I didn’t think it was still possible to make television this terrible. I assumed there was some basic standard, a fundamental understanding of the craft that prevented any new show from falling below a certain level. But I was wrong. Ryan Murphy’s new series, All’s Fair – starring Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, and Niecy Nash as the founders of an all-female law firm that delivers divorce justice to incredibly wealthy but slightly unfortunate women under California’s blue skies – is awful. It’s fascinatingly, incomprehensibly, existentially bad. While I try to collect my thoughts after watching the first episode, here are a few direct quotes to show you why I’m struggling.
“Let’s put the ‘team’ in ‘teamwork’.”
“My flight was turbulent and so is my mood,” says Liberty (Watts) to a man blocking her way to a client.
“He’s wolf-like in his possessiveness,” a client says about her husband.
It’s so bad it feels almost insulting.
I looked for Julian Fellowes’ name in the credits, but it seems this is all on Murphy and his co-creators, Jon Robin Baitz and Joe Baken. They’re also executive producers, along with Kim K, her mother Kris Jenner, Watts, Glenn Close (who has a small role as the protagonists’ early mentor – I can’t imagine what the Kardashians have on her to get her involved in this mess), Nash, and many others. The list goes on forever. I suspect a version of the bystander effect is at play here: the more executive producers attached, the worse the show gets.
But there’s bad, and then there’s All’s Fair. Beyond the cringe-worthy script, the performances are equally embarrassing – though I understand that when an actor, like Murphy regular Sarah Paulson playing the psychopathic rival lawyer Carrington, has to scream lines like, “Are you calling me an ugly duckling? So what if I give myself home perms? It’s economical!” while trashing her mentor’s office, they’re probably not going to deliver their best.
Kim K, as Allura, married to a football star who resents her success overshadowing his, is as expressionless as you’d expect but at least harmlessly bad. Watts preens, pouts, and poses in search of a character, reminding me of Ally McBeal at her worst, delivering lines so stiffly you can almost hear her joints creak. The guest stars are even worse. Nash, usually a powerhouse on screen, does better in a role that suits her comedic strengths, but it’s disappointing to see Black women’s roles still written as just Loud! And Sassy! I thought And Just Like That… had put that stereotype to rest, but All’s Fair makes it look like a masterpiece.
If this were part of a bold, campy drama embraced by everyone and packed with narrative flair, Murphy might have pulled it off. But no one seems to know what they’re doing; the performances feel like they’re from nine different shows, and the plots are dismal. The trio (described as “the best divorce lawyers in town – maybe the country”) wrap up multiple cases in the time it…It takes Kim K’s nail polish to dry. There’s the younger wife who falls for the woman her husband brings in for a threesome, then leaves with a $210 million settlement after Nash gets video proof of his many perversions. (I’ll just say “sow teats” here—don’t let that make you curious enough to watch.)
The show’s idea of female empowerment would have embarrassed the Spice Girls three decades ago. In another storyline, an older wife is caught cheating and faces being kicked out of her New York home by her billionaire husband, who supposedly owns all of cosmetics. But Liberty flies in on a private jet to tell her she can keep her $40 million jewelry collection.
These plots are mixed with some of the worst on-screen kissing ever, the breakdown of Allura’s marriage, and a tacky focus on brand names and luxury items. With all this, plus a shallow take on female empowerment, the show is so bad it’s not even entertainingly bad—not even close.
All’s Fair is now streaming on Disney+.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the review of Alls Fair the Kim Kardashian divorce drama special with clear and concise answers
General Beginner Questions
1 What is Alls Fair
Its a twopart special on Hulu that follows Kim Kardashian and her legal team as they work to free people they believe have been wrongfully convicted
2 Is this special about Kims divorce from Kanye West
No the title is misleading The divorce drama refers to a specific case in the special involving a couple named Celeste and Tim not Kims personal life
3 Why are people calling it a divorce drama
Because the case Kim takes on centers on a man Tim who was convicted of the attempted murder of his exwife Celeste Their contentious relationship is the core of the legal story
4 Where can I watch it
You can stream Alls Fair exclusively on Hulu
Content Review Questions
5 What is the main criticism of the special
Many critics and viewers feel its overly dramatic poorly edited and focuses more on creating reality TV tension than on a serious clear exploration of the justice system
6 If its so bad why is it compelling
Despite its flaws the reallife case is inherently fascinating The high stakes of someones freedom combined with the bizarre details of the relationship make it hard to stop watching even if youre critiquing it
7 Does Kim Kardashian come across well in it
Opinions are mixed Some see her as dedicated and passionate while others feel the show highlights her lack of formal legal training and portrays her involvement as performative
8 Is the special more about Kim or the people shes trying to help
A common critique is that the special often feels like its about Kim and her teams efforts sometimes overshadowing the actual client and his story
Advanced Critical Thinking Questions
9 How does Alls Fair compare to her previous justice reform work on Kim Kardashian West The Justice Project
Many feel The Justice Project was a more serious and documentarystyle look at the issue while Alls Fair has a more sensational realityTV tone that
