Reality star, businesswoman, law student, and now actress, Kim Kardashian is a pink dreamhouse away from being a real-life Barbie doll.
All’s Fair, Ryan Murphy’s new legal drama starring Kim Kardashian, Sarah Paulson, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash, and Glenn Close, released on Nov. 4, to a zero per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, users on TikTok say the show’s “so bad that it’s good.” Despite poor critical reviews, the show is still bringing in millions of viewers, debuting among the top 15 most-watched shows in the United States. Perhaps All’s Fair demonstrates mediocre shows can still survive solely on star power, or maybe we all just love a good hate-watch.
All’s Fair was written by a mostly male writing team. It follows an all-female divorce law firm in Los Angeles. Larger-than-life characters navigate their cases while dealing with the drama that comes with luxurious lifestyles. From beautiful meals on private jets to a palatial home with all-male staff, the show has a lot of sparkle. However, such sparkle is dimmed by poor script writing.
One may think that by casting generational talents like Close and Paulson, the show may make up for Kardashian’s weak acting ability. Yet, the actors aren’t given a moment to shine, having been reduced to one-dimensional characters dropping lines that feel like they’re trying too hard to be quotable.
Close portrays fictional legendary lawyer Dina Standish without any of the subtlety she was once famous for. During a confrontation with her former protégé Carrington, portrayed by Paulson, Standish says, “[We’d all be] happier if your mother had swallowed.” This quip seems meant to have come across as witty, but instead reads awkwardly. Close, an EGOT nominee, seems ill-fitted for middle school insults.
Similarly, Paulson’s character suffers from weak, misogynistic tropes. Her character, Carrington Lane, is a rival lawyer with no motivation except to spite the other women on the show. Nearly all her lines are awkward insults towards Kardashian’s Allura.
Niecy Nash, often a delight on screen, also suffers from the show’s poor writing. Her character, Emerald Greene, a name that sounds like it belongs to a cartoon network main character, makes no effort to use her golden comedic timing, showcased in better shows like Reno 911 and Scream Queens.
Kardashian’s screen presence makes up for her abysmal acting ability; there’s a reason this woman is the most popular face on reality TV. At face value, viewers won’t question whether she deserves to share the screen with the rest of All’s Fair’s famous cast, with her at the forefront of every poster.
Her screen presence, however, is forgotten when she has to deliver a line. While her monotone voice is perfect for the banal, catty banter on Keeping Up With the Kardashians (KUWTK), her narration isn’t suited for the show. Kardashian’s Allura doesn’t sound sad about her divorce or angry when finding out her husband was cheating with someone close to her. Instead, each of her scenes feels like a recycled shot from a KUWTK confessional.
Kardashian’s social media reach is one of the reasons this show has received attention. She’s rumoured to be paid a million dollars for each social media post she makes advertising All’s Fair. Her casting has given Murphy access to a piece of advertising real estate more valuable than a billboard on Times Square.
In a way, the catty dialogue and over-dramatic writing of All’s Fair make sense. Given that Kardashian has built a billion-dollar empire on being hate-watched, it’s clear that Murphy knows what her fans are looking for. He’s bringing it to them.
Between feminist jargon, awkward dialogue and unprofessional outfits, the writers of All’s Fair seem interested in making a show that can be extracted for social media clips. This makes the show difficult to actually watch. All’s Fair tries to be too many things at once: witty and serious, self-aware and tone-deaf, campy and realistic. Ultimately, the show feels cringy and vacuous.
With that said, I’ll absolutely be hate-watching the rest of the season. Murphy’s marketing scheme has worked for this viewer: the pretty sets, campy outfits, and the mouth-watering food keep me coming back for more, even if I hate every minute.
Tags
All’s Fair, Kim Kardashian, Review, Show, Streaming, Television, TV
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