Kim Kardashian's All's Fair tops Hulu in the U.S. — even as critics torch it
Look, the reviews are brutal. But the numbers? Big. Kim Kardashian (movies and tv series)'s legal thriller All's Fair just became Hulu's most-watched title in the U.S., even with critics calling it everything from "terrible" to "the worst TV drama ever."
Fans are calling it "glamorous," "camp," and "silly escapism." And honestly, that tracks. It's glossy TV that knows exactly what it is — fast, loud, and dripping in designer looks.
What the show is
The setup is simple: a team of high-powered female lawyers breaks away to launch their own firm. Kardashian plays Allura, a ferocious divorce attorney gunning for her younger husband she says married her for money.
The cast is stacked: Glenn Close, Sarah Paulson, Teyana Taylor, Naomi Watts (movies and tv series), and Niecy Nash. Guest stars include Brooke Shields (movies and tv series), Elizabeth Berkley (movies and tv series), Jennifer Jason Leigh (movies and tv series), and Judith Light (movies and tv series). It's a Ryan Murphy (movies and tv series) production, and it looks like one — polished, stylized, and big on attitude.
The rollout was a show, too
The first three episodes dropped this month on Disney+ and Hulu after months of promotion. If you watch The Kardashians, you might remember Ryan Murphy and Kris Jenner (movies and tv series) pitching Kim the idea more than a year ago. Since then, the cast has been everywhere — press tours, viral clips, high-gloss trailers. The machine was humming.
Ratings vs. reviews
On Instagram, Kim teased her 354 million followers, joking: "Have you tuned in to the most critically acclaimed show of the year!?!?!?" Then she posted data claiming All's Fair is the most-watched title on Disney+ in the U.S. and in 27 other countries. We haven't seen third-party verification, but the Hulu No. 1 spot is real.
Meanwhile, early critic scores were rough. Rotten Tomatoes initially showed 0%; it's since crept up to 6%. Not much comfort, but it's movement.
Fans: "It's glossy and fabulous"
Actress Patsy Kensit (movies and tv series) asked followers what they thought. Replies poured in: "It's glossy and fabulous, some great light relief." "I thought I was going to hate it, but I didn't turn it off. Love the girl (movies and tv series) power message." "It's so camp and fun… Kim is a fabulous addition."
That tension — hate-watch curiosity meets bingeable sheen — seems to be driving a lot of this momentum. People want to see if it's really as bad as the reviews say. And then they keep watching.
Critics: "Existentially terrible"
The Times' Ben Dowell (movies and tv series) called it "the worst TV drama ever." USA Today said "the worst TV show of the year." The Hollywood Reporter argued Kardashian's performance was "stiff and affectless," matching the writing. The Guardian's Lucy Mangan went further: "fascinatingly, incomprehensibly, existentially terrible."
Even the one (movies and tv series)-star reviews didn't pull punches. The Telegraph slammed Ryan Murphy as "the high priest of tacky, tasteless television." It's been open season.
The cast is in on the joke
Glenn Close posted a cheeky illustration on Instagram — a cauldron labeled "critic bunny strew," a wink that feels very Fatal Attraction. It's a reminder the show isn't hiding from the noise. If anything, it's using it.
So, what's really happening here?
Here's the honest read: star power still moves the needle, especially when it's Kim Kardashian headlining a Ryan Murphy soap with an awards-caliber supporting cast. Add a heavy promo push, punchy episode drops, and social-ready scenes, and you get a premiere that's review-proof — at least for week one.
The question now is staying power. Do people come back for episode four? And five? That'll tell us whether it's a curiosity spike or a hit that lives on its own terms.
Why this matters if you cover TV
- Hate-watch economics are real. Bad press can fuel first-week sampling. The play is retention.
- IP isn't everything — personality is. Kardashian's audience can lift a scripted title, even in a genre she's new to.
- Style sells. Viewers are signaling they'll show up for fashion, swagger, and wish-fulfillment — plot quibbles aside.
- Critics vs. consumption is widening. Expect more titles that get hammered on scorecards and still dominate homepages.
What to watch next
- Week-two and week-three drop-off. If completion rates hold, this becomes more than a meme moment.
- Cast-driven pivots. Don't be surprised if the show leans harder into Glenn Close and Sarah Paulson if that's where the buzz settles.
- Score shifts. Keep an eye on audience ratings and any movement on Rotten Tomatoes as more viewers weigh in.
Bottom line: All's Fair is chaotic, expensive candy. Critics aren't wrong about the flaws. But if you're measuring attention, the case is already closed — people are watching.
