Caitlyn Jenner Has Returned to the Kardashian-verse
Caitlyn Jenner made her first-ever appearance on The Kardashians on Thursday, and it went about as well as it possibly could. In the latest episode, Kris Jenner invited her family over for one last dinner at her home, which the family calls El Dorado Meadow, before putting it on the market. It’s the house made famous by Keeping Up With the Kardashians, with its checkerboard flooring and massive kitchen island, and Kris wanted to give it a special send-off.
In the episode, Kris gathered all her kids (including Rob) around the table to say grace and mentioned that there was “one person [who] isn’t here that should be here to say good-bye with us to this house.” In some very good reality TV timing, in walked Caitlyn. “I was not expecting this tonight,” Khloé Kardashian said in a confessional, and based on the expressions of everyone at the table, I believe her.
In a flashback from before dinner, an emotional Kris told the cameras about her surprise plans. “About an hour ago, I called Caitlyn and I said, ‘What are you doing?’ And of course, she said, ‘I’m eating dinner and watching Fox News,’” Kris explained. “I said, ‘Of course you are.’ And I said, ‘Would you like to come say good-bye to El Dorado Meadow with us and be with your kids?’ And she said, ‘I’m on my way.’”
For a second, it almost seems like this whole sequence will actually be really sweet, with Kris saying in a confessional, “It’s only right for Caitlyn to be here tonight too, because she actually was part of all those amazing memories. It wasn’t just my house — it was our house.” While that is lovely, it did not take long for things to get awkward. Back at the dinner table, Caitlyn joked that she had bought the house, which Kim seemed to actually believe for a moment. “Just kidding,” Caitlyn said. “Gosh, I couldn’t afford this house if you paid me. I’m not in that market anymore.”
Kendall Jenner, it seems, was brave enough to share more about her family’s tense relationship with Caitlyn. She described her parents’ dynamic as “distant,” explaining, “My mom’s had a hard time inviting my dad to some of our family gatherings in the past, so it makes me happy that Kylie and I didn’t have to ask for my dad to be invited and that my mom just thought it was a good idea.” Kris and Caitlyn divorced in 2014 after 22 years of marriage, with Caitlyn coming out as trans the next year. This marks the first time she’s appeared on The Kardashians, which debuted in 2022.
“I don’t know if my parents will ever be best friends again,” Kylie said. “But this is definitely a great first step.”
Kendall later admitted that she has to “compartmentalize” her relationship with Caitlyn, a proud MAGA advocate, because she gets “frustrated with her with certain things ’cause we just have completely different views on things.” “But, other than that, I always wanna include her. I know she doesn’t have a lot outside of her family, and I think that she gets lonely,” Kendall said. “At the end of the day, it’s really nice to have her around.”
After some reminiscing about the house, things wound down, and they all took a group photo in the foyer. Kendall had to tell Caitlyn to stop looking at her phone, but other than that, it was a sweet moment. Ultimately, Kris was happy she invited her ex over, telling the cameras, “I’m so happy that we were all here and we were able to say good-bye to a house that brought us so much joy and love; blood, sweat, and tears; highs and lows — and that Caitlyn was there. It’s been a really long road, but it was Caitlyn’s house too.”
If that all sounds a little too earnest for you, do not worry. Later in the episode, Kim tells Sarah Paulson (who’s dressed in Kim drag on the set of the upcoming All’s Fair) that she doesn’t believe the moon landing actually happened. She’s been convinced by some interviews with a 95-year-old Buzz Aldrin. This is the kind of conversation that I want Caitlyn’s input on.
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