On Sunday, August 19, Alaskan Bush People‘s new season premiered. Fans and viewers got to see the Brown family in Washington for the first time.
Keeping Up With The Kardashians had an episode during the same timeslot. And if Kris got cross on camera, we can only imagine how she feels off camera.
Because Alaskan Bush People‘s ratings absolutely trounced those of KUWTK. They had more than three times as many viewers.
Let’s take a look at Showbuzz Daily‘s Top 150 List and see how ratings went during that August 9 timeslot.
Alaskan Bush People: 3.4 million viewers on Discovery.
90 Day Fiance: 2.2 millon viewers on TLC.
Fear The Walking Dead: 1.9 million viewers on AMC.
Finding Dory: 1.7 million viewers on The Disney Channel.
Keeping Up With The Kardashians did not even bring in 1.1 million for E!
What’s more is that Alaskan Bush People‘s season premiere had nearly double the claim on the coveted 18-49 demographic.
Now, season premiere numbers can give a bit of a bump. That’s normal.
But we’re talking about a difference of more than two million people. That looks like more than a bump, folks.
We’re talking about a family considered to be American royalty getting less than one-third of the market share that the Brown family did.
So, why did viewers tune in?
Well, it wasn’t just to see Bear Brown run through the woods of Washington State.
Viewers are genuinely concerned about Ami Brown’s ongoing cancer battle. They love Ami.
Even though they know that the Brown family spends their off season living large in a Beverly Hills mansion, fans have forged a powerful attachment to the family members.
They want to see how Ami is doing for themselves.
They want to see how the family is adjusting to Washington.
Does this spell doom for the Kardashians?
No, and we don’t mean to suggest that Kris Jenner will see the ratings and start exposing one of her children to carcinogens to attract viewers.
(Insert the obligatory what was really in those doughnuts Kris tried to feed Khloe joke)
First of all, the Kardashian brand is no longer exclusively and inextricably linked to Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
That’s why Kourtney is a millionaire living comfortably and Kylie is on the verge of becoming a billionaire.
Reality television gave the Kardashians a stepping stone that they’ve used to grow their brands and their wealth. It was a means to an end.
We don’t think that this new ratings dynamic means that viewers want totally different things.
If networks respond to this by churning out show after show of families living in unspeakably remote wilderness while one of them battles a terminal illness, it would be a mistake.
This is probably a symptom of overexposure. Everybody knows who the Kardashians are and what they’re up to.
The big surprises that had everyone interested — things like Tristan’s cheating and Kylie’s pregnancy — are old news.
Right now, the Kardashians are focusing on feuding between Kim and Kourtney. They are grown-ass adult mothers of three each and their feuds aren’t as meme-worthy as they once were.
The Brown family might not be more authentic than the Kardashians, but they’re more relatable and they’re way, way less overexposed.
That, we think, is what’s happening here.