Disney’s Deal With ‘The Kardashians’ Doesn’t Make Sense to Viewers
Apr. 20 2022, Published 12:37 p.m. ET
After taking a year off to live their lives away from the cameras, Kim Kardashian and the rest of the Kardashian-Jenner clan returned to reality TV in April 2022. In their new show, The Kardashians, the family addresses several scandals that kept them making headlines during their hiatus. Additionally, fan-favorite characters from Keeping Up With the Kardashians, such as Scott Disick and Kris Jenner’s boyfriend, Corey Gamble, are back on the small screen.
Although the show will similarly follow the family’s lives to their hit reality show, their lucrative deal with Disney, (the owner of Hulu and Disney Plus), provided them with a new streaming home. However, not all viewers believe the opportunity is appropriate.
Is ‘The Kardashians’ Disney Plus?
In June 2021, the Kardashian-Jenner family ended Keeping Up after 20 seasons. Before the show officially wrapped, though, they had already inked a deal with Disney to air The Kardashians on Hulu. Kim, Kris Jenner, Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, and Kylie Jenner’s deal was worth an estimated $100 million.
In addition to streaming the episodes on Hulu, fans may also watch The Kardashians on Disney Plus internationally. The show is currently available in countries such as the U.K. However, the series isn’t available on Disney Plus in the U.S., but those with a Disney Bundle of Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN can view new episodes.
While Disney Plus U.S. won’t stream The Kardashians yet, some U.K. and Australian viewers haven't been able to stream on the service either. During its series premiere, several fans said they couldn't watch the show days after it aired.
Before The Kardashians aired, some reality TV fans didn’t understand Disney’s partnership with the famous clan. Dana Walden, Walt Disney Television’s entertainment chairman, said that the Kar-Jenners earned their spot in the Disney universe despite the naysayers.
“We stepped up to a great deal that they very much deserve,” she told Variety of teaming up with the family. “Who would you want more for your unscripted slate than the Kardashians?”
"They perfectly symbolize our strategy, which is taking big shots, but the right shots, and betting on incredible talent and best-in-class opportunities in each genre," she continued.
When do new episodes of ‘The Kardashians’ air?
Season 1 of The Kardashians premiered on Thursday, April 14, 2022. However, streaming fans might be surprised to know the entire season won’t be available all at once. Instead, new episodes air every Thursday at 12:01 am EST. The late-night/early-morning timeslot allows fans to watch the show earlier rather than wait for new KUWTK episodes that aired on Sunday nights.
The Kardashians’ first season will also show the family experiencing public issues. During the pilot, Kim discussed her separation from Kanye West. As the season unfolds, the SKIMS founder’s relationship with Pete Davidson occurs while the cameras roll.
Kim recently explained how filming the drama when it happens gave her family a better work experience.
“Before, on E!, it was totally us and totally amazing, but the episodes were so short,” Kim told Variety in a video. “And the producers definitely knew what the E! audience wanted. This feels a little bit more documentary-style.”
“We wanted it to be as current as possible,” she added. “We hated how long we had to wait. That was like the death of us, because once we got over something, we had to rehash it all over again.”
Catch new episodes of The Kardashians Thursdays at 12:01 a.m. EST on Hulu.
