Follow TV Tropes

Following

History Series / DoctorPhil

Go To

OR

Changed: 73

Removed: 16415

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Dr_Phil_9416.jpg]]
->''"What gives you the right to imprison your wife in the basement?"''
-->-- Dr. Phil, addressing a typical guest

Dr. Phil is a reality/talk television show hosted by Phil [=McGraw=]. After [=McGraw=]'s success with his segments on ''Series/TheOprahWinfreyShow,'' Dr. Phil debuted on September 16, 2002. On both shows [=McGraw=] offers advice in the form of "life strategies" from his life experience as a clinical psychologist.

The show is in syndication throughout the United States and a number of other countries. The show's syndication contracts specifically state that if Dr. Phil is on another station, it cannot air at the same time as Oprah. Occasional prime time specials have aired on CBS. The program has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award every year since 2004.

He also produces another show with his son Jordan, ''The Doctors'', a medical talk show [[DuelingShows competing with]] Series/TheDoctorOzShow. As with ''Oprah'', both shows are contracted so that they can't air at the same time if on different networks.

----
!!This TV show provides examples of:
* AbusiveParents: Quite often. Even in cases where the kid is the one out of control, Dr. Phil often uncovers some form of abuse going on that either caused the problems or exacerbate them.
* TheBabyTrap: One episode had this as its main focus, and among the highlights was a guy who had sex with his wife ''while she was sleeping'' in order to get her pregnant, and a woman who stopped taking her birth control without telling her husband in order to get pregnant. Dr. Phil tore right into them.
* BackAlleyDoctor: Jillian Mai Thi Epperly, the creator of the ‘Jilly Juice’ quackery (essentially cabbage boiled down into a disgusting greenish concentrate, mixed with water and a whole bag of salt - needless to say, this is something you shouldn’t put anywhere near your body) showed up for an episode in which Dr. Phil attempted to confront her on her claims that it could cure anything. Shockingly, she used the airtime as an attempt to shill her ‘miracle cure’, culminating in the moment where a hoodwinked member of the audience rushed the stage in an attempt to plead with her to give him a sample of the toxic liquid.
* BasementDweller: Dr. Phil refers to these people as Moochers, and has done [[http://drphil.com/shows/show/29 four]] [[http://drphil.com/shows/show/520 specials]] [[http://drphil.com/shows/show/610/ on]] [[http://www.drphil.com/shows/show/1657 them.]]
* BerserkButton: Dr. Phil once brought in the creator of the infamous ''Bumfights'' movies. Halfway during the intro package, he cut it off in disgust and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNPvdsJS-qE threw the guy out of his studio.]]
** This clearly had more to do with the fact that the Bumfight guy had come DRESSED UP as Dr. Phil and was prepared to [[NotSoDifferent draw comparisons between his exploitation of homeless people and]] [[{{Hypocrite}} Dr. Phil's exploitation of, well, everyone else]].
** Do ''not'' insult his staff.
** During the episode featuring Jillian Mai Thi Epperly, a member of the audience, a vulnerable and fragile-looking elderly man, attempted to rush the stage to plead with the Quack to give him a sample of her Jilly Juice ‘cure’, having been utterly hoodwinked by her claims. Given that this same ‘medicine’ had been responsible for numerous hospitalisations and had the possibility to even kill people, Dr. Phil was less than impressed.
* BigEater: Dr. Phil has dealt with several obese guests in recent years. In an inversion, one show also had him talking to grown adults who ate only one food day after day (i.e., French fries).
** In at least two other inversions, Dr. Phil has featured anorexic or bulimic guests. This includes an entire special on eating-disordered boys, and a show featuring a woman so anorexic and bulimic that she could barely function onstage.
* [[BigBrotherMentor Big Sister Mentor]]: 15-year-old Madison was mentoring her 13-year-old sister, Liz, in all the ''wrong'' behaviors, including smoking pot, stealing, and assaulting their parents. Madison even posted a video on social media of the first time her sister got high on good-quality weed. The girls had ended their [[TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry]] so that they could team up to make their parents' life a nightmare.
* BigotVsBigot: "[[RealityTVShowMansion The Dr. Phil House]]." A skinny girl who hates fat people living with a morbidly obese man who hates skinny people! A black racist living with a white racist! A redneck homophobe living with a butch heterophobe!
