Love them or loathe them, how Keeping up With…’ kept you hooked

It’s the series finale for ‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’ after 14 years and 20 editions. Shown in dozens of countries, the programme has made Kim Kardashian, her mother Kris Jenner, and her sisters Kourtney, Khloé, Kendall, and Kylie, an overnight star and adding cash to their bank accounts because of the popularity.

Also Read: After ‘Keeping Up…’ Kim Kardashian to talk about fame and family in ‘Coupledom’

Here are eight ways the famous family made an impact.

For being emotionally open

Part of their success comes from their willingness to be seemingly open on camera.

“They consciously and deliberately played themselves,” says Dr Meredith Jones of Brunel University in London, explaining how that level of authenticity is appealing to audiences, reports BBC.com.

“People don’t think of the Kardashians as being funny but they really are quite good at producing humour,” she says.

“While the women constitute a matriarchy, the men (such as Scott Disick, ex-partner of Kourtney) are these kind of comic fools and so in many ways, in a patriarchal society, that’s really attractive,” she told the publication.

For promoting conversations about female beauty

“I would say that Kim in particular has had a profound effect on global notions of what we think a beautiful woman looks like. Part of that is the ways that she presents herself as a work-in-progress,” said Jones. 

The show frequently depicts the Kardashians’ “glam squad”, providing professional services such as make-up, tans, styling, and hair care.

Pioneers of social media self-promotion

The Kardashians are inextricably linked to social media – Kylie and Kim are in the top 10 most-followed accounts on Instagram, while Kendall, Khloé, and Kourtney all feature in the top 20.

For Dr Jones, the family is “pioneers”, shaping the way we use social media to present a curated form of our identities and images.

Also Read: Kim Kardashian slammed for wearing ‘Om’ earrings in photoshoot

Romances and break-ups

A number of interracial relationships have been featured on the show, including between Kim and Kanye West, Khloé and Tristan Thompson, and Kylie and Travis Scott, all of whom have children together.

Dr Jones says, the Kardashians “embody this fantasy of the mixed-race family”.

Criticism for flaunting their wealth

Kim has credited Kanye with changing her attitude to her business ventures. Having endorsed products such as toilet paper and bespoke emojis, she now focuses on marketing things that fit her brand.

“He’s just taught me as a person to never compromise and to really take ownership,” she told Forbes. “Before, I was really the opposite. I would throw my name on anything.”

Part of the penultimate and all of the final season was filmed during the pandemic and some of the depictions of wealth have made these episodes more challenging for fans to watch.