I'm sorry, with love is meghan is awful

[Tricho]

I tried.

I really did.

But JFC it's absolutely awful.

"Come and watch me make the most basic of crafts while telling me how much you admire me, and I gently patronise you"

Really awful.

@renthead I got the ingredients for the crudite platter today! Not quite like for like, and also I need some dressing on the crudites otherwise it would be a bit bland for me. I don't want to try the spaghetti or sweet stuff.

I couldn't take to the music and it is EXTREMELY aspirational with perfect flowers everywhere, coastline, vegetable beds and it could get a bit grating with all the compliments flying around.

Irritatingly I can't drink alcohol with my medication so I was looking longingly at all the delicious chilled drinks.

I think the show was at number 4 or 5 in the UK( so did really well even here).

There is definitely a cultural difference between Brits and Americans(although we are all individuals). Another think that I loved about the show is Meghan's love of life and optimism? It is difficult to explain, but in the face of what she has been through, is really remarkable that she still has this optimism and vibrancy about her.

They were unable to bit out these things out of her despite trying . Remarkable. The same can be said about her guests/ friends with regards to having a vibrancy about them.

I don't think you can assume that it "did really well, even here" because it is listed as 4th or 5th.
By that token, Katie Price is a top-selling author because one of her (ghost-written) books is listed in an obscure category where there was no competition.
I bet a large portion of the people who watched even some of this show, did so out of curiosity and won't continue. Bit like her dreadful podcasts, which were feted as top-sellers (or whatever) and then ditched.

I will be trying the home- made focaccia as it is so difficult to find it locally(non particularly keen on the ones you can find in local supermarkets). Wish me luck😄

I am not sure whether Netflix or other companies that are offering her these contracts care about the reason why you are watching it. These companies only care about their viewing figures and publicity around not only the project but the platform itself( that is why they signed a contract with the Obamas at the time, even though the Obamas didn't t put out a ridiculous number of projects, signing these names bring publicity to the platform).You can agree or disagree with this business model, but it is what it is.

As I stated in previous threads, seating through 8 episodes of a show that you dislike "hating every minute of it" is literally putting money in this lady's pocket. It is a business model at this point.

These are Netflix viewing figures we are talking about, not some 'obscure category'.

It made top 10 in about 50 countries (correct me if that's wrong). Those are very significant viewing figures - whether you like her or not, you can't argue with the data. Netflix will be absolutely delighted with that.

As I stated in previous threads, seating through 8 episodes of a show that you dislike "hating every minute of it" is literally putting money in this lady's pocket. It is a business model at this point.

I've said this before too, but god knows why anyone tortures themselves like this.

However Meghan and Netflix thank them for their attention 😂

I wonder if their stats can differentiate between people who sat through all eight episodes and those who gave up after the first.

That wouldn't be difficult at all. They'll have all that info.

However what they share with the public is very top level.

I have a few friends and family (in the UK) on instagram, who are just like her! It drives me insane, all this performative niceness! And in real life, everything is always amazing, I constantly being told I’m amazing and too much thought going into presents when I just give bottles of wine and chocolates as life is busy and would rather spend time with people than making personalised gifts and (wasting packaging!). I really hope they have read all the articles and comments following the show to see how cringy (and fake) they come across!

To an English audience yes( although we are not a monolith).
Please remember that this an American show platformed by Netflix who will be viewed all over the world.

Other countries/ cultures may not be as rattled by excessive niceness/ perfectionism as supposedly British people do.
Again, I am not sure whether Netflix is going to necessarily cater to the British sensitivity.

She’s positive, gorgeous & I think impressive but 100 million dollars or however much is due, wow. I’d be as vibrant as the sun!

Really? I thought the chemistry between them was quite awkward.

Exactly. People who cant stand her seem to have an obsession with trawling through everything she says and does and every single thing anyone has ever written or said about her. That's what is keeping her in the public eye! How can you watch 3 episodes of something and then say 'This is awful'? Surely you would know about halfway through the first episode what it was going to be like? Maybe try not clicking on anything that mentions her. I bet without the people hate watching and hate reading, there would not be enough interest in her to sustain her or the massive cottage industry that has blossomed from people lining up to talk about her.

Not a Meghan fan but we’ve watched about 5 episodes.

It’s kind of fluffy and relaxing, while often being unintentionally hilarious, and a bit cack-handed.

I LOL’d at the picnic and “cooling” lavender towels she and her Argentinian polo mate were pretending to enjoy on a windy, sunless day while wrapped in blankets.

