Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has long been a polarizing figure, drawing both fervent support and intense scrutiny since her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018. Her latest venture, the Netflix lifestyle series With Love, Meghan, premiered on March 4, 2025, with the promise of sharing “personal tips and tricks, embracing playfulness over perfection” in cooking, gardening, and hosting. However, the eight-episode series, filmed in a picturesque Montecito estate, has faced a barrage of negative reviews, with critics and audiences alike branding it as “boring,” “pretentious,” and “unrelatable.” Despite some positive reactions praising its cozy aesthetic, the overwhelming sentiment suggests that the show fails to connect with viewers, raising questions about Meghan’s ability to establish herself as a lifestyle guru. This article explores the reasons behind the backlash, the show’s content and execution, and the broader context of public perception, drawing on recent reviews and online sentiment.
The Premise and Execution of With Love, Meghan
With Love, Meghan aims to showcase Meghan’s passion for hosting, cooking, and creating memorable moments for friends and family. Each episode features Meghan welcoming guests—ranging from close friends like Abigail Spencer to celebrities like Mindy Kaling and Chef Roy Choi—to a stunning California estate (not her own home, a point of contention for critics). The series, directed by Michael Steed, follows a consistent format: Meghan prepares for her guests, often demonstrating crafts like flower arranging or candle-making, and shares recipes such as frittatas, homemade donuts, or Korean fried chicken. Flashbacks reveal her meticulous preparations, emphasizing her attention to detail, like burlap bows or edible flower garnishes. The show is tied to her lifestyle brand, As Ever (formerly American Riviera Orchard), with products like jams and teas subtly promoted throughout.
Meghan’s stated goal is to inspire viewers to elevate everyday moments, with lines like, “The only thing better than eating food is making food for someone and watching them eat it with delight.” However, critics argue that the show lacks a clear purpose or unifying theme, with episodes feeling like a disjointed mix of cooking, crafting, and hosting tips. Variety called it “a Montecito ego trip not worth taking,” criticizing its “jumbled timeline” and Meghan’s “perpetual A-student” demeanor, which feels overly polished and inauthentic. Similarly, The Guardian described it as vibrating with “vacuous, overstyled joylessness,” packed with “useless information” like Meghan’s preference for less-sweet jam recipes. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 36% critic approval rating and a mere 20% audience score, reflecting widespread disappointment.
Key Criticisms: Inauthenticity and Unrelatability
The most pervasive criticism of With Love, Meghan centers on its perceived inauthenticity. Critics note that the show, billed as a glimpse into Meghan’s lifestyle, is filmed in a rented estate rather than her Montecito home, creating a “layer of frosted glass” between her and the audience, as The AV Club put it. This choice, likely made for privacy and security reasons, undermines the show’s premise of offering an intimate look into her life. The Hollywood Reporter lamented that it fails to deliver on its promise of “candid conversation with friends,” with interactions feeling staged and overly polite. For instance, conversations with guests often dissolve into platitudes, such as Meghan marveling at the “meaningful stories” behind dumplings shaped like gold ingots, which Variety mocked as “canned” insights.
The show’s unrelatability is another major point of contention. Meghan’s lifestyle—complete with sprawling gardens, beehives managed by a professional beekeeper, and lavish tablescapes adorned with edible flowers—is seen as disconnected from the realities of most viewers. HuffPost pointed out that tasks like making balloon arches or beeswax candles are luxuries most people can’t afford, with parents more likely to tackle such projects out of necessity rather than joy. A Reddit user on r/netflix echoed this sentiment, noting, “Fresh flowers are so expensive, so to be flaunting that in our faces to make flower presentations for visitors I felt a bit inconsiderate.” Critics compare Meghan unfavorably to lifestyle icons like Martha Stewart, who built her empire through decades of hands-on experience, or Ina Garten, whose “let’s-have-a-drink chill” stems from genuine expertise. Meghan, by contrast, is seen as lacking the credentials to position herself as an authority, with Screen Rant rating the show 3/10 for its “farcical” attempt to present her as a relatable hostess.
Social media reactions, particularly on X, amplify these critiques. User @unreMARKLEble described Meghan’s delivery as “self-conscious and awkward,” arguing that she seems more focused on the crew than the audience, making the show feel like “a very long advertorial” for her brand. Another user, @Canellelabelle, called it a “complete flop,” suggesting the negative reviews were predictable given Meghan’s polarizing public image. The show’s basic recipes, like chopping fruit for a rainbow salad or making jam, have been ridiculed as obvious, with one IMDb reviewer stating, “Meghan is not a chef and the recipes are very basic and obvious—she taught me nothing I don’t already know.”
