You didn't really think the Kardashians were going to disappear from "reality" TV, did you? It hasn't even been a year since the final episode of Keeping Up with The Kardashians aired on June 10 on E!, and already the biggest you-either-love-them-or-hate-them family in America is returning to our screens with The Kardashians, which premieres on Hulu on Thursday. The new show will make it 15 years of Kardashian TV and begs the question: Can they "break the internet" again?
Here are all of our biggest questions heading into the premiere.
How is 'The Kardashians' different from 'KUWTK'?
The new series is expected to include some of the original Kardashian-Jenner clan — that would be Kris, 66; Kourtney, 42; Kim, 41; Khloé, 37; Kendall, 26; and Kylie, 24 — with each of them sharing their stories in "real time" in order "to reveal the truth behind the headlines," Hulu says. The old show, by contrast, focused on events diehard fans already knew from reading the headlines or scrolling through social media. The Kardashians, by contrast, is a chance for the Kardashians to explain themselves — with special attention on the drama of the breakup between Kim and Kanye West.
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Yeah, what's up with Kimye?
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the summer of 2020, Us Weekly broke the news that "there was trouble in paradise" for Kim and Kanye, who wed in 2014. While sources told Us Weekly that Kim was weighing her options as the rapper made headlines for controversial comments amid his equally controversial presidential campaign, she didn't take legal action until February 2021. Kim, however, has said that "her ex Kanye West will 'always be family.'"
Also, expect to learn more juicy details about Kim's new relationship with a man whose name rhymes with "feet."
Will Kourtney and Travis Barker's relationship be in the show?
You betcha. Kourtney, the oldest sister, tied the the knot with her Blink-182 drummer fiance, Travis Barker, earlier this month in Las Vegas after he proposed to her in October 2021. The nuptials reportedly took place just after the 2022 Grammy Awards show that they both attended.
Why are people so obsessed with Kourtney and Travis?
The reason there's been so much positive chatter around Kourtney's love life is mainly because, for several seasons of KUWTK, we watched her deal with the disappointment of the father of her children (Mason, Penelope, and Reign), Scott Disick. He's the only guy she's ever consistently had around publicly, so in her in particular case, the new relationship is a breath of fresh air. However, this wouldn't be a Kardashian romance if the leach-like baby father wasn't around — and unfortunately, he comes in the form of Scott.
Harsh! Why don't we like Scott?
For one thing, he doesn't seem to be too happy about Kourtney's new love life, which isn't cool (not to mention, it shows a sexist double standard). Then again, Scott might also be bitter because Kourtney's new relationship with Travis could put his recurring spot on the show in jeopardy. Scott has been a staple of KUWTK for years, but that might be about to change with the new boundaries Kourt could set — after all, she is a married woman now and she can't continue playing house with Scott.
Will Scott still come around for family functions?
That's the big question. While his personality comes across as that of the fun brother for the family, how would that not make Kourtney uncomfortable around her new hubby? US Weekly reports, however, that a source claims "Disick is 'OK' with the romance" between Kourt and Travis "because he 'believes he still has the upper hand being the kids' father.'"
What's with the Kardashians and guys named Travis?
No idea. But it's a whole thing: Kylie recently had her second child by rapper Travis Scott. She shared in a relatively recent interview that the two of them were still in the process of renaming her baby boy, who was originally called "Wolf Webster."
Isn't one of these people named Khloé? And who's Kendall?
Khloé has been having drama with her ex-boyfriend, NBA star Tristan Thompson, the father of her 3-year-old daughter True. He allegedly had another child with a personal trainer and family friend of Khloé's. But this shouldn't have been surprising, because he likes to keep it close to the family — there was famously a situation with Kylie's former friend Jordyn Woods. The internet trolls seem to think Khloé still owes Jordyn an apology instead of it being the other way around … but maybe people shouldn't judge Khloé too soon. She could be planning her public apology on the new series.
Another big mystery is if Kendall, who tends to be less committed to the reality TV lifestyle, will open up to viewers about who she dates (whether serious or casual) — or if she's only gonna show up to sign the metaphorical attendance roll.
And which one is Kris?
The matriarch of the Kardashian-Jenner crew is none other than Kris Jenner. She's been the brains behind the entire operation, so hopefully in this new series, her daughters will show her a bit more respect in front of the cameras — it's the least they could do.
We've gotta wonder also, will Kris share the true dynamics of her relationship with boyfriend Corey Gamble? Who is he, and what does he do in his day-to-day life?
Seriously, do any of these people have real jobs?
You've got to hand it to the sisters: they all have been consistent in their business practices. Kim not only has Skims, her hugely successful shapewear company, but she also recently announced that she passed the "baby bar exam" and is one step closer to becoming a lawyer. Kylie has her Kylie Cosmetics company, Khloé is the face of Good American, and Kendall is a runway model. While many people like to sneer that the socialites aren't "talented," they certainly get paid for their work (even if there can sometimes be some fudging around, uh, the exact numbers).
Any other lingering questions?
Will The Kardashians series give everyone a more rounded, less irritating perspective about the family? Only time will tell.
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