SO, DOES MEGHAN MARKLE'S NEW LIFESTYLE SHOW ACTUALLY ADD ANYTHING NEW TO THE GENRE?

There's nothing explicitly offensive about Meghan Markle, yet so many seem to take offense to her. Just the announcement of With Love, Meghan, alone, sent a wave of takes—some hot, some not—across social media. And after eight episodes of blue skies, fresh flowers, intricately-prepared cakes, and glimpses of breathtaking California coastline.. oh, and a lot of celebrity cameos, the only remotely offensive thing about her seems to be her existence itself. (Don't worry, I'll explain.)

You Know I'm Sussex Now.

With Love, Meghan is the official hard launch of the former Duchess of Sussex’s new career as the lifestyle guru—the ultimate hostess, cook, homemaker and, of course, friend. The eight glossy episode series, part of Markle and hubby Prince Harry’s deal with Netflix, hopes to reimagine the lifestyle programming genre with intimate glimpses into life with Markle, her prince, their adorable children, and their mad hosting skillz.

The version of womanhood Markle presents will likely be intimidating to some. It's calm, impeccably groomed, Pinterest perfect, and chic as hell. And let me get this out of the way; none of it is relatable. But that might just be the point. With Love, Meghan is about escapism—a glass of something sparkling on a grey day. And whether you love or hate the series will almost entirely depend on what you think about Meghan herself. And on whether or not you care if Markle has new territory to tread not already trodden by home and garden queen, Ina Garten.

*MILD SPOILERS FOR WITH LOVE, MEGHAN FROM THIS POINT*

My Bacon Brings All the Boys to the Yard.

So, this isn’t Markle’s first go at lifestyle content. Her now-defunct blog, The Tig, launched in 2014, and shut down in 2017 as Markle was preparing for life as a royal. It was, according to some, poised to become the next Goop. There, she shared travel tips, playlists, and plenty of recipes. But that was a decade ago. Now, Markle’s image is much more evolved and much more polished.

With Love, however is definitely in keeping with her subtly glamorous brand of aspirational content. Throughout the first episode, Markle constantly returns to the idea of “tiny details”, little accouterments that make a big difference when cooking, crafting, and decorating, and can elevate any home. Even yours.

As she prepares yet another crudités platter, she says “there’s nothing so fancy about a crudités platter except it’s called crudités." She then makes it “more artistic” by adding small fresh flowers on top of the vegetables. When cooking spaghetti, she gives tips on how best to plate it: Put a little of the sauce on the plate first, then twist the spaghetti around a fork so it becomes a distinguishable shape rather than just a lump of pasta. She creates adorable floral crowns for a mock children's birthday party. She harvests honey dressed in a beekeepers' outfit.

Friends drop in. There's TV star Mindy Kaling, who jokes about the weight of Le Creuset saucepans. Celebrity chef Roy Choi. There's her Suits co-star Abigail Spencer. Designer Tracy Robbins. And cosmetics mogul Victoria Jackson.

In the end, it's an eight-part ode to optimism. It's relentlessly upbeat and feelgood. It's unassuming, unironic, and incredibly low-stakes. And it presents a world where anyone can stand proudly behind a huge fruit platter beautifully presented to look like a rainbow, banana clouds included.

Meghan dominates every moment of every 33-minute episode. It's not until the final episode we see Prince Harry—briefly—congratulating his wife on launching her As Ever brand as they both raise a toast to this "new chapter" of their lives.

Do Not Just Use Tap Water.

Everything Markle does gets intense attention and never-ending scrutiny. And that's partly because of how she polarizes opinion. People who think she's wonderful and people who can't stand her are all equally interested in what she does next.

But what is it—really—about the Meghan Markles or, say, the Nara Smiths of the world that people find so reprehensible? Are they really the anti-feminist, sleeper oppressors attacking women's lib they're made out to be. Is the vitriol actually a reaction to them being so uniquely out of touch or so uniquely untouchable? Or does it just piss normies off to see a woman (specifically a brown woman) living a life of such abject peace—even if that peace is likely manufactured?

In no way is Markle promoting her lifestyle as normal or as something every woman should aim to attain in order to be "better" women. Her only intent seems to be to put content out there to inspire people. And those watching can take (or leave) whatever they want to from it. Tune in, tune out, doesn't matter. She'll spend an hour making ladybug crostinis either way.

There's Nothing Lazy About that Susan.

So, to answer the og question: Does Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle show add anything new to the lifestyle genre? No, not at all. There's nothing unique or even that interesting about the millennial Martha Stewart. And most of the show is derivative of other lifestyle entrepreneurs’ work. But here's the thing, I couldn't bring myself to care. As a certified poor, I know I'm supposed to want to eat the rich. But even presented on a gold leaf platter, I couldn't bring myself to feast.

Maybe I'm just a sucker for the Markle sparkle—with its healthy mix of quiet luxury and coastal grandmother—but honestly I couldn't care that the series is overproduced or unoriginal. I couldn't care if her sweet persona is curated or filtered. I couldn't care that she may or may not be out of touch. I devoured all eight episodes in one bite the same way I devour book series about dragons—it's fantasy. It's the same level of passive, consumptive enjoyment I suspect others get from Love is Blind. It's not soul food; It's candy. “We’re not in the pursuit of perfection,” Markle explains as she makes a charming plate of crepes. “We’re in the pursuit of joy.” And With Love, Meghan is just that: a perfect dose of pure joy.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I got a one skillet spaghetti, some dog treats, a candle, and a balloon arch to make. From scratch.

4.5/5 ★: Unremarkable, unrelatable, and undeniably delightful.