On a superficial level, With Love, Meghan is beautifully organized with lovely visuals and an aesthetic appeal. Each episode is meticulously curated with carefully assembled details, from the configuration of her kitchen to the interactions between Megan Markle and her “friends”. However, as each episode progressed, there was an underlying fakeness that became increasingly evident.
To prepare for the establishment of her new business, a venture that is never explicitly described, Markle invites eight different guests to her extravagant home, providing them with food, tips and entertainment. With each guest, she tries to create a sense of comfort, teaching them about cooking, gift-wrapping, candle making and more. Markle’s attempts to show the world that she is “normal” is a facade, and she simply appears as a socialite pretending to relate with her viewers.
The show also constantly warps reality and presents viewers with fake situations. Though many of Markle’s guests have not seen her in a long time, Markle attempts to make it appear as if they regularly spend time together, creating immense amounts of secondhand embarrassment.
With Love, Meghan is meant to be a helpful guide on hosting parties and gatherings, however, it became evident that Markle has no semblance of an idea regarding how the average viewer would approach such events. It’s difficult to picture most hosts spending an obscene amount on flower arrangements prior to budgeting the meal itself. Furthermore, Markle incorporates impractical details such as edible flowers for garnishing dishes, an unnecessary and expensive addition.
While this is not necessarily a bad thing, and might be entertaining for some, it highlights Markle’s detachment from reality. Additionally, the vast majority of her guests are wealthy enough to the point where they would hire professionals to do what Markle attempts to teach them, adding another layer of inauthenticity.
Though With Love, Meghan had an undeniably pleasing aesthetic, its fakeness made it extremely difficult to watch. Overall, this series earns a 2.5/5 as a weak excuse of a relatable hosting tutorial.
