Keeping Up With the Kardashians is bleeding viewers and again causing increased speculation that this season may indeed be its last.
The issue: After an unimpressive ratings start to Season 13, Kris Jenner’s E! baby has yet to get the numbers moving in the right direction.
Once a consistent viewership juggernaut, the latest installment of the Sunday night staple hit a new low in the ratings this past weekend.
According to Nielsen, only 1.41 million viewers tuned in to the show, a significant drop from the previous episode and the one before.
Not that those weeks posted impressive numbers, either.
The first two shows of Season 13 had 1.48 million and 1.58 million, respectively, so the drop to 1.41 signaled yet another tough outing.
“This sucks,” a source close to production commented.
Especially given the buzz around these weeks, “these were big episodes and they were supposed to bring in big numbers. This is bad.”
If Kim’s robbery and aftermath can’t save it, what can?
The show and its niche audience has never received massive overall ratings, but it always performed well in the crucial 18-49 demographic.
Now its performance is suspect even there.
Making matters worse is the fact that KUWTK is more expensive than ever to produce as overhead (read: salaries, security) escalates.
The shifting landscape of TV hasn’t helped.
When the show premiered a decade ago, there simply wasn’t as much competition in the reality TV genre, or on basic cable in general.
The Kardashians, ironically, have struggled to … keep up with the trends in the industry, and coupled with over-saturation and fatigue?
It’s a recipe for disaster for Kris Jenner.
Yes, Kris is fighting to save the show from cancelation, but are there just too many head winds for the Momager to overcome at this point?
Perhaps the biggest obstacle? Fan boredom.
Viewers took to Twitter to rant about the reality show and its recent plot lines, with more than a few calling for it to be canceled ASAP.
“#IHaveBeenThinkingAnd I think the network needs to cancel #KUWTK it’s just no use to anyone anymore…” one Keeping Up wrote.
The Jenners and Kardashians are indeed increasingly worried about their futures on reality TV … or after reality TV, to be more specific.
Says another source close to the situation:
“The entire family is completely freaking out right now. They would not know what they would do with themselves if the show got canceled.”
What do you think? Should E! read the writing on the wall, pull the plug and cancel Keeping Up with the Kardashians for good?
Would such a move be long overdue?
Is there anything that Kris or her family can do to make people want to watch Keeping Up with the Kardashians online as they once did?