MovieChat Forums > Dr. Phil (2002) Discussion > Hate New Format

Hate New Format

posted 8 years ago by jomccallister
4 replies | jump to latest

I have watched this show since it aired. I usually just DVR it and watch after work.
But over the last year or so, it has changed drastically.
It started with the little clips at the end, selling some kinda product or service.
Now it seems like half the show is an infomercial, mostly his and Robin's products.
Info says show is about one thing, which they spend aboyt 30 minutes (including commercials on), then right to the product promotion.
I am over it and rarely DVR it anymore. Seems it is EVERY episode now. Ugggghhh!!
He is losing viewers doing this. But maybe he has so many irons in the fire now, that he doesn't care.

[–] MeganCraft 8 years ago

LOL... totally agree that many episodes are promoting some product, book, service, person etc that Dr. Phil makes money from. And even when he is not directly connected, at the end of each episode he is still promoting some counselling service which like is offering their services for free to the guest(s) simply for the national exposure (10's of millions of viewers).

And, I can't recall what episode it was, but the guest was chosen so that the Dr. Phil could promote some "New" book he had written. It really did feel like a infomercial. Right in the middle of talk to the guest about her problem, he stops, looks into the camera, and say something like "My new book, which is published by my son, talks all about this, for example on page xx, there are 10 things you need to do...."

.... At any point when he going into an informcerial mode, I have already muted the TV or turned to something else; I am sure a lot viewers do as well. I'd guess he looses 25%-50% of his audience when he start pitching products like Robin's BS.

[–] gtice 8 years ago

Agree completely.
I am cancelling my TiVo OnePass for the program, as are everyone I know who watched.

Today's episode was the final straw.
A woman is convinced she's dying for 45 minutes; there is arguing back and forth between Dying Woman and her sister and daughter; commercial break; and weight loss tips?

He's not even TRYING to provide conclusions to the main stories any longer.

Pitiful.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Asteri-Atypical 8 years ago

Indeed, they've gone way too far to infomercial territory.

I recall once there was a bickering couple, who just happened to be overweight, the next thing you know Dr. Phil was talking about how, in getting healthy as a couple, they get healthy physically, then the last 20+ minutes of the show was talking about his weight loss book. Mentioning would have been OK... but they completely dropped the story of the couple to yammer on about Dr. Phil's weight loss plan! We never had any resolution or next steps regarding this couple.

The show is also a little too melodramatic, with over-the-top, hard-to-believe characters who seem surreal and unusually petty. It used to be more a show geared towards people with relatable problems, not this sensationalism.

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