The season premiere of “The Kardashians” season 2 almost immediately starts unpacking what every audience member — or at least the informed one — is wondering about. The drama between Khloé and Tristan Thompson.
The June season one finale ended with the Kardashian clan finding out that Thompson, after a season of supposed growth despite his shaky past, had impregnated another woman while committed to Khloé. Of course, by the time the episode aired, the public already knew about the cheating scandal.
We had no idea that Khloé received this news just days after an embryo transplant to a surrogate to
have her second child, thus adding another layer to the family’s shock.
The premiere consequently follows this saga from start to finish, picking up where season one left off and filling in all the gaps. The viewer sees Khloé break the baby news to family members just after they find out about the cheating. Her path to reconciliation is showcased.
This complicated situation is emotional, regardless of the level of dedication to the family. Khloé’s four-year-old daughter True’s blissful excitement at the thought of being a big sister, without any awareness of the additional context, is painful to see.
Family members try to comfort Khloé throughout the episode and encourage her to see that while the situation itself is convoluted and upsetting, there is joy in the chapter that’s about to begin.
On a less serious note, the family throws Khloé a lion-themed baby shower that miserably clashes with everyones’ baby-blue attire. The shower was accompanied by designer baby gifts and a tearful speech from Kim.
The episode wraps up abruptly with footage of the birth of Khloé’s son. Vlog-style footage from Kim’s phone shows the two arriving at the hospital, and Khloé holding him for the first time.
Khloé allows Tristan to come to the hospital on the birth date to meet his son. I found this a little odd, given the overwhelming “Tristan sucks” theme of the episode. However, I suppose it’s an authentic representation of uncomfortable co-parenting.
While the episode fully tackled the Khloé and Tristan news from start to finish, it lacked any mention of other Kardashian storylines except for the brief season preview at the close.
It’s unlike the show to focus solely on one topic, or at least not to weave in other light-hearted storylines alongside something serious. Perhaps the topic the first episode covered was too heavy to add comedy. While I’m somewhat satisfied, I can’t help but feel a little oversaturated in the drama. I hope the rest of the season both returns to the normal episode format and weans off the Tristan content.
Hopefully, this season features both Pete Davidson and Devin Booker — Kim’s ex and Kendall’s boyfriend. Of course, a season with the Kardashians is surely anything but predictable. I hope to be kept on my toes more than anything.
The Kardashians airs every Thursday at midnight on Hulu if you feel inclined to tune in.
