This review should really be titled “We Watched With Love, Meghan So You Don’t Have to.” The show (as well as the Duchess of Sussex) has gotten a lot of hate and that meant that I had to see for myself if it was just Meghan bashing, or if it was justified. The 8-episode reality series premiered on March 4th and according to the Duchess herself on Instagram, the show has received a lot of love:
“For more recipes, fun, and reasons to ‘Mmmm’, check out the show — which in just 24 hours is already in the Top 10!” the Duchess of Sussex captioned a promo from “With Love, Meghan” via her Instagram Story on Wednesday.
“Thank you to all of you around the world who are tuning in! ❤️,” she added.
With Love, Meghan currently sits at Number 6 in the streaming giant’s “Top 10 Shows in the US Today”. That means it can’t be all bad, or can it? The reality is that two things can be true at once.
With Love, Meghan – The Description
From Netflix:
Produced by Meghan, With Love, Meghan blends practical how-tos and candid conversation with friends, new and old. Meghan shares personal tips and tricks, embracing playfulness over perfection, and highlights how easy it can be to create beauty, even in the unexpected. She and her guests roll up their sleeves in the kitchen, the garden, and beyond, and invite you to do the same.
The Unjustified Hate for With Love, Meghan
There are some criticisms that I have seen, like people hating on the show because it’s not filmed at her own home so viewers think it’s inauthentic. The reality is that very few people with the profile that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have along with having two small children, would want their home and lives disrupted by camera crews. She isn’t the first person to film away from her home, and she won’t be the last.
The truth is that the Duchess of Sussex is a polarizing figure. Given the Duchess’s complicated relationship with the British press, it’s not surprising that some outlets may be critical of the show. Some people love her, and they love whatever the former Meghan Markle does and that’s ok too.
The Good
There are definitely things to like about With Love, Meghan. It is beautifully shot. The closeups lovingly pan across both nature – the beautiful vistas in Montecito and Meghan’s way of nurture – providing food for her family and friends. She is also clearly very competent in the kitchen and can cook. Her food presentation skills are on point. She also has gorgeous penmanship. She comes by the lifestyle elements of her show honestly.
The Bad
In fairness, I only watched one episode, and if truth be told, I fell asleep near the end. The show’s biggest problem is that it’s boring. Meghan Sussex is too tentative and too worried about preserving her brand to be compelling TV. With Love, She shows an almost earnest need to be loved, but unfortunately, there isn’t a lot to love about the show. It is disjointed. Her recipes aren’t shared but you can look them up later, but that isn’t a good viewer experience. Her tips are generic at best. None of it makes for compelling TV.
Providing step-by-step guidance on her tips could significantly enhance the show’s value and viewer experience. Show viewers how to make the crudité platter. Walk viewers through your one-pot pasta dish step by step. Tell viewers where you get your recipes from – because clearly, they have all come from somewhere – they aren’t unique.
Much has been made of her correcting guest Mindy Kaling that her surname is Sussex, not Markle. That comment wasn’t an accident – each moment in the show is scripted for a purpose. Kaling would have known this going into her episode. This moment seemed like an opportunity for Meghan to assert her preferred identity to a wider audience. It was contrived, as the show in it’s entirety is. The candid conversations in the show’s descriptor just never pan out, at least in episode one.
Final Thoughts
With Love, Meghan is produced by the Duchess herself. Part of her issue, and this is a well-known fact is that she doesn’t take advice well. That is evident in this show. The show is meant to be a launch pad for her lifestyle brand, As Ever. The marketing person in me wants to tell her that the name is not only bad, it should have been more related to the show. Consistency is the key to branding. No one is going to connect As Ever and With Love, Meghan.
I am going to try to watch more of the show, but it is going to be tough. She is someone that would benefit from having someone guide her to help her elevate her home-chef experience. She is clearly good at that. To truly stand out in a crowded lifestyle market, the show needs to offer something unique that surpasses the competition. Unfortunately, Netflix has better shows and I can’t see this one staying in the top ten for long.
