Topline
Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle Netflix series, “With Love, Meghan,” will return for a second season despite a dismal response from critics, as the series places in the top 10 of Netflix shows on the streaming platform Friday.
“With Love, Meghan,” a lifestyle series for Netflix, has been met with a negative critical … [+]
AFP via Getty ImagesKey Facts
“With Love, Meghan” premiered Tuesday on Netflix, featuring eight episodes of the Duchess of Sussex inviting guests to her California home, where she cooks and engages with guests in homemaking projects.
The renewal comes as Markle’s show has been roasted by critics, particularly in the United Kingdom, leaving it with just a 28% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and an even worse 18% audience score (though the latter system is notoriously easy to game).
“With Love, Meghan” ranks as Netflix’s No. 7 show in the United States on Friday, according to the streaming service’s daily charts.
Chief Critics
Markle’s show has been torched by critics since its debut, especially in England—where Markle remains a divisive figure after she decamped the country with her husband, Prince Harry, stepping away from their royal duties—with British newspapers The Guardian and The Independent both giving the series a one-star rating. The Independent called the series “queasy and exhausting” and like a “millennial blog come to life.” Variety said Markle appears “unwilling to step outside the role of perpetual A student” and “lacks similar competence” to lifestyle gurus Martha Stewart and Ina Garten.
Key Background
On “With Love, Meghan,” Markle invites guests to her home that include actress-writer Mindy Kaling, her former “Suits” co-star Abigail Spencer and celebrity chefs Roy Choi and Alice Waters. The series is one of many media ventures she and her husband have undertaken since leaving their royal duties in 2020. Harry’s blockbuster memoir, “Spare,” became the fastest-selling nonfiction book ever. The couple signed a deal with Netflix reportedly worth $100 million, for which they have produced five shows, including the 2022 “Harry & Meghan” docuseries, which was a ratings hit but prompted a mixed response from critics. Markle also hosted a short-lived podcast for Spotify, “Archetypes,” which lasted for 12 episodes before she parted ways with the streaming platform. Spotify’s head of podcasts Bill Simmons slammed Harry and Markle after her podcast ended, calling them “grifters.”
Further Reading
Meghan Markle’s ‘With Love, Meghan’ Roasted By Critics—The Royal Couple’s Latest Media Venture Struggle (Forbes)
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