"Sarah Palin's Alaska," the new TLC reality-TV show about the former governor and her home state, hit the small screen Sunday night and critics aren't sure what to make of it, especially since Palin threw in some political asides when she wasn't busy bear-watching or glacier-climbing. Is the show, as TLC and Palin say, a love letter to Alaska from its most famous resident — or is it a way to position Palin as a potential 2012 presidential candidate? (Watch clips from the show)
Candidate Palin's the biggest winner: TLC shouldn't insult our intelligence by trying to pass this "eight-hour campaign ad" off as a "run-of-the-mill" reality show, says Mary Elizabeth Williams in Salon. That's like "saying 'The Biggest Loser' isn't about fat people." The way "Sarah Palin's Alaska" mixes Palin's personal and political lives makes it "hands down" the "most dangerous reality show ever conceived."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.