Keeping Up With The Kardashians returned this week for the second half of Season 12. Keeping up requires viewers to put themselves into a post-Khloé’s birthday, but pre-Paris robbery state of mind when watching. There's also a depth to the Rob and Chyna drama for viewers that only six episodes of Rob & Chyna could provide. So, theoretically, there should be a poignancy to the second half of the season that was missing during the first half.
The episode opens with the première of Kanye’s Famous video at The Forum in LA. The controversy around the video is old news by now, but the behind-the-scenes footage from the event is interesting. Kim explains that Kanye had a lot of ideas for the video, but that he decided to go with the “craziest one.” Immediately after the event, Kim is dying to know how Twitter is reacting. She's also interested in the individual reaction from Caitlyn. As Kris keeps an eye on the situation, Kim talks to Caitlyn about the video. Caitlyn hasn’t seen it, but Kim assures her that the Caitlyn figure looked realistic. “You looked so good in it,” Kim tells her. Caitlyn was apparently the only person Kanye and Kim told about her appearance in the video beforehand.
Kris just has one question: “Why Caitlyn?” The question is clearly loaded, but Kim misses the point. Because he likes people who are authentic and that do what they want to do, Kim explains. (Okay, that’s odd since that would include Taylor Swift, who the Kardashian-Wests took the time to call out as inauthentic.) Kris doesn’t seem comfortable with the answer or its subtext. “I guess I didn’t realize how much time Kim is spending with Caitlyn,” Kris says.
While drama is clearly brewing between Kim and Kris (even if Kim doesn’t see it coming), Khloé and Scott have some issues of their own. For her part, Khloé is obsessing over her cleavage. She's happy with her weight loss but unhappy with the side effect of going down a bra size or two. This sets her off on an exploratory journey towards a breast enhancement. “I want to have the hourglass thing going on,” Khloé says.
Meanwhile, Scott is faced with filling his time while Kourtney goes away on vacation with the kids for three weeks. Kourtney made plans for herself and the kids, no Scotts allowed. When faced with her decision, he realizes that he spends every day with her and the kids. It's going to be a big change for him. So, to fill his time, he starts popping in on all of the non-Kourtney Kardashians. “I’m not used to having so much free time,” Scott explains.
Khloé is busy with a fitting and lots of different bra inserts. “Because I’m so thin, I don’t have any boobies anymore,” she says to the stylist. She also says she’s thought about getting her breasts augmented for years. Enter Scott, hitting Khloé’s house on his quest to keep himself busy. When Kim arrives, she's shocked to find him in Khloé’s dressing room talking about Khloé’s breasts. Kim is not really on board for all of the augmentation talk.
The main tension of the episode ratchets up when Caitlyn calls Kim to ask for help dressing for the ESPYS. “Kim Kardashian, my stylist,” Caitlyn says proudly.
Scott’s still got too much time on his hands. He takes a minute to stress Khloé out at home with his decorating tips. “This is the longest time I’ve been away from the kids and Kourt,” he says. He is thinking of booking some club appearances to make the time go faster. Khloé's not on board with that plan, knowing full well Scott’s less than stellar history with club appearances in the past. She suggests getting back to real estate and flipping houses as a better use of his time. He admits that there are other healthier ways to spend his time than in European discos. Scott takes her advice to jumps back into work instead of into the club. “I’m happy that Khloé gave me that little push,” he says.
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Having big breasts and doing a rigorous workout isn’t always easy, according to Kim. She wants to make sure Khloé knows what she’s in for if she opts for surgery. Khloé puts some implants in for a workout. She is undeterred. “I don’t feel like it hurts to go get a consultation and see how I feel,” she says.
The consultation with the doctor is an eye-opener for Khloé. He pulls no punches in explaining the risks to her, including a one-month embargo on working out. The seriousness of the surgery gives her pause. “I’m not in a rush,” Khloé says, much to Kim’s relief.
The ESPYS are upon us, and Kim drafts Michael Costello to help her style a look for Caitlyn. She pushes Caitlyn towards higher heels and fewer accessories. “Caitlyn is just not really used to pulling full looks together all the time,” Kim says, shortly after putting the kibosh on a tiara.
The styling session is a major problem for Kris. The issues that started bubbling up with the Famous video reach a fever pitch after the ESPYS. Kris texts Khloé several angry hashtags. Kris feels that Kim has been disloyal by helping Caitlyn. Khloé doesn’t understand why her mom is so angry. She wants to give Kim a heads up about just how upset this has made Kris. Khloé tells Kim that their mother thinks Kim is a traitor. They get Kris on the phone, and she has a full-fledged meltdown. Kim is genuinely confused. “Last time I heard you guys were all good,” Kim says.
“I don’t say anything to you until I feel abandoned,” Kris says. She feels like her daughter didn’t take her feelings into account.
Kim manages to say exactly the wrong thing, in her mother’s eyes: “I’m going to try and stay neutral.”
Neutral is not what Kris is looking for from “the kids I gave birth to.” Enough is enough for Kris. Kim hurt her feelings. Kris feels betrayed.
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After the difficult phone call, Kim feels terrible. She didn’t think styling Caitlyn would be a big deal and she feels guilty. She decides to make an effort to show Kris that she is Kim’s priority. Kim and Khloé book the Pretty Woman suite at the Beverly Wilshire for brunch. (Pretty Woman is Kris’s favorite movie.) The ladies lunch and mend fences. Kris accepts Kim’s apology. “I obviously didn’t know how serious it was,” Kim says. Kris tries to explain the difficult and complicated situation to her daughters. She doesn’t have any peers to talk to that have been through something similar. Most of the time Kris says she’s fine, but the ESPYS hit her the wrong way, and she exploded.
All is forgiven, however, over a quick shopping spree downstairs, Pretty Woman-style.
“WWJD?” Kim asks. “What would Julia do?”
Go boot shopping, apparently.