Preview 'The Houstons: On Our Own' Reality Show Debut Episode

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By Maurice Bobb

The timing for Bobby Brown’s latest DUI arrest is uncanny, considering that the new docu-series, “The Houstons: On Our Own,” which debuts tonight on the Lifetime cable network, will revolve around the former member of New Edition’s relationship with his daughter and the rest of the family.

In the exclusive sneak peak of tonight's premiere episode, Gary Houston, Whitney Houston’s brother, discusses Bobbi Kristina’s engagement to Nick Gordon in a meeting with the men of the family. After deliberating, they encourage Nick to reach out to Bobbi Kristina’s father to forge a relationship, but Gordon is opposed to the idea because of the assumed estranged relationship his fiancée has with her father.

Bobby hasn’t spoken out about how he feels about the impending nuptials between his daughter and the man raised in Whitney’s house as a brother, but the show’s producers say that the show will reveal a lot about the relationship between Bobbi Kristina and her embattled father.

"We don't shy away from any tabloid topics, like Nick, whether he is her brother or is he blood related or not blood related," the show's producer Tracey Baker-Simmons told RapFix. "Now he's the boyfriend and we will see how the family really feels about it and dealing with it and where Bobbi and her father Bobby's relationship stands. There's a lot of Bobby talk and a surprise ending as it relates to that."

The show has come under fire from critics who say that the show exploits Whitney’s death for the family’s gain, but sister-in-law and Whitney’s manager Patricia Houston deflected those claims in a statement released earlier this year.

"I have been working with Simmons-Shelley over the past few years developing a project suitable for myself and our family," Pat Houston said. "The unexpected passing of Whitney certainly affects the direction of the show. However, it is my hope that others will be enlightened as they watch our family heal and move forward."

One of the most important facets of the Houston family's ability to move forward will depend on how it helps Bobbi Kristina deal with the unexpected death of her mother, the controversy surrounding her own life, which includes her relationship with Nick and the relationship she has with her father moving forward. They’ll take viewers along for the provocative ride every Wednesday at 9 p.m.

[url=http://rapfix.mtv.com/2012/10/24/preview-the-houstons-on-our-own-reality-show-debut-episode/]View the full article[/url]