Sneak Peek: 'Sarah Palin's Alaska – Camping with Kate Gosselin

When I heard that on this week’s episode of Sarah Palin’s Alaska the Palins took Kate Gosselin and her eight kids camping, I’ll admit I groaned. It was easy to imagine Kate on a camping trip whining and complaining about dirt and bugs and no bathroom. I am not a huge fan of crossover episodes of series anyway– when a series like CSI (Las Vegas) ends up following a case to CSI: Miami, for example, it often comes off as gimmicky and forced. If plugging Kate Plus Eight was what this episode was all about, I don’t know if I would have lasted until the end.

Thankfully it wasn’t though. Sure there are the obligatory comments from Kate about how crazy all this outdoorsy, gun shooting, camping stuff seems to her. But this episode was really more about how much kids can learn from being exposed to the great outdoors. And about how experiences like that can bring families closer together.

Sarah’s father, Chuck Heath, is featured again in this episode. He is a retired science teacher and his house is like a nature museum — full of fun and interesting things for kids to look at and touch like beaver skulls and porcupine quills and stuffed animals (of the taxidermy, not teddy bear, variety). Kate’s kids appear fascinated by the things he shows and teaches them over the course of their visit. (Note to Mark Burnett: Give this man his own show. I could listen to him talk about wildlife for hours. He is a great teacher and is obviously passionate about the world around him.)

Before their Chelatina Lake camping trip, Sarah and Kate and Willow attend a “Learn to Return” class to learn about how to avoid and distract bears and, if necessary as a last resort, to shoot one. Sarah shows her pioneer woman calm and strength when she gets two kill shots on the simulated attacking bear. Once again this episode shows that Palin is the real deal. She grew up hunting and fishing and camping and comes across as the kind of person you would want protecting your family in a dangerous situation. Also, as in previous episodes, the viewer gets a great lesson in Alaska wildlife, both in the class and out in the wilderness on the camping trip.

There are, predictably, some great quotes from Kate during the camping trip (“Sorry I am miserable, but somebody’s gotta be.”) And there are moose hotdogs and smores. And Sarah Palin shooting a bear gun. The Gosselin kids appear to enjoy every minute of their camping trip with the Palins, but you’ll have to watch the episode Sunday night on TLC to see how long Kate lasts in the great Alaskan wilderness.