Meghan Markle’s Netflix show has viewers and critics ‘disappointed’

By Shameeka Voyiya

Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle has returned to the spotlight with a premiere of her Netflix show “With Love, Meghan”, and many people – viewers and publications alike – are highly critical of it.

The show premiered on March 4 on Netflix and has already received a 35 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 2,9/10 rating on IMDb.

‘With Love, Meghan’ Netflix premiere

“With Love, Meghan” features the Duchess of Sussex as she invites friends and famous guests to a luxurious California estate, where she shares cooking, gardening and hosting tips.

According to Netflix, the show “reimagines the genre of lifestyle programming, blending practical how-to’s and candid conversation with friends, old and new.

“Meghan shares personal tips and tricks, embracing playfulness over perfection and highlights how easy it can be to create beauty, even in the unexpected.”

Many people, however, are highly critical of the production, and wish it hadn’t been aired.

Critiques and negative reviews 

The Guardian claimed that the Netflix series was “so pointless it might be the Sussexes’ last TV show”, meanwhile, Variety dubbed it as a “Montecito ego trip not worth taking”.

More brutal reviews ensued, with The Independent calling the show “queasy and exhausting.” Vulture said it pioneers “new frontiers in unrelatability”.

The Times columnist Carol Midgley insisted the show exceeds expectations of terribleness, stating: “If you thought ‘With Love, Meghan,’ the Duchess of Sussex’s new lifestyle show, would be a smug, syrupy endurance watch, and that you would rather fry your eyeballs than sit through it, I have news for you. It is so much worse than that.”

Meghan disappointed by show’s reception

The Duchess is trying to keep her head up high, however, with insiders claiming that she had high hopes for the show but is now worried that her Netflix deal could be in trouble, potentially affecting Prince Harry as well.

“Meghan is keeping her head up and putting on a brave face, but it must be chaos in her world,” a source told InTouch Weekly.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Doechii named 2025 Woman of the Year by Billboard

“She had such high hopes for the show – she expected it to be a success, and now there’s worry that not only will there be no Season 2, but her and Prince Harry’s Netflix deal might be impacted as well.”

While the show may not be a success, Meghan’s presence in the spotlight has always been under scrutiny – some people love her, and some people don’t. 

Her polarising effect on the public has been highlighted through her Netflix premiere.

According to USA Today, pop culture and psychology experts say Meghan Markle’s public image has always come under scrutiny, and her Netflix career is no different.

“We can be hypercritical, and we need to look at, ‘What is that doing to us, when we feel such a high level of judgment of other people?'” psychotherapist Stephanie Sarkis said. 

“It seems that whatever (Meghan) does, she’s going to be under a microscope.”

READ NEXT: Crufts 2025: Italian Whippet named best in show