Defenders of the Show: A Cozy Escape
Despite the harsh reviews, With Love, Meghan has garnered some positive feedback, particularly from fans who appreciate its escapist quality. A Reddit post on r/netflix with 935 votes praised its “warm, calming presence” and “well-produced” cinematography, arguing that it’s unfairly dismissed due to Meghan’s polarizing persona. Glamour described it as a “fluffy, cozy and warm show that is a fantasy of a life,” while The Standard gave it four stars, suggesting it’s perfect for viewers who enjoy light, aesthetic content like “making pasta the way no Italian ever did.” Some X users have defended Meghan, with one arguing, “It’s a cooking show for heaven’s sake! Never has one got so many people pressed,” suggesting the backlash is driven by bias rather than the show’s content.
Supporters highlight Meghan’s genuine enthusiasm for hosting, evident in moments like her delight in sharing homemade donuts with Roy Choi or creating a kids’ tea party with Mindy Kaling. The Everygirl called it “endearing, cozy, and positively enchanting,” noting that Meghan’s warmth shines through, especially when learning from experts like Chef Alice Waters. These fans argue that the show succeeds as light entertainment, offering a respite from 2025’s turbulent news cycle, as one Reddit user noted: “I enjoyed the escape from the shit show the world is at the moment.”
The Role of Public Perception and Bias
The polarized response to With Love, Meghan cannot be divorced from Meghan’s broader public image. Since her and Harry’s departure from royal duties in 2020, dubbed “Megxit,” she has faced relentless scrutiny, particularly in the UK, where tabloids like The Daily Mail have fueled narratives of her as a “hypocrite” or “liar.” Celebitchy suggested the show is being “purposefully review-bombed,” noting that negative reviews from outlets like Variety and The Guardian were unexpectedly harsh for a lifestyle show. Refinery29 and Essence argue that much of the criticism is tinged with “misogynoir,” pointing to a double standard where Meghan is judged more harshly than white lifestyle hosts like Gwyneth Paltrow or Ina Garten. For instance, Garten’s use of high-end ingredients from Hamptons specialty stores rarely draws the same ire as Meghan’s edible flower garnishes.
Psychotherapist Stephanie Sarkis, quoted in USA Today, suggested that the vitriol reflects broader societal tendencies to hypercriticize polarizing figures, particularly Black women, asking, “Why is there so much vitriol towards her?” The show’s low ratings on Rotten Tomatoes (36% critics, 20% audience) and Metacritic (37/100) may partly stem from this bias, with some reviews predating the show’s release, as Essence noted. However, even defenders acknowledge execution flaws, with The Cut praising guest Mindy Kaling for bringing a rare moment of conflict—like her playful questioning of Meghan’s jam jar numbering—but lamenting the show’s overall lack of depth.
Implications for Meghan’s Brand and Future
The backlash against With Love, Meghan poses challenges for Meghan’s burgeoning lifestyle empire. The show’s tie-in with As Ever was meant to boost her brand, but its poor reception could hinder its momentum, especially after the earlier failure of her Spotify podcast Archetypes. Despite this, Netflix greenlit a second season for Fall 2025, citing 12.6 million hours viewed in its first week and a Top 10 ranking in 47 countries. However, its 383rd ranking among Netflix’s 2025 productions suggests it underperformed compared to expectations for a $100 million deal.
The criticism also highlights the delicate balance Meghan must strike between her privileged lifestyle and public expectations of authenticity. Vulture called the show a “bizarro world voyage into the center of nothing,” arguing that Meghan’s curated persona alienates Gen-Z audiences who crave raw authenticity. Yet, for Meghan, whose life requires high security due to ongoing threats, as Refinery29 noted, complete transparency is impractical. This tension—between her desire to reclaim the joy of her pre-royal blog The Tig and the realities of her post-royal life—defines the show’s struggles.
Conclusion
With Love, Meghan aimed to position Meghan Markle as a modern lifestyle icon, but its execution has drawn widespread criticism for being unrelatable, inauthentic, and lackluster. While supporters praise its cozy escapism and Meghan’s warmth, the consensus among critics and many viewers is that the show fails to deliver meaningful content, with its polished veneer and basic tips alienating audiences. The backlash, amplified by Meghan’s polarizing public image, reflects both genuine critiques of the show’s flaws and deeper biases that scrutinize her every move. As she prepares for a second season, Meghan faces the challenge of refining her approach to connect with viewers while navigating the unrelenting microscope of public opinion. Whether With Love, Meghan can evolve into a beloved series or remain a “Montecito ego trip” will depend on her ability to bridge the gap between her aspirational vision and the audience’s desire for authenticity.
