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Cheshire, UK – Like many, when I sat down on a Friday night to begin ‘Meghan Markle’s new show,’ I was expecting more insight, lengthy recounts, and detailed stories about Meghan’s experience with the Royal Family and UK tabloids. But this expectation was quickly dispelled within the first episode.
It was, quite simply, a cooking show.
Or, more accurately, a ‘lifestyle’ show, a genre which I had never heard of before. But after a quick google, which affirmed ‘lifestyle’ to be the same as ‘reality,’ I found myself bemused at this strange choice of genre for a lifestyle so unattainable for most people.
I should probably clarify that this review has no interest in being a part of the barrage of misogynistic and racial hatred that has compounded the Duchess of Sussex, ever since her introduction as Prince Harry’s fiancée.
While I fear that the overwhelmingly negative reception to her show will be used as an excuse to exacerbate these attitudes, I will be reviewing the show independently to all that came before.
The show’s eight episodes consist of various friends or figures in Meghan’s life who visit her, and she either cooks for them, teaches them cooking, or learns how to cook from them.
Within these episodes, there are often brief home-making subplots, including when Meghan creates ‘bath tea-bags’ and makes her own candles with the wax from her bee farm. These activities are often accompanied with a backstory about Meghan’s earlier life.
Whether cooking, baking, or making, her show’s message is always re-iterated: it’s the small details that count. Something may not be perfect, but if it’s made presentational, it is always more enjoyable.
This mantra was probably the reason I made it to the end of the series. It’s undoubtable that everything in the show is beautiful, from her actual cooking to the stunning, extensive gardens that grow her ingredients, which she takes pains to pick at the beginning of many episodes, ensuring that we, as the audience, know everything is organic.
Who could forget that jaw-dropping view of the Santa Ynez Mountains in Meghan’s back garden, as she and her guests sit and socialize?
As someone who greatly enjoys cooking shows, I often found the cooking process in this series just as satisfying, if a little over the top at times (namely those dried edible ‘flower sprinkles’ that made their way into everything). Although critics have been blasting her cooking methods, most frequently her family pasta dish, I was still intrigued by this excessively luxurious lifestyle.
But the show is far from perfect. While some may find it charming, I think tone-deaf is probably a better descriptor. Many moments feel quite awkward and forced, with the greatest irony being that this is supposed to be ‘reality.’
Although the aesthetic of Meghan’s beautiful kitchen, utensils, gardens and cooking was a factor in my continued entertainment, I also felt it would have been more fitting at times to just write “ORGANIC!” in black marker across Meghan’s forehead, as that felt like the real takeaway the show wanted us to remember.
At times Meghan’s cooking began to feel more like a Nara Smith reel on Instagram – famous for making everything from scratch.
In particular, the scene where Meghan is admiring the color of the yolk from the eggs of her rescue chickens perhaps demonstrates this excessive performance rather than reality.
Not to mention the running gag of the difference between jams and preserves. Meghan stresses her preference of preserves, as jam is a 1:1 ratio of sugar and fruit, but she prefers to taste the greater ratio of fruit, which is grown in her back garden, in the healthier option of preserves.
Her various teas, ranging from room-temperature ‘sun tea’ – which took hours to settle – to her turmeric and cayenne pepper tea, and even her bath water tea (yes, Meghan makes tea-bags to go in the bath), began to feel so excessive that I could only laugh.
Finally, many interactions between Meghan and her friends felt a little forced and uncomfortable. Of course, one can never know what the true nature of the exchanges were, but translated onto television, I felt it contributed to the performance-like nature of this show.
Ultimately, “With Love, Meghan” is a show that can be entertaining if you can make your peace with the fact that you will probably never reach the level of wealth and free time it must take to maintain all of these lifestyles. If you can chuckle along at the more unrealistic parts and enjoy the show for what it is, I’m sure you could have a good laugh, and maybe even try making that family pasta recipe.
Likewise, if you’re in need of a good complain, “With Love, Meghan” has plenty of meme-worthy content to unpick. Just don’t take it too seriously. It’s flamboyant, superficial and tone-deaf, but easy background noise.
Gemma Christie is a Senior Reporter with Youth Journalism International.
A humorous and thought provoking take on the show, I was entertained and informed all throughout the article!