'Quite mad and a little bit sad': Meghan's 'insipid' Netflix Christmas special is panned and compared to 'white noise' by critics.
Meghan Markle's Netflix Christmas special was savaged by critics today - some of whom gave the 'quite mad and a little bit sad' show one star for its 'numbing content'.
The Duchess of Sussex used the episode to share tips with celebrity friends on how to make crackers, as well as wrapping different types of gifts and decorating a tree.
But reviewers in the Times, Guardian, Telegraph and Independent were left stunned by the 56-minute 'With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration' - and not in a good way.
It follows the first two critically-mauled seasons of With Love, Meghan and after the Sussexes signed their new watered down, first look deal with Netflix in August.
Times columnist Hilary Rose describes the show as 'unfathomable', adding that it features 'four pointless crafts, three random 'friends', two unseen kids, one English prince and a duchess in a pear tree, or at least making pear syrup'.
The writer describes how guests 'queue up to say implausible things, running the gamut from moronic to trite and then emote joy'.
She adds that some of the dialogue left her feeling like 'the English language has been fed through Google Translate and found wanting'.
Turning to the section on Meghan making her advent calendar featuring 'inspirational quotes and tiny perfectly wrapped gifts', Ms Rose says it was 'unimprovable, at least unless what you actually want from an advent calendar is chocolate'.
She adds that viewers 'learn that red is a festive colour and that if you don't like cheese or pepper, you might not like a dish consisting of cheese and pepper'
In the Telegraph's one-star review from arts and entertainment editor Anita Singh, the episode is labelled 'quite mad and a little bit sad'.
She cites the appearance of Naomi Osaka as the 'most awkward section' of the programme, adding that the tennis star 'has never met Meghan before and, judging by her expression, won't be meeting her again soon if she can help it'.
Ms Singh also says how the show reminds her of Pippa Middleton's advice in her 2012 book Celebrate, which 'recommended serving turkey on Christmas Day and going stargazing at night-time because that's when it's dark'.
The journalist adds: 'Meghan's tips are imparted in an easy-breezy manner as she waxes lyrical about family traditions and spending the holiday with loved ones, determinedly ignoring the elephants in the room.'
Harry, who featured briefly in the first season of With Love, Meghan but not the second, makes his cameo near the end, when he walks into the kitchen while Meghan and visiting restaurateur Tom Colicchio are cooking.
Ms Singh writes: 'He is appalled at the sight of a beetroot, pickled vegetable, black olive, anchovy and fennel salad ('Oh, wow, that's like the anti-salad,' he says) and who can blame him? Just give the poor man a sausage roll and let him have a happy Christmas.'
Another one-star review was published by the Independent today, whose deputy culture and lifestyle editor Hannah Ewens says the episode is 'not fun, enjoyable or even aspirational' and a 'predictably insipid festive special'.
She adds: 'Now I like Christmas and I don't have one of these weird royalist vendettas against Meghan Markle – I think she seems like a lovely, sweet woman!
'So in theory I should enjoy With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration for what it means to provide: a massage for the brain. Sadly this most Markle-y of Netflix content tests the limits of my holiday cheer.'
Ms Ewens also writes that Meghan 'makes Christmas food and decorative items for your benefit without actually showing you how to do things or listing the ingredients you need like a cooking show'.
She describes the show as 'numbing content in the background of our holiday season', adding: 'White noise to dull the senses.'
The Guardian's TV critic Lucy Mangan was tempted to give it one star, but writes: 'I feel both offended and harmed, but in the spirit of goodwill I will add a star to my rating in gratitude for the fact that at least we are safe now until next year.'
She also advises 'any viewers who are British, not in the acting profession and/or not married to the Duchess of Sussex to take as many anti-emetics as medically advisable, then assume the crash position'.
Ms Mangan writes that Meghan and American restaurateur Will Guidara 'make crackers and compete to out-drivel each other'.
She adds of Osaka: 'I've never seen anyone more desperate to get home.'
A further two-star review came in the Standard from writer India Block, who says the 'Duchess formerly known as Markle firmly believes that holiday traditions can be boiled down to word salads of platitudes'.
She adds: 'Netflix has really hit its stride with this special episode of With Love, Meghan.
Tags: Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince Louis, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Meghan, Lilibet
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