She has lovely handwriting, I’ll give her that, but seems to lack manual dexterity for someone apparently into cooking and crafting. I cringe every time she handles a knife. Lots of the makes seem impractical and long winded (two days for ciabatta?!) requiring special kits (lolly sticks with holes in the middle?). And there’s a lot of waste. All that salt for the salt-baked fish.

Her visit to the flower market. “I see what colours I’m drawn to.” Is it the beige ones, Meghan? That whole burlap and Kilner jars aesthetic feels like it’s been around for ever now.

I thought the best one I’d seen was the one with Korean chef. Knowledgable, talented and interesting guest and I want to try his watermelon kimchee, please.

Not just the British media, but loads of 'Royal experts' who thought their careers were dead after Diana died have now got a nice little earner talking about how they worked at Buck House 30 years ago and just know exactly what King Charles thinks of Meghan, lip reading/body language experts,clairvoyants contacting the Queen Mother to ask her what she thinks, random members of staff who has ever worked at any palace have all got in on the action and are raking it in.

I did really liked the episode with the Korean chef as well.

I am not sure about your observation on her manual dexterity. From the point of view of a person who loves to cook, she gives me the idea of a person that is both quick and precise when in the kitchen. She has a certain speed that only comes with being comfortable in the kitchen( I can recognise that as someone who likes cooking, but doesn't necessarily want to spend hours in the kitchen as there are a million things to juggle).

So true! The sheer dedication some people have to combing through every detail of her life just to loudly declare how much they don’t care about her is honestly fascinating. The irony is, they’re the ones keeping her name trending! And I have to admit—while I do like Meghan, I wouldn’t call myself a super fan. But if I ever need the most up to date Meghan news, I know exactly where to go - to the pages where they just can't stand her 😂. Honestly, no one follows her every move more closely than her biggest critics. They’re basically running a Meghan Markle fan club—just, you know, angrily 😆.

What can I say? I wouldn't define sitting in the garden, having a nice glass of wine with my friends in front of what seems to be a delicious meal while we are laughing and recalling the most significant moments we have had in the last 10+ years an awkward interaction, but to each their own 😄

The Tig wouldn’t have bought her a £14 million house in Montecito or an exclusive with Oprah.

My point was yes they have managed to get very rich post RF but it’s hardly surprising, it’s not well knock me down with a feather territory. Imagine how rich Catherine would be if she upped and left and then monetised her time in the RF, it would dwarf what they have. Point being it’s not that hard, in the position they were in, to make millions and have big platforms.

I honestly think they're secretly some sort of fan! How can you be THAT interested in somebody without being a fan. Every outfit, every glance or smile, every word out of her mouth, it is serious research on someone. They would win at Mastermind with Meghan as the specialist subject that's for sure!

She's ok, I'm just not that interested to know such ridiculous detail about her!

And to watch 8 hours of something you hate intensely is bonkers!

Haven’t watched it yet. I’m pretty ambivalent but think the uproar she generates is crazy.

However, I originally thought thought it was a cooking show and I don’t like cooking so wasn’t going to watch.

But I’ve seen people saying it’s about being good host which I’d love to be. I kind of like having people round but there’s no real pizzaz. I’ll watch to see if I can get some tips. I’ve never heard of edible flowers before.

I didn't realise there was salt-baked fish (I watched 3 snippets). That sounds good, also the pasta salad. It's the sort of thing which is nice to eat but you forget to make.

Other members of the RF have tried business ventures that ended being less successful and lucrative than Meghan's(think Sarah Ferguson etc).

Again I am not negating that being related to the
R F and the whole drama around that have literally boosted her profile and marketability.

However, recent history show us that being Royal-adiacent or even engaging in Royal drama does not necessarily translate in million- dollar contracts.

Again, given that the lady was always a savvy hustler(these are positive traits to me, I know the horror...), had a successful series, blog, nice connections prior to all this shebang - there is definitely something there in terms of being business savvy, knowing how to make money and partaking in successful projects.

With regards to Kate, I don't have enough data about her work history prior to joining the RF, so I wouldn't be able to tell whether or not she would have been successful outside of the Royal system.

@LipglossAlly well, just my impression. She seems to pick the wrong knife for the job and doesn’t seem to cook with much confidence or facility. She can sprinkle flowers on things well enough though.

A better format might have been professional cooks, flower arrangers, winemakers, craftspeople etc. showing her recipes and techniques, particularly if they are anchored in different parts of the Californian community, but then it wouldn’t have been so much about brand Meghan. Her fairly clueless make up artist showing up to be bossed around just isn’t that interesting. He didn’t have anything to say or an interesting point of view. Same with the polo wife.

Also (and I know it’s not the point), good hosts don’t make their guests start chopping vegetables as soon as they arrive!

But on the whole it’s fairly inoffensive and we’ll probably watch another one tonight.