My wife asked me to watch this with her. I have remained aloof from this whole business, although I have enjoyed "The Crown." That said, this is another example of overkill. They have told their stories in countless interviews. They live in utter opulence and have all the luxuries the world can offer. They also know what the British tabloids can do. U. S. Celebrities go through the same things. Most just go about their lives, knowing they will be inconvenienced. This first episode does go back and show the roots of Harry's disdain for the system. It also shows us what Diana had to deal with (although, she was a spoiled upper-cruster with wanderlust at the beginning). Let's face it. Human beings have, as a part of their nature, a desire to bring down the mighty on the one hand and worship them on the other. It was sad what happened to her, but it has been over-analyzed year after year.
8 Reviews
Don't cry for me Canoga
jgreco79 December 2022
Netflix's latest installment of "The Bad and the Beautiful" finds the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in exile on a sprawling California estate. It asks a simple question: Can the son of King Charles III and the daughter of a mixed-race couple live in wedded bliss, remain estranged from the Royal Family, and survive an onslaught of mainstream media, internet trolls, and greedy relatives in Florida? The answer will require six episodes. For now, let's say they're working on it. If you come to this series with clean hands and no preconceptions, you will discover a loving couple with children (heard, not seen), who share similar interests in public service, like gender equality, social justice, world hunger, and elephants. They're nice people with good intentions. If they also appear self-involved, well it's because they are, like most celebrities, or anyone who craves attention, which is everyone. In another dimension, or plain of existence, Harry and Meghan would be, simply, the Sussexes of LA, well-off suburbanites, frolicking and shopping and living life. That of course would be too bad for the tabloid paparazzi (the point of this series so far). But as we are stuck in this dimension, the Sussexes will just have to endure the spotlight as Diana did, and with luck avoid catastrophe, as Diana couldn't. You know, what is is, what's done is done, there's nothing new under the sun. Harry and Meghan's story is as old as that. Those who are expecting revelations this time will have to wait for the next installments.
Not a good documentary
pauli_gomez29 January 2023
I have only seen this episode so far. I think it portrays a sweet and naive couple, and that is clear that they were should have been aware of what they were facing. Harry literally tells about how he grew up among the paparazzi, but apparently when they went public they were suprised by the media frenzy?
Regardless, my main problem is that the documentary is not very good as such. The music is boring, the segments are not very interesting, a lot of what is said were more than old news. I think the only interesting part was the relationship between Harry and Africa. So, if you had nothing better to watch, give it a chance. But do not have too many expectations.
Regardless, my main problem is that the documentary is not very good as such. The music is boring, the segments are not very interesting, a lot of what is said were more than old news. I think the only interesting part was the relationship between Harry and Africa. So, if you had nothing better to watch, give it a chance. But do not have too many expectations.
Been There, Seen It
puligaddafam9 December 2022
Nothing in this episode is news. This is billed as Harry and Meghan's story told from their point of view. Perhaps this would have been interesting had they not already told their side of the story with James Corden, Oprah, Dax Shepherd, multiple magazine articles and Meghan's own podcast. It will become apparent to anyone viewing this "documentary" that the couple have nothing left to offer the public. Either they need to create something new or quietly leave the public sphere to pursue the private lives they vocally requested. There are no spoilers for this episode since they have nothing more to say.
It is nice to see their chance to get their story out
alexandramoscalu10 December 2022
I was never interested in the nowadays royal institution and all their PR strategies to survive, but I was totally aware and intrigued by all of the criticism received by Meghan online. Always wondered how a persob can get so much hate from people she never knew or hurt in any way. Being able to see their side of the story, made the documentary appealing to me, because it reveals a down-to-earth depiction about what it really means to be a part of the British royal family. It is quite a surprising and refreshing series so far. Might this also be a PR stunt alltogether, it still makes for a chill bingeworthy docu-series :)
Utter drivel
debrak-608748 December 2022
I can't believe Netflix have paid 100 million dollars for this. H and M are so self absorbed and don't have the charisma to carry off being reality stars. They should be embarrassed, I thought they wanted 'privacy ' so why show everyone your children / photos / private messages. Also comparing MM to Princess Diana really is really jarring . Diana was a Princess for 17 years, Markle barely lasted 2 years . Diana did so many engagements and was patron of hundreds of charities whereas Markle obviously did not want to do royal duties. I'd rather rewatch 50 documentaries about Diana than sit through any more of this .
Probably can't keep it up past 1 ep
amber-delong10 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
But this was pretty funny. It's so horribly put together and they are two of the least self-aware people alive. And they do this lack of awareness so well that they can say one thing and immediately contradict themselves and both things are equally empty.
