Keeping Up with the Kardashians is an American reality television series that debuted on E! on October 14, 2007. The series documents the daily lives of the Kardashian/Jenner family, the former of which consists of the ex-wife and children of late attorney Robert Kardashian. It has been confirmed that a third season will begin in early 2009. Ryan Seacrest is the executive producer of this show.

Cast

• Kris Jenner (b. Kristen Mary Houghton 5 November 1955 San Diego, California) matriarch, business manager. Kris was married to Robert Kardashian, the late defense attorney who became famous during the O.J. Simpson murder trial. They had three daughters and one son during their marriage. She divorced Kardashian in 1989 and later married athlete Bruce Jenner. Bruce and Kris had two daughters together. Kris owns a children's boutique, Smooch, in Calabasas, California.
• Bruce Jenner (b. William Bruce Jenner 28 October 1949 Mount Kisco, New York). 1976 Summer Olympics decathlon champion, Kris's husband and the Kardashian kids' stepfather. During the Olympics trials in 1972, Bruce placed third and then finished tenth at the Munich games in the same year. He set an Olympic and world record of 8,634 points at the 1976 games in Montreal. After his Olympic career, he tried acting in 1980. His first film was Can't Stop the Music. In 1991, he married Kris Kardashian. Besides being the stepfather of Kris's four children, he has six children of his own.
• Kourtney Mary Kardashian (b. 18 April 1979 Los Angeles, California). She was the first born to Kris and Robert Kardashian. After graduating from high school, she attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She transferred to the University of Arizona in Tucson after two years. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in Spanish in 2002. She co-owns a women's boutique, named DASH, with her sisters. She was previously in Filthy Rich: Cattle Drive.
• Kimberly Noel Kardashian (b. 21 October 1980 Los Angeles, California). Daughter of Kris Jenner and Robert Kardashian, Sr., and the main focus of the series. She is the second born in the Kardashian family. Kim is famous today for being a businesswoman and socialite, for having a sex scandal, (with R&B singer Ray J ), and for her former friendship with Paris Hilton. She was previously married to Damon Thomas from 2000 to 2004. She is currently dating Reggie Bush, an NFL player. Kim co-owns DASH, a women's boutique in Calabasas, California.
• Khloe Alexandra Kardashian (b 27 June 1984). The youngest daughter of Kris Jenner and Robert Kardashian, Sr. The youngest of the Kardashian sisters. She co-owns DASH. (Her DUI has recently put her in the news.)Is the most playful of the sisters on the show.
• Robert Arthur Kardashian, Jr. (b. 17 March 1987 Los Angeles, California). The youngest child and only son of Kris Jenner and Robert Kardashian Sr,. He is dating actress/singer Adrienne Bailon. He attends the University of Southern California.
• Kendall Nicole Jenner (born 1 November 1995) Kris and Bruce's 12-year-old daughter.
• Kylie Jenner (born 10 August 1997) Kris and Bruce's 11-year-old daughter.

Season 1

The show premiered on E! October 14, 2007, and has since then been the highest-rated series on Sunday nights among women 18 to 34. Its November 4 telecast averaged a 1.06 rating among adults and a 1.7 among women 18 to 34, according to Nielsen Media Research. The network also said that Keeping Up With the Kardashians has reached over 13 million total viewers in its first month on air.

Season 1 episode list

Episode	Original airdate	Synopsis
I'm Watching You	10/14/07	Bruce and Kris celebrate their anniversary. Kim appears on The Tyra Banks Show.
Managing Mom	10/21/07	Kim "fires" Kris. Kris hires a nanny.
Brody In The House	10/28/07	When the girls go to Mexico, Brody Jenner babysits Kylie and Kendall.
Birthday Suit	11/4/07	Kim poses for Playboy.
Remembering Dad	11/11/07	The family remembers Robert Kardashian. Khloe is arrested for DUI.
You Are So Pregnant Dude	11/18/07	The girls go to Vegas. Kourtney may be pregnant.
Helping Hand	11/25/07	Khloe and Kourtney help a homeless man.
The Price Of Fame	12/2/07	Scandalous photos of Kourtney resurface.

Season 2

The second season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians debuted on March 9,2008. The season premiere drew 1.4 million viewers. Overall, season two averaged 1.6 million viewers per episode, a 36% increase over season one.

