The Houstons: On Our Own premiered on US TV yesterday (October 24, 2012) and the general consensus seems to be that this simply isn’t a show that needed to be made right now.

Whitney Houston only passed away in February, yet already, the cameras are rolling inside the Houston family home, where her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, her mother, Cissy Houston and her brother Gary are all mourning her death and dealing with the media attention that has swamped their family like never before.

The season premiere for the show made for uncomfortable viewing, as the family visit Whitney’s grave, and Bobbi Kristina can be seen leaning on Nick Gordon for support – the surrogate son that Whitney took in as a child, and whom Bobbi is now rumored to be engaged. The New York Daily News summed up the uncomfortable vibe of the show by saying that although the show “could paint the Houstons as solid, regular folks using their faith and love to cope with life's troubles, after the first night, most viewers will likely understand some of the unease.” The Daily Beast went even further and described the program as “intrusive.” The graveyard visit was a particular sticking point for their reviewer, who remarked “the viewer is pained not only by the family’s loss but also by their apparent need to display that loss in such a visible way.”

Salon took a similar line, and argued that “the moments that make the best TV are exactly the same moments that demonstrate this family shouldn’t be on a TV at all.” Of course, the public are curious about the Houston family and how they are coping after Whitney’s passing but it certainly seems as though the show’s producers may have crossed a line, here.