Keeping Up With The Kardashians is dying a slow ratings death, but not because we're sick of them.

We’ve never had more access to the Kardashians than we do right now, with the family’s every move making headlines.

But that doesn’t mean everything is working in their favour.

According to Forbes, this year’s premiere episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians saw the lowest rating since 2008 – 1.48 million viewers compared to over three million the year before.

PalmSprings Girls Trip on Keeping Up tonight!! #E

A post shared by Khloé (@khloekardashian) on May 21, 2017 at 2:16pm PDT

After three months social media silence, the episode where Kim Kardashian finally described her terrifying ordeal of being held at gunpoint in the Paris robbery still only drew in 1.58 million viewers.

And it keeps going down. So what’s going on?

On the latest episode of The Binge, Entertainment Editor Laura Brodnik shared her convincing theory about our interest in the first family of reality TV – and she’s found a compelling parallel. (Post continues after audio.)

“I find it really interesting looking back at all the ratings spikes because I think a lot of people are saying ‘Oh we’re so over them, they’re just not relevant anymore,” or ‘we see too much’, I feel like that’s not it,” she said.

“Whenever something really happy happens in their lives like they get married or engaged or have a baby or even just go on holiday and spend time with each other, that’s when the ratings are best.

“When there’s tragedy, fights or people are getting divorced such as when Lamar was going through his drug overdose, Rob’s marriage breakdown and weight gain and even this last season which has tracked Kim after the robbery… ratings aren’t as high.”

Family vacation part two!! Tonight on #KUWTK, 9/8c on E!

A post shared by Kris Jenner (@krisjenner) on May 14, 2017 at 12:10pm PDT

Only one highly scientific conclusion can be drawn.

“It makes me happy but also a little bit disturbed… I feel like people are only watching the Kardashians for a really nice reason. Like they’re watching it for happiness not watching it for tragedy and scandal,” she said.

“What is that about?”

The Binge co-host Clare Stephens agreed.

For the biggest TV news of the week, listen to the full episode of The Binge.

“They’re not waiting for this family to fall apart. I read it’s always been lighthearted and lowbrow and you’re not thinking about it and you’re flicking through Instagram at the same time and that’s fine,” she said.

“For me, the bits I love the most are the ones I find funny. Even if they don’t seem to be aware of it, they’re hilarious. I find Kourtney hilarious, I find Kim generally being a drama queen hilarious and I found Khloe funny before she got too serious… no-one watches it to feel anything real.”

Do you think the reality TV family have got TOO real?