Meghan Markle’s new Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, dropped earlier this week, and despite its release, it hasn’t cracked Netflix’s top ten shows. Why is that?

As the Daily Mail points out, “When asked for his first impression of the series in an ’emergency’ episode of Palace Confidential, Richard Eden, the Daily Mail’s diary editor, said, ‘It was just very, very boring.’”

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Royal Editor Rebecca English also admitted, “Yeah, I’ll be honest, I lost the will to live after the episode about making ice cubes.”

It seems the only viewers tuning in are people like me and the Daily Mail staff — those professionally obligated to watch and review the eight-episode lifestyle and cooking show. Initially, I thought I’d be watching to critique, but the reality was far worse. It’s hard to feel any passion, whether hate or otherwise, about something so painfully dull and un-relatable. In fact, I couldn’t even muster enough energy to hate-watch it. I just sort of muddled through, dragging myself to the finish line.

The premise is baffling. Meghan presents uninspired dishes with minimal effort, all while pretentiously instructing viewers on how to arrange flowers, cut vegetables, or display fruit with an air of superiority. In one particularly bizarre scene in the first episode, Meghan prepares a “one-dish pasta” with sliced tomatoes, feta, and raw noodles, topped with boiling water to create a starchy, soupy concoction.

What’s the purpose of the show? It’s neither relatable nor aspirational. Viewers aren’t likely to seek out beeswax from a local beekeeper to make candles, nor are they running to the fishmonger to buy sushi-grade halibut for ceviche. And as a millionaire, Meghan should know that showing off how to transfer Trader Joe’s peanut butter-stuffed pretzels into a ziplock bag isn’t exactly aspirational.

Alongside these uninspired dishes, Meghan takes every opportunity to remind viewers of her wealth. Whether it’s showcasing her personal beehive, large garden, citrus orchard, or chicken coop, she makes sure to highlight her luxurious California lifestyle.

Each episode features a guest, whether a friend or a professional chef, cooking alongside Meghan. However, the key element in every interaction is that the guest exists to worship her. Perhaps it was a contractual obligation, but the constant praise of Meghan feels forced.

In episode two, actress Mindy Kaling makes the cringe-worthy mistake of calling Meghan by her maiden name. Meghan spends an awkward amount of time explaining that her last name is now Sussex. This scene is particularly confusing considering Meghan’s legal last name is actually Mountbatten-Windsor, the surname used by male-line descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. It left me wondering if Meghan even knows her own name. 

MEGHAN MARKLE BEGS NETFLIX TO BELIEVE SHE’S HAPPY AS A TRADWIFE WITHOUT THE TIARA

The show is the dying breath of a contract Netflix is eager to escape. Meghan and Prince Harry’s multi-show deal was based on securing the rights to their initial tell-all documentary about leaving the royal family. That documentary performed well, largely because the only intriguing thing about Meghan is who she married. Knowing this, throughout the series, viewers are subjected to close-up shots of her engagement ring and wedding band. In the finale, Prince Harry briefly appears, showing up late to one of Markle’s brunches hosted for friends and family.

From the bizarre spaghetti soup recipe to the awkward Kaling scene, it’s clear Netflix had no intention of saving Meghan from herself. It essentially threw her to the wolves, knowing the show would be roasted by both viewers and critics alike. If Netflix wants to get out of its relationship with the former royals, this show will do the job.

Bethany Mandel (@bethanyshondark) is a homeschooling mother of six and a writer. She is the bestselling co-author of Stolen Youth.