Season 2 episode list

Episode	Original airdate	Synopsis
Kim Becomes A Diva	3/9/08	The family thinks Kim's fame is going to her head. Scott may have cheated on Kourtney.
Rob's New Girlfriend	3/16/08	Rob falls in love with pop star Adrienne Bailon. Kris gets chickens for the house.
Khloe Wants to Act	3/23/08	Khloe attends an acting class. Kris hires a fashion consultant for Bruce.
Kris the Cheerleader	3/30/08	Kris injures her knee training to be a cheerleader. Kourtney, Kim, and Khloe teach their younger sisters about puberty.
Khloe's Blind Dates	4/6/08	Kim and Kourtney start an online dating profile for Khloe. Kendall pays someone to do her chores.
Learning Self Defense	4/13/08	After DASH is vandalized, the girls look in to methods of self defense. Rob considers becoming a professional model.
Kardashian Civil War	4/27/08	After Kim purchases a Bentley, the girls fight over petty grievances. Kris gets drunk and gets a tattoo. Bruce begins showing symptoms of a mid-life crisis.
Kardashian Family Vacation	5/4/08	To recuperate the ongoing chaos, the family takes a ski vacation to Colorado. Bruce's crisis intensifies.
Kim's Calendar for Reggie	5/11/08	Kim shoots a sexy calendar for her and Reggie's anniversary, but Kris distributes it for public sale.
New Perspective in New Orleans	5/19/08	The girls visit New Orleans for a charity pool tournament and meet a family devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Bruce's plans for a romantic weekend alone with Kris go awry.
Junk In The Trunk	5/26/08	Favorite moments and outtakes from the series.

Season 3

E! has ordered ten episodes for a third season. Kim Kardashian stated on 26 September's episode of Chelsea Lately that the third season will air in March.

Guest appearances

Season 1

• Tyra Banks, model and television hostess
• Brittny Gastineau, reality TV participant
• Bree Olson, adult film actress
• Melody Thornton, Pussycat Doll
• Robin Antin, Pussycat Doll
• Joe Francis, producer of Girls Gone Wild (He called the family while he was in prison at the time)
• Hugh M. Hefner, editor-in-chief of Playboy
• Holly Madison and Kendra Wilkinson of The Girls Next Door
• Kara Monaco, Playmate of the Year 2006
• Bruce's sons Brody and Brandon
• Brianna Tatiana, socialite and model

Season 2

• Reggie Bush, New Orleans Saints running back and the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner
• Adrienne Bailon, of The Cheetah Girls
• Cris Judd, choreographer and ex-husband of Jennifer Lopez
• Burt, Brody, and Brandon Jenner

Critical reception

Mainstream media reception to the show has been mostly negative.

• The New York Times had this to say about it: "The Kardashian show is not about an eccentric family living conventionally; it is purely about some desperate women climbing to the margins of fame, and that feels a lot creepier.
• Entertainment Weekly chimed in with this synopsis: "...why, oh, why would Ryan Seacrest put his self-tanned stamp of approval on a reality show about tabloid mainstay Kim Kardashian, whose sex-tape scandal and partying appear to be her only real achievement in life?
• NY Daily News had to say: "Sleaze aside, the show just isn't very interesting, or entertaining. There's no drama or anything like a real family scenario that would make a viewer feel like coming back. The family breaks no stereotypes of overhyped Hollywood life. They reveal nothing (other than Kim) and the family just isn't endearing.
• Variety gave their review by saying: "Once you get past Kim's prominently displayed assets, there's not much of a show here, and no discernible premise. As best I can tell, the tension at least in the second episode is supposed to stem from the fact that, as presented, Kris (who E!'s press release rather ickily dubs a "momager") is fairly inept at handling her daughter's non-career. Exec producer Ryan Seacrest is tethered to E! in a big way, so it's understandable the channel would indulge his shallow whims. Fortunately, while they do, the rest of us don't have to, making it pretty easy to say "Seacrest -- and Kardashians -- out!

DVD

The first season of the show was released on DVD on October 7, 2008. It contains all 8 episodes with commentary from the Kardashian family. The DVD was released via Lionsgate Home Entertainment.

References