Why Is Hulu's New Kardashian Reality Show Also on Disney?
The Kardashian-Jenner family is getting a new reality television series. Through what streaming platform, you ask? Oh, the House of Mouse itself, Disney Plus.
On February 8, Disney+ UK shared a preview of the upcoming new reality series The Kardashians, set to debut seven months after E!'s Keeping Up With the Kardashians aired its final episode.
So many months without a camera following your every move must be super challenging, and I commend them for their strength (I'm being sarcastic, of course).
The teaser included a slowed version of singer and civil rights activist Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" song, which feels more than a little tacky.
Let's get this straight: During Black History Month, a timeless song by a Black cultural icon is in the same space as the reality women who've appropriated cultures and used slurs. Is that right?
I have no (kind) words for this move by Disney but I do question the correlation between the purportedly family-friendly streaming service and America's first family of drama.
So, Disney possesses a majority stake in Hulu, where The Kardashians would be better homed if Disney+ is to keep its squeaky clean image. And that's indeed where it'll be when it premieres on April 14... in the United States, Puerto Rico, and certain parts of Japan, Hulu's only streaming locations.
As for the rest of the world, you can now watch Doc McStuffins and The Kardashians in the same place, offering inappropriately curated selections for the whole family to enjoy.
Now, you might argue that this is simply proof that Disney Plus is growing up. You'd be wrong, because Disney has taken several notable strides in separating edgy content and family-oriented programming on its flagship streaming service.
In 2019, for instance, Disney announced a reboot of popular Hilary Duff vehicle, Lizzie McGuire, unlocking excitement and nostalgia for the show that molded my pre-teen years.
Just as quickly, though, the reboot was cancelled and my heart was shattered. Why? Apparently, Disney and Hillary Duff weren't seeing eye-to-eye with the show's plot.
While Duff wished to proceed with an authentic depiction of a mature, modern 30-year old Lizzie, Disney demanded a more "family-friendly" plot. Once you've shed your kid-safe trappings, you're apparently no longer welcome to participate in the core Disney brand.
Then, the media brand bafflingly shut down the popular The Owl House animated series.
The show's creator, Dana Terrace exasperatedly explained that, despite the show's widespread success among viewers and critics alike, Disney suddenly decided that the animated show "didn't fit the brand."
Disney never publicly clarified its rationale but Terrace believes that the company axed the show because it had an older audience and perhaps some messaging that Disney didn't jive with — The Owl House was celebrated for its LGBTQ+ inclusivity, a relative rarity for kid's shows.
It seems like more progressive kid's content that appeals to a slightly older demographic and a similarly matured Lizzie Mcguire are off-brand for Disney Plus but the Kardashian clan and Pam and Tommy — you know, the miniseries that depicts the events around Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee's leaked sex tape? — are just fine for Disney Plus' international audience.
Of course, Twitter had a field day with The Kardashians announcement.
There's even a petition with nearly 1,000 signatures going around asking for The Kardashians removal on Hulu.
Pretty unlikely that Hulu or Disney would pull the plug on a completed (and profitable) product but, then again, the companies have made plenty of unprofitable decisions by cutting Lizzie Mcguire and Owl House for the sake of staying "on brand," so why stop now?
