Bristol Palin's new reality TV series: What the critics say

Tripp and his mom Bristol Palin in the new Lifetime docuseries, "Bristol Palin: Life's a Tripp."

/ Richard Knapp/Lifetime

(CBS News) Bristol Palin will enter the TV spotlight Tuesday when her new series, "Bristol Palin: Life's a Tripp," debuts on Lifetime at 10 p.m. EDT.

The show follows Palin's "everyday life as a single mother living under intense media scrutiny that comes from her lineage as the daughter of former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin," according to the network.

Pictures: Bristol Palin

It chronicles the young mother's move from Wasilla to Los Angeles with Tripp and her sister Willow, and back to Alaska as she deals with parenting.

Cameras captured last year's incident with Stephen Hanks, the man who shouted obscene comments at Palin in a West Hollywood bar.

"I'm glad that Lifetime was there during the Saddle Ranch incident this past summer," Palin said, according to Newsday. "And I'm glad that people will be able to see that side of things, get a little glimpse of what my family goes through."

So, is the series a trip worth taking? Here's a taste of critics' reviews:

David Wiegand of the San Francisco Chronicle: "How you react to Bristol Palin's new reality show on Lifetime, 'Life's a Tripp,' will probably be determined by what you think about her mother. But let's try to forget that she's the daughter of the former GOP vice presidential candidate and consider 'Life's a Tripp' purely as a TV show: On that basis, well, the series, premiering Tuesday, is not very interesting, and you probably wouldn't watch if she wasn't who she is.

Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times: "In spite of their occasional expressions of enthusiasm for the 'adventure,' we're left with a show about two sisters, temporarily billeted in a Beverly Hills mansion, mostly complaining about Los Angeles, each other and their lives."

Lori Rackl of the Chicago Sun-Times: "What we're left with are Bristol and Willow shopping, squabbling and engaging in vapid conversations. In other words, the Alaskan Kardashians."

Hank Stuever of The Washington Post: "Between sobs, she existentially wonders why she can't escape the constant attention, criticism and sniping. The answer (to pull the plug on the hype machine) truly eludes her. Even if you have a lasting grudge against all things Palin, there's no payoff here. It's a new low for anyone who makes the mistake of watching."

Tell us: Will you watch Bristol Palin's new reality series?

[JV1970]

I'm watching her program now and I like Bristol! I think she's grown up a lot in the last few years. However, she needs to grow up a lot more. First of all she needs to learn how to stand on her her own two feet and support herself and her son without her family around. If she can't do that then she needs to go back to Alaska.

She also needs to learn to just ignore them and walk away from men like the one in the restaurant. They are not worth the trouble that the media will give her if she bothers with them. She just doesn't seem to realize that'll she'll be the one who'll be to blame in many people's eyes and the one who'll get the bad press.

She needs to learn to take the high road and walk away from those situations. People like that man are not worth bothering with and they certainly aren't worth doing time in jail or having to pay them because of a lawsuit.

In my area they have what is called "bouncers" that are hired to keep the peace and keep everyone acting respectable in the bars and restaurants or wherever liquor is sold. The guy had clearly had too much.

He was a loud, foul mouthed drunk. A bouncer should have grabbed him by the back of his neck and the seat of his pants and bounced him right out of the door or someone should have called the police and had him arrested for disturbing the peace and being loud and disrespectful in public.

A night in the drunk tank in a Los Angeles police department would have done him good!

[JV1970]

There is no way the guy didn't know he was being videoed. No way! The judge will say the same thing too! The Palin family have nothing to worry about with this lawsuit.

Stephen Hanks is just mad that she has the proof on video that he's one who started the incident and he's the one who looked like a foul mouthed idiot to the whole world!

Bristol should be suing Hanks instead of the other way around!

[catherinawoj]

once again, cbs gets it wrong.

Tripp is not her son, he's Sarah Palin's son.

***?

[JV1970]

Where's your proof? You're no different than the idiots who've been saying for four years that Trig isn't Sarah's son and can't prove it! Now you're saying that Tripp is and you can't prove that either!

[PhillipPessar]

If were really reality they would have Bristol getting drunk on wine coolers and opening up her legs to the first illiterate semi good looking guy that pays attention to her.

[audemus]

This is what the Tea-Partiers and right-wing nuts consider educational programing....who needs PBS ?

[CNH]

The acorn doesn't fall far from the hypocritical, self-serving, spotlight-craving tree.

[djinger]

Further proof, as if we needed any, that there are waaayyy too many cable channels with time slots to fill.