** For the most part it was successful, except for the fat guy.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: Phil himself has been accused of being one. With alleged rumors that he mistreats his workers, and the fact he uses his show to exploit people instead of helping them (See UnintentionallyUnsympathetic on the YMMV section).
* BoomerangBigot: One episode featured a black girl named Treasure Richards... who hated African-Americans and insisted she was actually white. It didn't take long for [[WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks Uncle Ruckus]] comparisons to start popping up.
* BrattyTeenageDaughter: At least several times a month. As per the norm, they were quite often extreme versions of the trope. The show has had other out-of-control teens exhibiting some but not all of the extreme aspects of the trope.
** Arguably the most infamous example is Danielle, a 13-year-old guest who appeared in the September 2016 episode "I'm Done with My Car-Stealing, Knife-Wielding, Twerking 13-Year-Old". Danielle differs from many of the out-of-control teenagers who have appeared on ''Dr. Phil'' in her mannerisms, acting similarly to the out-of-control teens who have appeared on ''Series/{{Maury}}'' (dressing provocatively, talking in a "street" accent, excessive smack-talk to the extent of cursing at her mom and grandmother on-stage). Among other thing, she has assaulted her mother, Barbara Ann, in the breast despite her having had breast cancer twice, has stolen cars (even absconding with $3 and car keys of a show make-up artist who was present during filming at their family's home, who expressed that she felt violated by being robbed by Danielle), has recreationally taken Xanax and smoked marijuana, stolen her mother's credit cards with balances totaling $6,000 (even buying a stripper pole at one point), threatened her mother with knives, was accused of framing Barbara Ann on a drug possession charge and even taunted her mother one time after coming home after stealing her mom's car by twerking in front of her face[[note]]For obvious reasons, Danielle's backside is blurred in the video of said incident shown, since she was wearing only a thong on that area of her body at the time it was recorded[[/note]]. It doesn't help matters that her mother, Barbara Ann, [[NotSoAboveItAll often reacts to Danielle's similar threats by engaging in verbal altercations and physically threatening her]]. Dr. Phil points out that she's not as "street smart" as she lets on, as Danielle single-handedly admitted on-camera to premeditated grand theft auto, leaving the scene of an accident after crashing the make-up artist's car, theft and even implicating a friend in the possession of stolen goods, and surmises that Danielle puts up a tough veneer because she's been hurt many times in life. To get Danielle to go the rehab ranch they plan to send her to, Dr. Phil gives her a choice: either go to the ranch or the make-up artist will file charges against her for the crimes she committed during the week of the video shoot. She ultimately does go, but briefly puts up a fight backstage before she decides to head to the ranch. She became an Internet meme and subsequently attempted a rap career under the name Bhad Bhabie, succeeding only in ending up on various "worst of" music lists.
* CaptainObvious: At times. It should be obvious to anyone that it's not okay to beat your children daily.
* CatchPhrase: "How's that working for you?" comes up quite a lot.
** Lately, it's common to hear Dr. Phil say, "This is not an [X] problem, it's a family problem," especially in reference to teens and young adults who are considered out of control.
** When Dr. Phil deals with a teen or young adult who exhibits outrageous behavior, expect to hear, "I don't ask why he/she/you does this. I ask why ''not.''"
** "What were you thinking" is a fairly frequent staple.
** "That's not okay" is semi-frequent, sometimes said with an air of YouHaveGOTToBeKiddingMe.
* ConfessionCam
* DatingServiceDisaster: He has featured several women who are victims of dating website scams. Many of them are variations of the typical FourOneNineScam, with the women sending hundreds of thousands of dollars to men who they have never met or seen, or even talked on the phone with. These women typically are complete idiots, with Dr. Phil having to show them that the guys are scams through basic things they should've been able to figure out.
* DomesticAbuse: Occurs as much if not more than AbusiveParents. One November 2015 episode featured a husband who repeatedly spanked his wife with a wooden spoon out of the belief his religion condoned it. While the abused party is often the woman, Dr. Phil has interviewed abused males, and couples where it goes both ways.
* DoubleStandard: Dr. Phil seems to think it's okay for women to fight for their lives if necessary, but for men to "run away" from women. Even if they're trying to kill them. If a man fights back, even to defend himself, he's an abusive monster.
