As with any action taken by Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, there is much attention being paid to their Netflix series, Harry & Meghan. The six-episode series delves into the pasts of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and it particularly examines the time between the start of their relationship and when they decided to step away from their royal duties and relocate to the United States. Harry & Meghan has been trending on Netflix since the release of Part 1 on December 8 — with Part 2 dropping a week later. Despite its popularity, however, the response to the series has been absolutely brutal.
Over 4,400 presumed viewers have rated the Netflix series on Rotten Tomatoes, doling out ratings that average out to a dismal 14% audience score. A sampling of the comments shows many viewers accusing Meghan Markle and her husband Prince Harry of whining and telling lies. Many said they weren’t able to finish the entire series. Take a look at some of the half-star and 1-star ratings:
- A massive whinge fest based on a string of lies, half-truths, and distortions of reality from two of the most privileged people on the planet. Hard to watch without vomiting.
- A horrible spinoff of Toddlers and Tiaras, except they are both over 40.
- I've taken better shits than this tripe.
- Oh my god, I wish I had an actual rotten tomato to throw at Harry and Meghan. Pompous and whiny.
- I do believe H & M have a few valid grievances but the manner in which they chose to address/air them comes off as petty, childish, spoiled, pathetic, whiny, and money grubby. They walked away and should GTFU, get on with their lives and for once take a page out of the Late Queen's book "Never complain, Never explain."
- I wish I could go back in time and not experience this.
- Watched the 1st episode to see what the shouting was all about. It was like watching your neighbors' home movie of their summer vacation with a whine (sound) track.
- Vile dross featuring two of the most utterly despicable people on the planet.
- Dogshit, pure dogshit
It’s clear that the series has hit a sore spot with many viewers, especially those loyal to the royal family. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are no strangers to causing controversy. The criticism over their Netflix series started even before it was released, when old, out-of-context footage was used in the trailer to portray the press hounding the famous couple. A representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has also responded to backlash over the release of a series after fans (incorrectly) claimed the couple asked for privacy when stepping away from their royal duties.
Given the polarizing opinions about the couple, it’s likely that the series is seeing some review bombing — in which a large number of people post negative comments and low ratings in an effort to affect a project’s popularity. However, the critical response is also less than celebratory, lending some credence to at least some of the audience's responses. From 24 critics’ reviews, the series garnered just a 42% rating.
Even the more positive critical reviews, including the Evening Standard, acknowledges Harry & Meghan is “a thoroughly millennial tale, which will irk older viewers,” and the Independent (UK) describes it as “self-aggrandizing” yet “fully entertaining.” The negative reviews seem to fall in line with comments made in the audience feedback, including The Times UK critic Carol Midgley’s 2/5-star review, which read in part:
Harry and Meghan reportedly got a $100 million deal for their “poor us” Netflix series Harry & Meghan. If I were Netflix, I’d want my money back. Because there was nothing ‘bombshell’ or even very new here. It was beautifully shot but it was repetitive, whingy and boring. Midway through the three-hour first volume in which we learnt from Harry that ‘this is a great love story’ (shouldn’t others be the judge of that?), I was begging for it to stop.
It’s unknown how many viewers also begged it to stop before the end of the six-episode docuseries, but either way, it has remained popular enough to keep showing up as one of Netflix’s top shows. If you want to see what all the talk is about, Harry & Meghan is available to stream with your Netflix subscription, and be sure to check out what’s coming to TV and streaming in the new year with our 2023 TV schedule.
