but nonetheless looks relaxed and remarkably at ease.
Perhaps this is the only time in history where that clichéd phrase – "Ignore them, they're just jealous" – could actually be true. Since, let's face it, each element in Meghan's Holiday Celebration is delightful. Admittedly, it's all awkwardly over-the-top, nonsense and extravagant – but is that not just what the holiday season is all about? And the words she speaks might be ridiculous, but the life she leads appears to be shop-bought.
Anything she sets her mind to, she pulls off with style. Her culinary efforts looks delicious, the festive decoration she crafts is stunning, her gifts are nearly too beautiful to tear into. Not a single thing is average or aesthetically displeasing – even the way she ties her kitchen garment is stylish and elegant. She doesn't throw a dish in the microwave, it "takes a twirl", and she creases gift paper like an craft master. She also seems to be genuinely relishing herself from start to finish. How could any skeptical viewer not be won over, overcome by holiday spirit and left with a deep longing for crafted festive snaps or a vegetable display where broccoli is organized in the likeness of a festive circle?
Meghan used to pretend for a living, naturally, but even so, after the degree of scrutiny she has faced ever since she became involved with Prince Harry, the love child of acting royalty would find it hard to appear this authentically. Her unwillingness to alter or even tone down her persona, even though it being so persistently, globally mocked, is strangely reassuring. In our volatile world, here is something we can count on: Meghan will be like this, come what may. We will always know where we are with her.
If you're still not buying her brand, a point that will undoubtedly come as a reassurance: you are not obligated to. We don't have the draft in this country, and should it be reinstated, it would be improbable to include streaming With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, however, you willingly check it out and are overcome with longing about her flawless Christmas, all is not lost either. Whether you're a duchess or a office worker, few children fully understands the effort and hard work their mother puts in in the holiday season. So you can take heart by picturing the young royals' faces when they open a beautifully scripted letter that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a handcrafted holiday countdown, instead of a sweet treat.
