The Kardashian family is feuding once more.
Last night, the 15th season of the series, which recently won best reality series/franchise at the 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards, kicked off with a reminder that drama will always be the focus of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.”
The source of the latest episode’s immediate, high-strung debate was about none other than the infamous Kardashian Christmas card, which is noticeably absent of Kylie.
Some people speculated that she missed the card shoot due to her growing, secret baby belly, but new behind-the-scenes footage revealed the actual reason is not about Kylie at all.
DAY 25 MERRY CHRISTMAS pic.twitter.com/ONrmDDTaJz
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) December 26, 2017
Not far into the premiere, Kourtney and Kim Kardashian encounter an issue with each other. Kim decides to spearhead the Christmas card planning, and Kourtney is immediately angry that the shoot’s scheduling revolves around her sister’s availability.
Kourtney’s only scheduling request is that the shoot ends before 4 p.m., so she can spend the evening with her children. But Kim says that because she, Kylie, Khloé and Kendall all have businesses related to the Kardashian brand and Kourtney does not, she should have to adhere to their busy schedules.
Likely due to their individual contributions and Kourtney’s lack of interest in self-promotion in the Kardashian world, Kim goes as far as calling Kourtney the “least exciting [sister] to look at.”
Kim’s suggestion that Kourtney is dull and uninteresting because she prefers to have a lower profile and focus more on her personal life and children is proof of why money and fame threaten family structures.
The Kardashian brand has outgrown a normal life, and Kim clearly thinks her oldest sister is not representing that image well. Regardless of differing ideas of a fulfilling life, the need for successful female models does not precede the need for women who support one another.
Kourtney, whose long-brewing exhaustion with the Kardashian franchise has made her an outsider among her other sisters, said, “You guys just have really different values than me.”
She values family and her children over the franchise and branding, preferring to spend time with them, and even tells her sisters that she is ready to move as far as another country to get away from their drama-fueled empire.
In the episode, Kourtney said, “You’re a very distraught, evil human being,” in reference to Kim. She also said, “I’m not here to f—ing be mistreated by my f—ing b—- family” during a phone call with Khloé.
The confrontation took place over speakerphone in the midst of yelling, crying and storming exits, just as the neurotic family environment would see fit.
After an entire episode of fighting, Kim relents and moves the shoot time to accommodate everyone involved, which evidently was not as much of an inconvenience as she made it out to be.
Despite the moment of peace, throughout the shoot, Kim mocked and prodded Kourtney about her “feelings.” The Kardashian household takes on the air of a playground, where Kim is the biggest and meanest bully.
In response, Kourtney made a point of not attending Kim’s extravagant cherry blossom baby shower for Chicago.
Whoever thought babies would be the theme of the season clearly does not know the sisters and the petty tantrums that keep their acrylic nails barred toward one another.
Kim and Kourtney live-tweeting the episode with commentary defending their own sides of the argument became heated, suggesting there is still lingering tension between them, even as preparation for season 16 is underway.
We all have our own priorities. Mine is being a mother. #KUWTK
— Kourtney Kardashian (@kourtneykardash) August 6, 2018
And mine is not? The shoot was with our kids!!!!! My #1 priority is being a mother as well and I can work too, so can you! https://t.co/3bApFwwjcr
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) August 6, 2018
Even Khloé got involved, proving sister rivalry spills out to every member of the family.
Hey @kourtneykardash are you watching the same episode I am??? Do you think I was picking on you? I was genuinely concerned about your happiness. Stop looping me into your drama with Kim! Don’t ever tweet me that shit again! #KUWTK
— Khloé (@khloekardashian) August 6, 2018
Although mind-numbingly unimportant “problems” and arguments are the backbone of the series, its premiere was overpowered by the grating sound of privileged brats screaming and proving stereotypes about wealthy, catty females correct.
Those who expected the cries of children in some ways still got them.
The Kardashian sisters have undeniably been extremely successful in growing their empire, regardless of the help they had from their parents. In the event that they could also be that successful in exemplifying how strong women should support one another, they could make their legacy worth more than all of the millions of dollars they generate combined.
But if the season is at all represented by its premiere, viewers should expect plenty of the same to come.
