The release of the first three episodes of the Netflix documentary series on the Sussexes is finding few friends among media critics. We couldn’t find any North American ratings but in the UK the first episode garnered 2.4 million views, dropping to 1.5 million for number two and down to 800,000 for the third episode. By comparison, supper-hour news shows in the UK get over 4 million viewers, and Coronation Street garners in the high 3 million range.
Herewith a few of the critics’ comments:
• The Sussexes surprise us yet again, with just how narrow their vision of their fame is, how pinched and unimaginative their presence on the world stage has become. They may have shed their responsibilities to the crown, but they’re still in a kind of service: There’s an air of duty about the entire enterprise of “Harry & Meghan,” as if they’re honor-bound to keep reciting their personal story until we eventually lose interest. Daniel Addario-Variety
• If I were Netflix, I’d want my money back. Because there was nothing “bombshell” or even very new here. Carol Midgely-Times of London
• Harry & Meghan review – so sickening I almost brought up my breakfast Lucy Mangan Guardian
• Harry & Meghan offers too little that feels fresh enough to merit its luxurious six-episode sprawl for all but the most fervent royal watchers. Angie Ham Hollywood Reporter
• Their currency might begin to wane as they struggle with the law of diminishing returns. They may still want to battle royal institutions and the media, but it may turn out that their real battle will be with ongoing relevancy. Katie Razzal BBC
Last word to Piers Morgan who (spoiler alert) doesn’t like the Sussexes
In an upcoming episode of Harry and Megan-the Complete Story, the couple reveal that their choice for their first dance at their wedding was “Land of a Thousand Dances”—somewhat surprising given their ages—as it is a 50-year old –R&B hit written by Chris Kenner from Louisiana. A sampling of the lyrics goes:
Put your hand on your hips, yeah
Let your backbone slip
Do the Watusi
Like my little Lucy
In the Netflix series Harry went on at length about unconscious racism of the kind that might be (unconsciously, of course) on display with the reference in their wedding song to the dance—the Watusi—a song and dance craze invented by two white guys from Philadelphia making light of the dance traditions of the Tutsi people in Africa.
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