If you thought Khloé Kardashian’s ‘Revenge Body’ would be a delightful romp through fitness and self-love, think again. Last night, the show made its debut, and it’s honestly one of the most superficial and disheartening additions to the weight-loss reality genre. And that’s quite the statement.
We kick off with Jake, a charming guy who instantly draws you in with his vibrant personality. The first scene? Jake navigating his front door, arms loaded with takeout and pastries—because naturally, we need to establish that overweight individuals are all about food. He reveals he’s from a small town and, due to his weight and life experiences, “food became my best friend.” Then comes the gut punch: his boyfriend recently confessed he’s no longer attracted to him. With tears welling in his eyes, Jake admits, “I thought I had gained weight, but not to the point of being unattractive.” Cut to him tearing into his takeout, and every empathetic viewer is screaming, “YOU DESERVE BETTER, JAKE! GET OFF THIS SHOW AND FIND SOMEONE WHO TREATS YOU RIGHT!”
You can almost envision the producers coaxing Jake to indulge in the very foods that contributed to his feelings of inadequacy while he shares his breakup saga—definitely a low point in the show. Now Jake is sobbing in front of the mirror, and I want to knock on Khloé’s door and shout, “Haven’t you made enough money already?”
“I see a lonely, overweight person,” he says. NO. Absolutely not. He brightens the screen the moment he appears. He’s witty, charming, and someone we’d all want to befriend. “So, what brings you here today?” Khloé asks. “I’m in a huge transition. My boyfriend Mark broke up with me, and I want him back. He was my closest friend,” Jake replies. Hold on—WHAT? Mark is not a friend; he’s a jerk! “Why did he leave you?” Khloé presses, twisting the knife. “He told me he wasn’t attracted to me anymore.”
Jake then shows off pictures of Mark, who, surprise, is just as big as he is! Seriously, Mark, what’s your deal? “Who are you hoping to get revenge on?” Khloé asks. Um, maybe Mark, hello? “I hope he’ll see my transformation and think, ‘Wow, this person did this for me.’” At this point, we’re all wishing Khloé would say, “Jake, you’re amazing, and if you’re going to change, do it for yourself. Forget Mark.” But no, she just rambles about Kim’s breakup woes, which somehow made her feel better. Huh?
Jake expresses his desire to transition from a “bear” to a “muscle cub”—a curious term for a big guy wanting to tone up. Khloé promises him access to top-notch trainers and nutritionists. “I can’t wait to see my muscle cub!” she exclaims. “Bye, bear.”
So let’s recap: the show never dives deeper than surface-level concerns. Jake is portrayed as a sad, overweight guy, Khloé offers no substantial advice, and they high-five on cosmetic goals. Just fantastic.
Jake then meets trainer Max, who seems far more competent than Khloé. When Jake mentions his ex as motivation, Max responds with, “Good riddance. Let him go.” Suddenly, I’m on board with Max—he needs his own show. He even shouts “Forget Mark!” during workouts, which is the highlight of the episode.
Next, we’re introduced to Sarah, who refers to herself as the “designated unattractive friend.” Surrounded by judgmental women, we see them tearing her down with “fashion tips” that make me want to intervene, drag Sarah away, and binge-watch Netflix together.
In “Bitch Den,” as I’ll call it, Sarah walks in wearing a dress that gets torn to shreds by her friends. “It’s too tight,” one says, while another chimes in, “You don’t really have a shape.” What is with this behavior? Sarah doesn’t need a new body; she needs better friends!
At a club, Sarah is criticized by her so-called friends for sitting down. “Oh my gosh, look at her!” one exclaims. “Get up!” another demands. I’m nearly ready to fast-forward to her meeting with Khloé because I can’t take it anymore. Khloé better have some solid advice, or I’m done with this mess.
When Sarah meets Khloé, she gushes about her beauty—yet another requirement, it seems. Sarah explains her weight gain history and how it affected her friendship with Miranda. Khloé asks what she wants to change, and Sarah lists superficial aspects like nails and skin. “That’s all fixable,” Khloé assures her, “I have access to amazing dermatologists who can work wonders.” WHAT? She doesn’t even pause after the “I can fix your face” comment before asking, “What’s your ideal revenge body outfit?” Sarah admits it’s a bikini, and Khloé responds, “Let’s get you in that bikini for a pool party!”
I’m done. I don’t even care what comes next.
Alright, fine. Jake and Sarah both shed some pounds—Sarah lost 27, and Jake lost 30 in just twelve weeks. There’s a glam squad, a big reveal, and Sarah confronts her ex-BFF, who seems oblivious to her past hurt. Jake realizes his motivation came from his breakup, and the cycle of shallow transformation continues.
This show focuses entirely on appearances, proving to be devoid of any real substance. Khloé, despite her own childhood body struggles, weaponizes her insecurities as a form of empowerment, and it’s just not right.
In the end, the message is clear: this series is all about how you look, not who you truly are.
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Summary:
‘Revenge Body’ disappointingly prioritizes surface-level transformations over genuine personal growth, showcasing characters like Jake and Sarah who seek validation through weight loss rather than self-acceptance. Ultimately, the show perpetuates harmful stereotypes and fails to deliver a meaningful narrative around body positivity.