The Bottom Line
When it comes to dishing out advice, Dr. Phil has all the competition beat. Get this: He’s an actual doctor (psychologist) with real world experience. And while his critics call his advice simplistic, his popularity and fan-base suggest otherwise.
Pros
- Dr. Phil’s background gives him a real world basis for dolling advice
- Can be both straight forward and empathetic to guests
- Show often dedicates more than one hour to issues
Cons
- Advice is often generalized and shouldn’t be a substitute by viewers for real help
- Borders, at times, between being helpful and being a reality TV show (Dr. Phil House)
Description
- One-hour program
- Airs in syndication (check local listings for times)
- Debuted in September 2002
- Contracted to air through 2012-2013 season
- Spun-off of The Oprah Winfrey Show
- Like The Rachael Ray Show, does not air against Oprah
Guide Review - Overview: Dr. Phil
For me, Dr. Phil is one of those shows that you really don’t think you’re going to like or isn’t your style. And then, one day, you’re flipping through the channels, and you happen to stop on Dr. Phil for whatever reason, and you – are – hooked.
Here’s why. Unlike shows like Maury and Montel – shows that used to define this genre of talk show as therapy session – Dr. Phil is serious about helping people. And his guests are real people with real problems – and they’re not so different from the problems you or I might have. And while there is certainly a splash of shock and sensationalism (even Dr. Phil needs to score ratings in sweeps months), its tempered by sincere attempts at actual solutions to perceived social issues.
Plus, whether it’s simply his TV personality or otherwise, I like Phil McGraw’s straight forward approach. He can “tell it like it is” – but he does it compassionately. And even when he’s telling people to get with the program, he does it with respect. So, for that reason, the show is worth investing some occasional time.
Still, there is that level of eavesdropping involved, which can be disconcerting to some. But if listening in on other people’s conversations is something you enjoy, Dr. Phil is sure to please.
