Indeed, it's Brimming with Nonsense, Extreme Hosting and Psychobabble. But I Do Cherish Meghan's Christmas Special.
No considering the time of year, it's constantly open season for commentary on the Duchess of Sussex's Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. Critics, expert and amateur alike, have rarely been so united as when enthusiastically shredding the series' first and second seasons to shreds. The prevailing view seemed to be a bigger monarchy-related faux pas had hardly ever taken place than the notorious pretzel-bagging incident.
Presently, like a merry renegade master, she is back once again with a "Christmas Special" (aka a holiday episode). But this time, it's different. The familiar ingredients we've come to expect – meaningless jargon salads, intense hospitality – are still present, but within the context of a holiday show, the purpose becomes clear. The elements have slid into place; it's a flawless festive blizzard.
By this point, Meghan resembles the eccentric aunt at the typical holiday get-together – offering unsolicited, unnecessary advice, 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 aura is known and oddly reassuring. And she seems happy enough; she's causing the slightest hurt.
She knows her every micro expression, syllable and glance will be analyzed and judged, but manages to seem relaxed and too blessed to be stressed.
It could be this is the only time in history where that well-worn saying – "Pay no mind, it's only envy" – may well be true. The reason is, in all honesty, each element in Meghan's Holiday Celebration is lovely. Yes, it's all painfully excessive, nonsense and flamboyant – but doesn't that represent exactly what the holiday season is about? And the talk she's talking might be absurd, but the walk she's walking genuinely looks beautifully curated.
Whatever she turns her beautifully manicured, diamond-adorned hand to, she pulls off with style. Her recipes looks tasty, the festive decoration she crafts is stunning, her presents are almost too pretty to tear into. Not a single thing is average or ugly – including the way she ties her kitchen garment is creative and fashionable. She doesn't bung a meal in the oven, it "goes for a spin", 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 seasonal cheer and left with a intense desire for handmade crackers or a vegetable display where broccoli is arranged in the shape of a Christmas ring?
Meghan used to pretend for a living, obviously, but even so, after the degree of scrutiny she has faced ever since she started dating Prince Harry, even a hypothetical offspring of Meryl Streep and Judi Dench would have difficulty behaving this authentically. Her refusal to modify or even soften her persona, even though it being so persistently, globally mocked, is weirdly comforting. In our uncertain world, here is one thing we can rely on: Meghan will remain herself, whatever happens. We will always know where we are with her.
If you're still not buying her message, a reminder that will certainly come as a relief: you aren't required to. We don't have the draft anymore, and should it be reinstated, it would be unlikely to include streaming With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, on the other hand, you decide to tune in and are overcome with jealousy about her picture-perfect Christmas, you can take solace either. If you are a duchess or a office worker, few children completely grasps the time and energy their mother does in the holiday season. So you can take heart by imagining the young royals' faces when they open a beautifully scripted letter that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a homemade Advent calendar, in place of a sweet treat.
