Whitney Houston’s family gets Lifetime reality show “The Houston Chronicles”

Lifetime Networks announced yesterday that members of Whitney Houston’s family have signed on for ten episodes of The Houston Chronicles, a reality series documenting how they cope with dealing with the passing of Whitney, who drowned in a hotel tub on February 11.

“The tragic loss of Whitney Houston left a void in the hearts of people all over the world, but certainly none more so than her beloved family,” says Rob Sharenow, Executive Vice President, Programming, of Lifetime Networks. “In this series, the multi-generations of the Houston family will bravely reveal their lives as they bond together to heal, love, and grow.”

The series will include Whitney’s sister-in-law and manager Pat Houston, Pat’s daughter Rayah, Whitney’s daughter Bobbi Kristina (seen in the photo above from her “Next Chapter” interview with Oprah Winfrey), Whitney’s brother Gary (Pat’s husband), and her mother, Grammy® Award-winning singer Cissy Houston.

^ Gary Houston and Patricia Houston from their interview with Oprah Winfrey

From the official press release:

Pat Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law, manager and most trusted confidant, manages the business and estate of the beloved singer and her most prized possession, her daughter Bobbi Kristina. The series will follow Pat and her husband, Gary, Whitney Houston’s brother, as they take on their greatest challenge, supporting and guiding Bobbi Kristina as she faces the world alone, without the one person she relied on the most, her Mother.

The announcement has already drawn criticism from the media, accusing the network and the family of trying to capitalize on Whitney’s death, but Pat points out the series was something the family had already been working on. “I have been working with Simmons Shelley over the past few years developing a project suitable for myself and our family. 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.”

So what do you think? Is this too much too soon? Will you be tuning in?

While you ponder that, here is the complete official press release from Lifetime Networks about The Houston Chronicles:

LIFETIME PICKS UP DOCU-SERIES
THE HOUSTON FAMILY CHRONICLES

Program to Follow Lives of Family of Late Whitney Houston

NEW YORK, NY (May 11, 2012) – Lifetime has picked up The Houston Family Chronicles (working title), an all-new docu-series that will follow the lives of the late Whitney Houston’s family, led by Pat Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law and manager, and including Pat’s daughter Rayah, Whitney’s brother Gary, daughter Bobbi Kristina and mother, Grammy® Award-winning singer Cissy Houston. The announcement was made today by Rob Sharenow, Executive Vice President, Programming, of Lifetime Networks.

Whitney Houston’s sudden passing left behind a major void felt not only by the world, but also by those who loved her most, her beloved family. The Houston Family Chronicles follows those closest to the pop music icon as they try to pick up the pieces after her untimely death. Pat Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law, manager and most trusted confidant, manages the business and estate of the beloved singer and her most prized possession, her daughter Bobbi Kristina. The series will follow Pat and her husband, Gary, Whitney Houston’s brother, as they take on their greatest challenge, supporting and guiding Bobbi Kristina as she faces the world alone, without the one person she relied on the most, her Mother.

A mother to her own teenage daughter, Rayah, Pat understands the difficulty of raising a young woman in a world where social media and peer pressure are the norm. As she tries to guide her own daughter into womanhood, Pat also has the responsibility of raising Bobbi Kristina, who, while trying to move forward with life and make decisions about her future, must also learn to cope with such a devastating loss. With the certainty of a microscopic lens focused on this young woman and her every move, Pat, Gary and their tight-knit group of family and friends are committed to seeing that Bobbi Kristina can grow and experience life unscathed. A true believer in the bond that women share called sisterhood, and a self proclaimed “woman’s woman,” Pat enlists the help of her and Whitney’s inner circle, including Grammy Award winner Dionne Warwick and Gospel legend CeCe Winans, to assist her in such difficult times.

“The tragic loss of Whitney Houston left a void in the hearts of people all over the world, but certainly none more so than her beloved family,” said Sharenow. “In this series, the multi-generations of the Houston family will bravely reveal their lives as they bond together to heal, love, and grow.”

Pat Houston added, “I have been working with Simmons Shelley over the past few years developing a project suitable for myself and our family. 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.”

Lifetime has ordered ten hour-long episodes of The Houston Family Chronicles, which will premiere this year. Jarrett Creative will produce. Julie Insogna-Jarrett, Seth Jarrett, Tracey Baker Simmons, Wanda Shelley and Pat Houston will serve as executive producers with Lifetime’s Rob Sharenow, Gena McCarthy and Noah Pollack.