Yes, it's Brimming with Absurdity, Extreme Hosting and Self-Help Jargon. But I Do Cherish Meghan's Holiday Special.
No concerned with the time of year, it's constantly hunting season for commentary on the Duchess of Sussex's TV show, With Love, Meghan. Reviewers, both professional and armchair, have rarely been so united as when eagerly tearing the program's initial installments to shreds. The prevailing view held that a more egregious regal scandal had seldom occurred than the much-discussed snack re-labeling incident.
Now, like a merry renegade master, she makes a comeback for another round with a "Christmas Special" (aka a yuletide episode). Yet now, things have shifted. The usual elements audiences anticipate – meaningless jargon salads, extreme hosting – persist, but within the context of a holiday show, suddenly it all makes sense. The elements have slid together; it's a ideal seasonal storm.
At this stage, Meghan has become the oddball family member at Christmas celebrations everywhere – providing 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 aura is known and strangely comforting. And she seems pleased; she's inflicting the slightest hurt.
She knows her all subtle gestures, word and gaze will be picked apart and criticised, but still appears carefree and remarkably at ease.
Maybe this is the only time in history where that old chestnut – "Don't listen, it's pure jealousy" – may well be true. Since, you know what?, all aspects in Meghan's Holiday Celebration truly is lovely. Admittedly, it's all awkwardly over-the-top, nonsense and flamboyant – but isn't that exactly what Yuletide is about? And the advice she gives might be absurd, but the example she sets appears to be beautifully curated.
Whatever she attempts, she accomplishes with style. Her cooking looks tasty, the wreath she crafts is gorgeous, her gifts are practically too exquisite to open. Nothing is mediocre or visually unappealing – even 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 wraps gift paper like an origami guru. She also seems to be completely savoring herself from start to finish. How could any skeptical viewer not be charmed, bursting with holiday spirit and left with a deep longing for handmade crackers or a vegetable display where broccoli is arranged in the shape of a wreath?
Meghan was once an actress for a living, of course, but nonetheless, after the degree of scrutiny she has weathered from the moment she started dating Prince Harry, a theoretical combination of acting royalty would have difficulty behaving this naturally. Her unwillingness to modify or even soften her shtick, despite it being so persistently, internationally ridiculed, is weirdly comforting. In our volatile world, here is one thing we can count on: Meghan will remain herself, no matter what. We will always know what to expect with her.
If you're remaining skeptical of her message, a reminder that will surely come as a comfort: you aren't required to. The UK has abolished the draft these days, and were it to return, it would be doubtful to include viewing With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, on the other hand, you choose to watch and are consumed by jealousy about her picture-perfect Christmas, all is not lost either. Whether you're a royal or a data administrator, few children truly appreciates the time and energy their parent puts in in the holiday season. So you can take heart by imagining Archie and Lilibet's faces when they reveal a beautifully scripted letter that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a handcrafted holiday countdown, in place of a candy.
