Forgotten Meghan Markle Movie Resurfaces on Peacock

Many fans are surprised to see that Markle starred in a made-for-TV movie as recently as six years ago.

By Michael Hein

An obscure rom-com starring Meghan Markle has been trending lately thanks to Peacock and The Hallmark Channel, and it has many viewers raising their eyebrows. The movie is called Dater's Handbook, and it has generally negative reviews and it seems like new viewers are not impressed with it either. However, they are surprised to see the Duchess of Sussex herself in a B-movie that premiered just a few short years ago.

Markle has come a long way, from a game show presenter looking for her big break to a TV serial actress and finally, a member of the British royal family. She now enjoys a somewhat mythical status around the world – for better or worse – but it really wasn't that long ago that she was appearing in movies like Dater's Handbook, a Hallmark original made-for-TV movie where she plays Cassandra Barber, a successful businesswoman who is unlucky in love.

Dater's Handbook was added to Peacock recently and the Hallmark Channel has aired it a few times as well to capitalize on the renewed interest. It clearly caught many fans by surprise to see that Markle was in a TV rom-com in 2016 – just two years before her royal wedding.

"Why did no one tell me Meghan Markle was in a Hallmark movie? Now I get why people don't like her," one person posted last week. Another wrote: "Hallmark playing Meghan Markle's film Dater's Handbook on her birthday... They know what's up!" A third person mused: "If Meghan Markle never met Harry, I think her acting career would consist of primarily Hallmark movies."

Dater's Handbook has a disheartening 26 percent positive rating among Rotten Tomatoes users, and it did not get enough professional reviews to register on the "Tomatometer." Over on IMDb, it has an average rating of 5.8 out of 10. Of course, all those scores are subject to change if the streaming algorithms and cable schedules suddenly have an influx of new viewers checking out the movie.

Dater's Handbook is streaming now on Peacock for those interested in checking out Markle's past career. Meanwhile, Markle's better-known show, Suits is streaming on Netflix in the U.S. It is also enjoying an influx of new commentary and consideration thanks to Markle, and good luck with timing on its licensing deals.

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