► Sarah Palin’s Alaska | D

In case you were wondering, Sarah Palin's Alaska is just as beautiful as anyone else's, but it has a shrill, annoying running commentary along with it.

Sarah Palin's Alaska is a reality show with a touch of nature. The Alaskan scenery is majestic — there are some breathtaking shots of Mt. McKinley, picturesque lakes and eagles in their natural habitats. If you were to watch the show on mute you might enjoy it for the green lakes and snowy hills. If you do have the sound on, you have the supreme displeasure of noticing just how unnecessary — if not detrimental — it is to have Sarah Palin there at all.

It's clear almost immediately that there is very little focus to the program; is it a platform for Palin's opinions, an inside look at the often-overlooked 49th state or a window into the Palin family life?

Palin is a mother of five, a grandmother, an aunt, a wife and, lest we forget, a politician. We are painfully reminded of her political role about five minutes into the series when Palin begins talking about a neighbor who has moved in to observe and write a book about her. "Todd and his buddies got out there and built a 14-foot fence," Palin says in her interview. "By the way, I thought that was a good example. What we just did, others could look at and say ‘Oh this is what we need to do to secure our nations border.'"

In the pilot episode, the viewers do get the chance to learn a little about the difficulty involved in climbing a mountain like Mt. McKinley. We are able to see tiny brown bear cubs and larger bear cubs fishing and fighting wish each other; we learn about the small planes commonly employed in Alaska as a means of transportation; and we learn that Palin's husband, Todd, is a very quiet individual, which at the least provides insight into how their relationship works.

The scenes from the remaining episodes in the season show more of the same: extreme adventures, the children's antics and Palin's high-pitched leadership in keeping the family together and showing them the way. For those who have noticed Palin's lingering presence in side-banter, this show will provide plenty of good material. But if you are looking for quality entertainment, it's probably best to look elsewhere.