Meghan Markle's career continues its relentless march forward, whether the world wants it to or not. Just when it seemed like Netflix had reached the bottom of the barrel with its content ideas, they somehow found a way to dig even deeper.
Enter With Love, Meghan—a cooking show so astonishingly tedious that it could make the sound of a toaster popping feel like a thrill ride. And who better to tear it apart than the king of satire himself, Ricky Gervais? If there’s anyone who knows how to dismantle self-important celebrities, it’s him. His 2020 Golden Globes monologue is still legendary, leaving Hollywood’s elite squirming in their designer tuxedos. Now, Meghan Markle has unwittingly positioned herself in Ricky’s comedic crosshairs, all thanks to her latest Netflix misfire.
So, what does the British comedian think of With Love, Meghan? In short, he didn’t hold back. Ricky reportedly eviscerated the show, calling it the very embodiment of creative bankruptcy. His most biting critique? The highlight of Meghan’s so-called “culinary experience” is watching her pour organic pretzels into a decorative glass jar. Riveting television, truly. Netflix, in all its infinite wisdom, believed that giving Meghan yet another platform to showcase her version of “relatability” was a winning idea. The result? A show where she engages in groundbreaking activities such as stirring soup, nodding solemnly at vegetables, and—brace yourself—sipping tea. If you’ve ever dreamed of watching someone feign excitement over boiling water for 40 straight minutes, congratulations, Netflix has delivered.
As expected, audiences are reacting with overwhelming enthusiasm—by abandoning the show in record numbers. The ratings are reportedly worse than even the most pessimistic forecasts predicted. Test screenings were said to be nothing short of a disaster, with viewers describing the experience as unbearably cringeworthy, painfully inauthentic, and a textbook example of how not to make television. Ricky, upon hearing the news, supposedly quipped, “Hollywood still doesn’t get it, do they? People don’t want to watch Meghan Markle pretend to be interesting.” Hard to argue with that.
This is the same woman who stepped away from royal life citing privacy concerns, only to spend the following years relentlessly courting the public’s attention through increasingly desperate ventures. First, there was the tell-all interview. Then, a podcast that no one asked for. And now, a cooking show where she spends more time philosophizing about parsley than actually preparing food. Meanwhile, behind the scenes at Netflix, executives are reportedly scrambling. Some still cling to the delusion that Meghan is a surefire ratings magnet, while others are wondering if they can expense the therapy bills required to cope with this catastrophe.
And Ricky’s final punchline? The prospect of a second season featuring Meghan microwaving leftovers. Brutal. But in the end, Gervais has once again done what he does best—calling out Hollywood’s absurdity in a way that has everyone (except Netflix executives) laughing. The only real question left is whether Netflix will finally learn from this disaster. Spoiler alert: probably not.
