Reality television icon Kim Kardashian has responded with characteristic humour to the devastating critical reception of her new legal drama All's Fair, which initially received a brutal zero percent score on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes.
A Defiant Social Media Response
Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Kardashian shared a collection of the show's most scathing reviews, ironically captioning the post: "Have you tuned in to the most critically acclaimed show of the year!?!?!?" The series, created by Ryan Murphy, stars Kardashian alongside acclaimed actresses Naomi Watts and Niecy Nash-Betts as a team of female divorce attorneys who leave a male-dominated firm to start their own practice in Los Angeles.
Among the screenshots she posted was one viewer's comment that read, "Some of the worst acting I’ve ever seen in my life... I’m obsessed and I need 14 seasons." Another review stated the show "dares to ask the question, 'Does a show need to be good?' and the answer is no, it doesn't." Kardashian also included a meme suggesting that the negative critiques had ultimately driven more viewers to watch and enjoy the programme.
Critical Panning Versus Viewer Numbers
Despite the overwhelmingly negative press, Kardashian had a final card to play. The closing slide of her Instagram post featured a tweet from Disney Hulu's press office announcing that All's Fair is currently the most-watched title on Disney+ globally, ranking in the top 10 across 36 international territories.
This commercial success stands in stark contrast to the critical mauling the show received after its premiere on November 4. The Guardian's Lucy Mangan awarded it zero stars, declaring it "fascinatingly, incomprehensibly, existentially terrible." The Independent's Adam White described it as "property porn for the age of Skims and Selling Sunset," while The Times' Ben Dowell savagely remarked that the script felt like it was written "by a toddler."
A Divided Public Reception
While professional critics were united in their disdain, the public reaction on social media has been decidedly mixed. Some viewers have echoed the critics' negative sentiments, but a significant number have championed the series, branding it "high camp" and "chic." This division highlights a growing disconnect between traditional critical opinion and modern audience taste.
In the lead-up to the release, Kardashian spoke to the BBC about her role, expressing her honour at working with Watts and Nash-Betts, whom she called "the best acting coaches in the world." She acknowledged that the show's creators had "took a chance on working with" her, a reality star with limited acting experience, and emphasised her professional commitment, stating, "The last thing I would want to do is be unprofessional, be late or not know my lines."
As All's Fair continues to generate conversation for its quality—or perceived lack thereof—its performance demonstrates that a low Rotten Tomatoes score is not necessarily a death knell, especially when a show can capture the public's attention and become a global streaming hit.
