The legal drama *All's Fair*, starring Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Sarah Paulson, and Glenn Close, released its first three episodes of the first season on Hulu, Disney's streaming platform, on November 4th. Unexpectedly, this star-studded nine-episode miniseries, created by Emmy Award winner Ryan Murphy, the mastermind behind *Glee* and *American Horror Story*, quickly received some of the most shockingly negative reviews in recent years, including numerous low-rated comments. Suddenly, almost every media outlet was debating: could the phenomenal *All's Fair* be the worst TV series in history?
Poster for "Queen of Lawsuits"
The Guardian was the first to criticize. Critic Lucy Mangan gave the show a 0-star rating without hesitation, opening with: "I truly didn't expect there could be such a terrible TV series these days. I always thought there should be some bottom line, some unshakeable creative principles, enough to ensure that no new series would fall below a certain standard. But I was wrong. Ryan Murphy's new series, 'Queen of Lawsuits,' is just that bad, so bad it's incomprehensible; it's an existentialist kind of bad."
Subsequently, a flood of negative reviews emerged from other media outlets, all using equally sharp and scathing language, expressing extreme disgust for the series. Ben Dowell, a critic for *The Times*, also gave it a zero, calling it "vulgar, nauseating, and feels like something written by an illiterate newborn, possibly the worst TV show ever." Kelly Lawler of *USA Today* criticized the show as "extremely stiff and contrived, making it incredibly awkward to watch." Ed Power of *The Daily Telegraph* called the show "melodramatic and nauseatingly dialogue." Hollywood media outlet *Wrap Up* commented, "We can't help but wonder if Murphy is conducting some kind of large-scale social experiment, trying to see if he can get away with making such a terrible show." *Variety* also called the show a "clumsy and condescending interpretation" of feminism.
The rating of "Queen of Lawsuits" on Rotten Tomatoes
On Rotten Tomatoes, a website that aggregates film and television reviews, its freshness score was initially only 0%, meaning it received no neutral or positive reviews. By the second day after its release, thanks to a positive review on a website affiliated with the New York Post, its freshness score finally rebounded to 4%.
However, on social media, a significant number of ordinary viewers expressed their enjoyment, especially Kim Kardashian's fans, given her status as a renowned social media influencer in the US and globally, boasting 354 million followers on Instagram alone. They felt the show was "exactly the kind of absurd comedy I like," praising its "exaggerated visual style, the characters' eye-catching fashion, and the spotless interior design." On Rotten Tomatoes, it achieved a 67% audience score. Data from social media analytics tool Netbase shows an even higher 81% positive reviews on social media.
Glenn Close in "Queen of Litigation"
The cast of this series includes several talented actors known for their acting skills—Naomi Watts, a two-time Oscar nominee; Glenn Close, an eight-time Oscar nominee; and Sarah Paulson, a Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner. However, the true leading role is played by reality TV star Kim Kardashian.
Kim Kardashian (left) and Naomi Watts in "Queen of Lawsuits"
Kim Kardashian has previously appeared in Murphy's *American Horror Story*, but this is her first time starring in a TV series. However, her performance in this new show has been heavily criticized by the media, widely described as "stiff, emotionless, and lacking any sense of realism." The 45-year-old Kim Kardashian rose to fame with hit reality shows *Keeping Up with the Kardashians* and *The Kardashians*. In these semi-fictional shows, her striking fashion sense, impeccable home decor, and exaggerated emotional conflicts have always been key to attracting audiences. These characteristics have clearly been transferred to this purely fictional legal drama. Therefore, fans accustomed to her reality show appearances feel comfortable buying into it. However, for critics who are used to judging works by the standards of traditional television series, this production is clearly subpar.
Kim Kardashian is undoubtedly the absolute protagonist of "Queen of Lawsuits".
Faced with a deluge of negative reviews, Anthony Hemingway, one of the show's directors and executive producer, defended his work in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "You can't please everyone," he said. "There will be some people who criticize it, but at the same time, countless people love it… Maybe it just isn't for you, and that's okay. I personally really enjoy the show. It's a matter of personal taste, and there's no single authority on this matter; no one's opinion can be definitively dictated."
Tiana Taylor, who rose to fame with "War I: The Second War," also stars in "Queen of Lawsuits."
Anthony Hemingway's previous works include popular TV series such as *ER*, *The Wire*, *True Blood*, and *Shameless*. In the interview, he also defended *Queen of Litigation*, referencing his earlier work *The Wire*. "I think some things are just slow burners," he said. "When *The Wire* first aired, nobody liked it. Everyone said it was terrible, nobody wanted to watch it, and only a handful of people kept watching every week. But in the end, *The Wire* became a hit. Of course, I'm not trying to compare *Queen of Litigation* to *The Wire*; I just want to illustrate that people's reactions to film and television works will definitely change over time. *Queen of Litigation* may also be a bit slow to gain traction, but I do think it has its novelty."
It's reported that the first six episodes of the series will be released every Tuesday until December 10th. Hulu's move is intended to prolong the buzz surrounding "Queen of Litigation." Whether it will ultimately succeed remains to be seen, but at least for now, the negative reviews it has received seem to have only fueled the interest of casual viewers. Data shows that "Queen of Litigation" achieved the highest premiere viewership for a Hulu original series in the past three years; three days after its release, it garnered 3.2 million viewers worldwide.