When "American Horror Story: Delicate" premiered in September, the internet seemed to explode in unison, shouting, "Kim Kardashian is simply brilliant in it!" TMZ even went so far as to send out a push alert solely dedicated to her performance. However, after carefully watching the season, I must confess that Kardashian's maiden foray into the realm of acting has been grossly overhyped.
If you've been absent from your screens, let me fill you in. In the twelfth season of "AHS," Emma Roberts stars as Anna Victoria Alcott, a woman whose desires for pregnancy and an Oscar are constantly colliding in ways that, frankly, make little sense. While much of this confusion stems from a rather weak script, Roberts' portrayal of Anna as meek and bland fails to convincingly sell the character's grand ambitions. Anna is surrounded by a cast of colorful characters, including a hapless husband (played by "Gilmore Girls" alum Matt Czuchry), a shady doctor (Denis O'Hare), and numerous other familiar faces from Ryan Murphy's universe. And then there's Kardashian, playing PR maven Siobhan Corbyn, who is hell-bent on securing Anna that Oscar, no matter the cost (that's the creepy part).
It's not that Kardashian is terrible in the role; it's more that she's essentially playing herself (albeit a slightly more scripted and stilted version). "Delicate" doesn't want you to forget for a moment that this is Kim Kardashian acting, and yes, it's a cute meta joke in theory. But like any good joke, it quickly wears thin.
Of course, there are moments when you find yourself watching a celebrated figure take on a role, and it takes a bit of time to adjust to seeing them as their fictional character rather than the celebrity they are. However, skilled actors, regardless of their fame, can pull this off. But "AHS" isn't aiming for that. It wants you to blur the lines between the real Kardashian and her alter ego, Siobhan. It's a stunt reminiscent of Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner's romantic pairing in the underrated 2010 film "Valentine's Day."
Take episode five as an example. When Siobhan angrily chastises someone for taking her phone, claiming it holds "millions" worth of deals, you're not meant to marvel at the powerful businessperson Siobhan is supposed to be or ponder what those deals might entail. Instead, you're supposed to draw parallels with Kardashian's own dealings and her public persona. You're meant to recall her recent Fortune magazine cover, which she was so thrilled about that she even made it the theme of her birthday cake this weekend.
Many have interpreted Kardashian's foray into acting in "Delicate" as a departure from the business deals and lawyerly aspirations that have shaped her public image in recent years. However, her portrayal of Siobhan actually underscores those aspects of her life even more. Kardashian is such a powerhouse that she can only play a boss on TV. In a more sophisticated show, Kardashian's role would have allowed her to poke fun at herself and her public image. But "Delicate" never pushes the envelope enough to make the character funny, weird, or memorable. It feels like another carefully crafted branding exercise in Kardashian's already over-branded life.
Ultimately, I find myself unenthused by this current season of television. The themes of pregnancy and motherhood are ripe territory for horror narratives, as evident in the gruesome childbirth scenes of "House of the Dragon" or the tragically overlooked horror-comedy series "The Baby" from 2022. Just last July, The New York Times and Serial Productions released a chilling nonfiction podcast miniseries titled "The Retrievals," chronicling women's harrowing experiences during fertility treatments at Yale. One episode of this podcast is far more terrifying than any episode of "Delicate" could ever hope to be.
Instead of delving into the genuine horrors pregnancy brings to light, "Delicate" opts to conjure up absurd and contrived scares. When compared to the real-world horrors, where doctors neglect the pain of pregnant individuals with devastating and fatal consequences, the contrivances of "Delicate" seem trivial and unserious.
However, it's important to note that this isn't solely Kardashian's fault. Her presence, as a controversial figure, serves as a distraction from the series' shortcomings, providing a hot-button topic that keeps people talking. And ultimately, that's likely the only metric Kardashian is using to measure her acting success.
The first five episodes of "American Horror Story: Delicate" are now streaming on Hulu, and part two of the series is slated to premiere in 2024.
