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Meghan Markle‘s new Netflix show With Love, Meghan might not be a hit with everyone, but it’s been renewed for a second season, so it’s clear that Netflix at least has some confidence in the show despite lackluster reviews — or perhaps it’s simply trying to “milk” the duchess for everything it can.
To be clear, some of the reviews were absolutely awful: The Guardian called it “toe-curlingly unlovable TV,” for example, and it hasn’t proved to be a smash hit with the viewers, either. But according to PR expert Renae Smith, speaking to The Express, that won’t matter to Meghan. Despite the lack of critical acclaim, it seems as if Meghan is getting exactly what she wanted from the new show — an all-new status as a “domestic goddess influencer.”
Since their split with the Royal Family, the Sussexes have been keen to present a perfectly managed image, and With Love, Meghan is not at all a departure from this. Renae Smith says the show is “completely in line with Meghan’s carefully curated image,” which fits squarely into the perception the duchess is working so hard to create with all her appearances. It has the same overly clean, “aspirational” vibe and tone as everything else the duchess does, using the same kind of language to portray her particular aesthetic in exactly the way she wants it to be shown. This heavy curation has led to some people calling the show inauthentic, especially since Meghan didn’t use her own home for the recording, but Smith has another explanation.
“The hyper-produced, opportunistic, aspirational aesthetic is the same across the board, which means that—love it or hate it – I would bet my life on the fact that this isn’t an act OR a brand decision. It’s her authentic brand, through and through.”
In Smith’s view, this overproduced aesthetic is exactly what Meghan wanted: It isn’t just for show, it isn’t a brand decision, but it is actually how the duchess wants to live her life. This is her showing her authentic self to the world. While this kind of lifestyle is certainly not for everyone, according to Smith, Meghan is unlikely to be attempting to grow her brand or reach using With Love, Meghan.
Instead, Smith argues, Meghan wants to “solidify her existing brand and appeal to the aspirational audience who already resonate with her.” If this is the goal, With Love, Meghan seems like the perfect vehicle for the duchess, as it is exactly the sort of image she has been putting out, condensed into one easy to view, bingeable Netflix series — perfect for her existing fans.
With the show being Meghan’s attempt to be “a fully fledged aspirational domestic goddess influencer,” it’s going to be highly polarizing, and yet there is very little that the duchess does that isn’t highly polarizing to begin with. In that sense, if Meghan can capture her existing fanbase and give them enough content to dine out on again and again, she’s winning in all the ways that matter.