I'm a big believer in the value of guilty pleasures. A great deal of satisfaction can be gained by turning off the discerning, analytical part of one's brain and gorging on the entertainment equivalent of junk food. Now available on DVD, the first season of E!'s Keeping Up With the Kardashians fits that bill to a tee.
I'm not a very avid viewer of reality-based shows in general. For a variety of reasons, many of the families who open up their lives to television cameras wind up seeming reprehensible. That's what I enjoy about the Kardashian clan; for the most part, they come across like a normal family. Granted, we only see what they want us to see (as with any show of this kind). Their considerable financial wealth makes their lifestyle a little hard to relate to at times. And it must be said, aside from Bruce Jenner's Olympic accomplishments in the past (not the focal point of this show), the family hasn't displayed any particularly arresting talents.
Yet I continue to watch, mostly because I find these people ultimately very likeable. Even amidst the various adult themes found in these eight episodes (Kim's sex tape, Kourtney's sex pictures, Kim and her mom posing for Playboy, to name a few examples), what always dominates is a strong sense of family unity. Despite the snarky comments thrown around by all, the Kardashians remain emotionally grounded by their love and respect for one another.
Ostensibly focused on Kim's various attempts at establishing a showbiz career, Keeping Up With the Kardashians is really an ensemble piece. The first of these eight episodes quickly assigns a superficial identity to each family member. Kris Kardashian is the ex-wife of the late attorney Robert Kardashian (who was part of the defense team during O.J. Simpson's murder trial). She manages her daughter Kim, who is trying to find her niche beyond being a socialite.
Kim and her sisters, Kourtney (the eldest) and Khloe (the youngest), run a family-owned clothing store, DASH. Less visible are the girls' brother, Rob Jr., and half-sisters Kendall and Kylie (the latter two are the product of Kris' current marriage to Bruce Jenner). Bruce, the befuddled dad, plays straight man to all the ensuing drama.
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