It's such a mess, but it starts out with probably the funniest line by tagging a caveat "Members of the Royal Family declined to comment on the content within this series"
lol yeah, who did you ask, one of the Queen's ancient cousins? And how could they comment on the series-were you going screen it for them.
Ok, that's good, but then it's just a bit of a mess with Harry talking about how he and they (Royal Family?) and they (media?) all know the full truth about something, but that, and pretty much anything concrete about what they're actually whining about is.
Next comes one of Meghan's comedic highlights-taping like a diary entry for this, crying about H being in London and she just doesn't know...and we don't either because she never says what she's talking about. BUT she saves the bit by doing it in a costume so she looks like she's straight out of the shower-boyfriend shirt, hair up in a towel-and she just couldn't make it to get fully dressed and had to collapse on the stairs and cry about something vague. I can totally see this in a mock doc-in fact this scene reminds me very much of the idiot yuppie couple in Best in Show.
Then it's just nonsense that, if you didn't know who they were beforehand wouldn't clear that up at all until they start hitting the Princess Diana stuff hard like 20 minutes in. Even if you did know who they were the story bounces around so much it's hard to care about it other than to laugh about it.
Harry's funniest bit: his absolute amazement at the brilliance of a friend's suggestion that they "document" their lives, failing to realize, of course, that 1) that's what he's supposed to be getting away from is all the people documenting his life and 2) everyone in the world on Instagram and Twitter, etc are documenting their lives too.
Meghan's funniest: claiming she didn't want to Google Harry, because she wanted to see like the real him-so she looked on his Instagram feed-his official, Royal Instagram feed it must've been, because it was all beautifully shot photos of him doing his Africa animal charity stuff. Meghan was so impressed at just how real he was. Honorable mention: she says they were going to do the last season of Suits and like two minutes later she says something about how her career was just getting started. They're both good at these jokes where they say words that mean the opposite of what is meant.
Don't know if this marvelous unintended satire can be sustained for more than one episode, it's just a bunch of words and will pry jump the shark 20 minutes into the second episode.
It's such a mess, but it starts out with probably the funniest line by tagging a caveat "Members of the Royal Family declined to comment on the content within this series"
lol yeah, who did you ask, one of the Queen's ancient cousins? And how could they comment on the series-were you going screen it for them.
Ok, that's good, but then it's just a bit of a mess with Harry talking about how he and they (Royal Family?) and they (media?) all know the full truth about something, but that, and pretty much anything concrete about what they're actually whining about is.
Next comes one of Meghan's comedic highlights-taping like a diary entry for this, crying about H being in London and she just doesn't know...and we don't either because she never says what she's talking about. BUT she saves the bit by doing it in a costume so she looks like she's straight out of the shower-boyfriend shirt, hair up in a towel-and she just couldn't make it to get fully dressed and had to collapse on the stairs and cry about something vague. I can totally see this in a mock doc-in fact this scene reminds me very much of the idiot yuppie couple in Best in Show.
Then it's just nonsense that, if you didn't know who they were beforehand wouldn't clear that up at all until they start hitting the Princess Diana stuff hard like 20 minutes in. Even if you did know who they were the story bounces around so much it's hard to care about it other than to laugh about it.
Harry's funniest bit: his absolute amazement at the brilliance of a friend's suggestion that they "document" their lives, failing to realize, of course, that 1) that's what he's supposed to be getting away from is all the people documenting his life and 2) everyone in the world on Instagram and Twitter, etc are documenting their lives too.
Meghan's funniest: claiming she didn't want to Google Harry, because she wanted to see like the real him-so she looked on his Instagram feed-his official, Royal Instagram feed it must've been, because it was all beautifully shot photos of him doing his Africa animal charity stuff. Meghan was so impressed at just how real he was. Honorable mention: she says they were going to do the last season of Suits and like two minutes later she says something about how her career was just getting started. They're both good at these jokes where they say words that mean the opposite of what is meant.
Don't know if this marvelous unintended satire can be sustained for more than one episode, it's just a bunch of words and will pry jump the shark 20 minutes into the second episode.
No mirror in the bush
vivianla20 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Just read Spare by Prince Harry and went to go watch this episode. Harry keeps emphasizing Meghan had no idea who he was or about the royal family. Harry saw Meghan in a video on Instagram and reached out to their mutual friend. Meghan and Harry met and Harry was late due to traffic. Meghan says she does not like to be late. Harry went to Eton where he always had cameras flashing. He did drugs and partied as per his book but the media over-exaggerated the drug, booze and girlfriends. Harry says the media said he had this gf and that gf. Harry and Meghan only met twice before Harry asks her to go to Botswana with him for five days. They were together 24/7 without mirrors or a bathroom.
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