With Love, Meghan (Netflix 2025)

Waghan ‘Sussex’ Markle is a polarising figure. You either love her or love to hate her. I’ve gone through my own trajectory of love-hating the Duchess of Sussex. I first started watching her when she was on Suits (2011) and loved Rachel Zane, the character she played on the show. I also obsessively followed her wedding to Prince Harry, her initial popularity in the UK and the fallout when they decided to move to the United States.

I watched the Harry & Meghan (Netflix, 2022) documentary produced by the duo with mixed feelings — rolling my eyes at some parts and feeling sympathy for the couple at others. So, I wasn’t sure what to expect when Meghan (now) Sussex came out with her lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan, which we now know was also intended as a launch for her farm-to-table organic foods product line, As Ever.

For those thinking Markle is just jumping on the lifestyle bandwagon out of the blue, let me stop them right here — she’s been doing this for a while. Markle started a lifestyle blog called The Tig, “A hub for the discerning palate — those with a hunger for food, travel, fashion & beauty” way back in 2014. With Love, Meghan (WLM), is essentially an extension of that.

Filmed at a location that is not their house in Montecito, California, where the prince and duchess are now based, WLM, shows the duchess in her ‘soft girl’ era. She’s learning how to extract honey in her bee farm, showing the herbs and produce she’s growing in her garden, showing you how to do little nifty crafts for setting up children’s parties, making a one-pot pasta (a trend started by Martha Stewart but which originates from Italy), learning how to make homemade skin care items, talking about how to nourish your body and your soul, and preaching about taking time to care for others and finding joy in the details.

Three currently streaming shows focus on strong women with humour and heart while they go about chores and reveal sides to their personalities rarely noticed or witnessed before…

Markle is not pretending to be a homemaking guru. She fumbles a lot and laughs at her mistakes, and she’s honest about the fact that she’s still learning herself. This show is not for the expert chef or homemaker, but rather for someone starting out.

She gives us a peek into her world via her friends, such as New York-based make-up artist Daniel Martin, who’s known her since her days at Suits, and with whom she makes homemade candles. She reminisces about the Los Angeles she grew up in with Korean-American

chef Roy Choi, who pioneered Korean-Mexican tacos. She talks about living in Argentina while interning at the US embassy with Argentinian socialite and polo enthusiast Delfina Blaquier. Among other things.

I warmed up to the show by the second episode and watched it all through to the last. There was no drama and, instead of keeping us on the edge of our seats, the show was very soothing and calming. The show isn’t preachy or pretending to be smart, but you end up learning a lot anyway. Netflix has just renewed the show for a second season and, so, whether you love or hate the Duchess of Sussex, WLM is here to stay for now.

Dabba Cartel (Netflix, 2025)

This was fun to watch! Dabba Cartel is a gripping Netflix crime drama series set against a vibrant backdrop set in the present era, with flashbacks of 1960s’ Mumbai. Five ordinary housewives secretly run a high-stakes smuggling operation that started out as an innocent ‘dabba’ (lunchboxes delivered to offices and homes) home-based business.

Beneath their traditional roles, these women orchestrate a powerful cartel, using their daily routines as the perfect cover. Led by Sheila (Shabana Azmi), along with Varuna (Jyotika), Mala (Nimisha Sajayan), Raji (Shalini Pandey), and Shahida (Anjali Anand), they navigate the dangerous world of crime while balancing their personal lives.

As their business grows, so do the risks — hidden alliances, betrayals, and the constant threat of being exposed. The show masterfully blends themes of ambition, survival and female camaraderie, set against the vibrant yet rigid social fabric of 1960s India.

Directed by Hitesh Bhatia and produced by Excel Entertainment, Dabba Cartel offers a thrilling mix of suspense, drama and period authenticity. With compelling performances and a richly detailed setting, the series is a must-watch for those who love crime thrillers with strong, complex female leads.

The Pasta Queen (Amazon Prime, 2025)

This is a delightful culinary travel series on Prime Video, hosted by social media star and bestselling author Nadia Caterina Munno. In The Pasta Queen, Munno, a descendant of an Italian pasta-making family dating back to the 1800s, takes viewers on a flavourful journey through four regions of Italy, exploring local ingredients, traditions and the stories behind iconic dishes.

Each of the 13 episodes showcases Italy’s rich culinary heritage, blending stunning travel cinematography with hands-on cooking lessons. Munno’s engaging storytelling and passion for authentic Italian cuisine make complex recipes approachable, inspiring viewers to recreate traditional dishes at home.

Produced by Hello Sunshine and Amazon MGM Studios, The Pasta Queen combines humour, heart and mouthwatering visuals to celebrate the cultural significance of food in Italian society. Critics have praised Munno’s charismatic hosting, and the series’ fresh take on culinary travel.

For food lovers and travel enthusiasts alike, The Pasta Queen offers an immersive experience that goes beyond cooking — it’s a love letter to Italy’s vibrant flavours and traditions.

Published in Dawn, ICON, March 16th, 2025