‘The Kardashians’ on Hulu: From Ye retrieving Kim’s sex tape to Tristan’s infidelity, here are the most dramatic moments
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The first season of Hulu's 'The Kardashians' ended on June 16, 2022, after 10 drama-filled episodes that both startled and amused, indicating that the famed clan, and reality TV in general, is still as important as ever. There were revelations, bust-ups, and girl boss instances in this spectacular rebranding of the popular 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians' series, presenting scenes that are fed by drama, sequences that feed drama, and scenes that are, in some situations, just overblown.
The first season of 'The Kardashians' finished not long ago, after a series debut that broke Hulu records — and nine additional episodes of family turmoil. The show's snappy storytelling sure felt familiar — albeit with a bit less TMI and a much more blatant focus on the family's brand. It covered topics ranging from Kim's "walking campaign" for Balenciaga to her disputed criminal justice reform endeavors, as well as the evolving relationship statuses of her sibs and the fabrication of the TV show itself. If anything, the new Hulu version was ideal for Kardashian diehards who want a deeper look at where the family is today and how they operate their businesses, accented, of course, by the sisters' famously amusing exchanges. Here are the moments that kept 'The Kardashians' fans awake after Season 1.
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Ye flew to LA to deliver to Kim the laptop with her sex tape footage
By the time Kim got to New York City to tape 'Saturday Night Live', she was still dealing with rumored threats of more sex video footage. It was unexpected to see Ye arrive at her hotel carrying a suitcase. While previous press coverage from January notified viewers that Ye claimed to have recovered portions of Kim's footage, this was the artist's first visit on 'The Kardashians'. Ye had flown to Los Angeles and returned on a red-eye flight — in coach, no less — to get the last footage of her, and Ray J Kim was in tears as she unzipped a black bag containing a computer, keyboard, and hard drive that appeared to hold the last of her sex tapes. Kim verified that the tape had no sexual content. "I know Kanye did this for me, but he also did this for my kids," Kim said in a confessional. "I want to shield them from as much as I can, and if I had the power to, or Kanye has the power to, like, that is just the most important thing to me, and I'm just so emotional because of it. And it just means a lot to me."
Kim working out while raging over Tristan's adultery
During episodes nine and ten, titled 'Bucket List Goals' and 'Enough Is Enough', respectively, one of the most shocking and heartbreaking scenes of 'The Kardashians' season one unfolded. Kim was on the phone with Kylie and Kourtney in the penultimate episode's cliffhanger moment, erupting about Tristan's umpteenth adultery. Nevertheless, ever the multitasker, she doesn't let the fury derail her workout, and she keeps hammering away at her bicep curls. The sisters were seen on tape discussing the leaked legal filings in which Khloé's then-partner Tristan Thompson acknowledged having sex with another woman on his 30th birthday in March 2021. He was also attempting to get Khloé back after a prior infidelity scandal, claiming to her, that he had changed his ways and wished to raise a family with her. The petitioner, fitness trainer Maralee Nichols, was pregnant at the time and alleged Thompson was the father of her child in court records. The NBA player agreed to the docs that this could be possible based on the time of their sexual encounter, and paternity testing later revealed he was the father of Nichols' kid, who was born in December 2021. "Is Tristan like the worst person on the planet?" Kylie asked Kim over the call as they discussed the leaked court docs revealing Thompson's adultery.
Pete Davidson questioned whether Kim's longtime audio producer had seen her vagina more than he had
Kim was notably lighter and happier when she started dating beau Pete Davidson in autumn 2021 after starring on 'SNL' in October, while remaining discreet about her new relationship on-screen. Davidson was shown doing adorable things for Kim, like delivering her Dibs before a photoshoot, and she ultimately talked up about him on film, calling him the "best human being I've ever met" — but fans didn't see or hear from him explicitly in the first season. So it was a delightful surprise in the last episode's post-credits sequence when Kim talked with her boyfriend while filming confessional interview footage for the series. But it was their topic of conversation that got people talking.
Kim was in the scene to introduce Pete to her longtime audio producer, Erin "Paxy" Paxton. "Paxy has worked with me as audio for 14 years, from 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians'", she stated. "She knows everything about me. She's probably seen my vagina."
"More than me," off-screen, Davidson can be heard inquiring.
"Not more than you, but she's probably seen it," Kim said. Paxton laughed off-screen and informed Kim that she had not seen her vagina.
"Well, get there," Kim told her jokingly. "Takes time to warm up to seeing my vagina. But you could look on the internet. I'm just kidding."
To boost her thyroid levels, Kourtney said a doctor advised her to consume Travis Barker's semen
Due to Barker, Kourtney, and their reproductive quest, there have been some sticky situations in 'The Kardashians' season one. None is more startling than Kourtney's statement in Episode 7, 'Where I've Been and Where I Wanna Go'. The pair was discussing reproductive treatments with Ayurvedic medicine practitioner Martha Soffer when the Poosh founder said that an anonymous doctor had earlier advised her to drink Barker's semen "four times a week" to help "improve" her thyroid levels. "I can't remember what he said, if it was low or high," she recounted. "Well, he told me that the thing that would help it was drinking his cum like four times a week." Kourtney remarked to Barker, "Love this doctor."
Barker and Kourtney did not clarify whether they followed the doctor's advice or not, but they did allude to him in the past tense.
Kris's desk displays the Emmy Kim purchased
Scott and Khloé pay a visit to Kris at work to help her prepare for her impending Masterclass, and Khloé inquires about the Emmy behind her, presuming it's a fake. "It’s real: Kim bid for it at an auction." "You guys bought someone’s random Emmy?" Khloé inquires. Kris shrugs, "Fake it till you make it." Khloé's questioning is intended to draw attention to the ridiculousness of the purchase, but it also draws attention to something else. Purchasing an iconic award to manifest winning the said award is the ultimate power play, placing economic and symbolic capital at odds. By this stage, the Kardashians have realized they don't need an Emmy. They already have one of the most popular television series in the world.
Season 2 of 'The Kardashians' will premiere on Disney+ in the UK and Hulu in the US on September 22, 2022. Make sure to tune in to see more jaw-dropping moments.