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| Celebrating Harry and Meghan's wedding at Fox 2 News, 2018 |
This week, "With Love, Meghan" aired on Netflix - coincidentally, the same week two famous Sussex-related events occurred four years ago: Megan and Harry's headline-grabbing interview with Oprah and a reposting of a Barb's Tea Service's video featuring the unlocking of the Duke and Duchess' wedding commemorative shortbread cookie tin (see link at very bottom of blog). Meghan's streaming lifestyle series, so far, blends all the anticipated fanfare of the former with the lackluster delivery of the latter. To paraphrase another famous Royal, we are not as amused as we had hoped.
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| Meghan in the glam kitchen, wearing white |
Two episodes in and I'm already focusing more on the incredulous than the incredible (e.g., Meghan wearing various shades of white while cooking in the kitchen - including pasta) and waiting for something with a bigger payoff than watching Meghan fill up balloons to create a decorative arch for a children's party (Meghan's tip: save your breath and use an automatic inflator!).
That episode also features Mindy Kaling (The Office/The Mindy Project) and, while both actresses chop up fruit for that same (though non-existent) children's party, they discuss their respective childhoods. When Meghan reveals she was a "latch-key kid" who watched games shows and ate fast food. Kaling replies, "I don't think anyone in the world knows that Meghan Markle has eaten Jack in the Box and loved it".
I have to admit, it had crossed my mind.
Although much fuss has been made of Meghan correcting her guest ("You know I'm Sussex now"), maybe seeing the Duchess at the drive-through would mine more television gold than watching her remove peanut butter-filled pretzels from their retail package and into small gift bags for overnight guests. (Yes, I'd like a dozen 4-piece chicken McNuggets and throw in a Shamrock Shake for Mama S.).
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| Produced by Sussex, not Markle! |
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| Afternoon tea children's party for two |
While serving up snark-le for the Markle may be easy fodder for those disenchanted with the Sussex family, as an ardent royal-phile and one who celebrated the union of the Duke and Duchess on Fox 2 News the very morning of the wedding, I will reserve any not make too much judgement until I have watched all eight episodes.
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| Heading home from London, May, 2018, our cruise ship celebrated the Royal Wedding, too |
On the plus side, I like that Meghan's brand "As Ever" offers herbal teas (I'm on the email waiting list for when the website retail space goes live) and that the second episode's theme was a children's tea party (however outlandish and unattended).
On the "needs work side", we'd advise a little more focus on the focus. Meghan states the series' goal isn't perfection, but joy. Got it. The appeal of Martha Stewart was perfection and, if not attainable, at least aspirational. But, what is With Love's mission? Talk show? Cooking show? Infomercial? To date, the show's throwing a lot of stuff on the well-staged, glam-kitchen walls to see what sticks, but without much heft behind the content, it's spread as thin as Meghan's jam on her tiny PB & J tea sandwiches.
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| Hoping the imperfect joy ride doesn't go too far off the rails |
With six more episodes to go, I'm anxiously awaiting more compelling content than background noise. Armed with a full bag of pretzels (in their original packaging) and a pot of tea at the ready, I'm buckling up for a With Love joy ride and, here's hoping, it doesn't go too far off the rails.
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