* FelonyMisdemeanor: Dr. Phil compared a man who has lots of piercings and body modifications to his other guest that episode, a drunken idiot who does extreme sports for no reason and constantly breaking his limbs for funzies.
* GoodIsNotSoft: Dr. Phil does have a reputation for saving many lives of people who have suffered from abuse, neglect, rape, molestation, or addiction. That being said though, Dr. Phil does ''not'' mince words with more difficult guests and doesn't care if you hate him or not. And he ''will'' [[https://youtu.be/DisGC8PukRg alert local authorities]] if a guest's behavior is really bad enough.
* GrammarNazi: Whatever you do, don't use the word 'but' in a sentence when speaking to Dr. Phil. You'll get an earful for it.
* HappilyMarried: Subverted in one episode where Dr. Phil spent an episode talking to a couple who have been together for years but don't want to get married, citing this trope as reason that they have a problem. Even when they said they are perfectly happy just being together, Dr. Phil would just keep asking "Well then why aren't you married?". It turns out not everyone feels the need to get married.
* IllGirl: The parents of an extremely lazy, irresponsible twenty-year-old tried to use this trope as an excuse for her behavior. Dr. Phil called them on it, pointing out that there was little to no medical evidence for the litany of problems the parents claimed their daughter had. Some cases where a child is mentally ill play the trope straighter.
** In particular, one episode featured a young girl (only about six) who suffered from powerful and extreme delusions.
* ImNotADoctorButIPlayOneOnTV: Dr. Phil's license to practice expired in 2006.
* ItsAllMyFault: Dr. Phil's advice essentially boils down to making the guests realize this about themselves, in that whatever problems they are having, they, and they alone, are to blame.
** In episodes with unruly and out of control children (sometimes adult children, that still live at home), Dr. Phil almost always places the blame on the parents. When one guest called him out on this, saying that he'll blame her because "he'll blame the parents like he always does" (she was a frequent watcher of the show), he was less than pleased. And indeed, he still blamed her for her child's problems.
* JerkassHasAPoint:
** Regardless of their misdeeds, some guests have pointed out that Dr. Phil exploits them far more for ratings ("good television", as one guest said) than helping them, and a few former guests of both this show and ''The Doctors'' have come forward accusing them of later going back on the help they promised after the show aired.
** As awful as the Bumfights guy was, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4H5S6UkZDk several commenters]] have noted that he had a point when comparing his exploitation of poor people and Dr. Phil's exploitation of his guests.
* NeverMyFault: Occurs often, even when a guest is confronted with hard evidence of horrible things they've done. For instance, one recent guest continually justified her abuse of her daughter with, "Well, you're exaggerating/I already apologized/that's not true." Dr. Phil did ''not'' appreciate it.
* OnceAnEpisode: Recent seasons have made sure that every show he puts in a word for his newest book at the time, like the ''Life Code'' or ''The 20/20 Diet''. [[InsistentTerminology Published by his son Jay's publishing company]]. [[ShamelessSelfPromoter Also, not one episode goes by without him mentioning "my and my son Jay's company" Doctor on Demand, or his wife Robin's latest business venture.]]
** '''[[ShamelessSelfPromoter Robin [=McGraw=] Revelation!]]'''
* PointAndLaughShow: Has generally turned into a ''[[Series/TheJerrySpringerShow Jerry Springer]]'' "for moms" format.
** When a guest gets angry at the audience for laughing at them, Dr. Phil always replies that "[[BlatantLies they're laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation]]", and never berates the audience for doing so.
* PushoverParents: Fairly common. Most of the time when there is a problem with parents and children and they aren't AbusiveParents, they are the opposite extreme and do absolutely nothing to discipline their child. An extreme example is Kaylie, who let her 14-year-old daughter Gabrielle smoke weed and have sex (she even put her daughter on birth control) and was completely nonchalant when Dr. Phil told her what she was doing was criminal, writing it off as normal teenage behavior.
* RealityShowGenreBlindness: The guests often don't seem to grasp the fact that their private problems are being broadcast to ''millions'' of people; you'd think all the cameras and the giant studio audience would give them a hint.
** There have been some rare examples where the guests points out that they are being humiliated to "[[RatingsStunt boost ratings]]". An example of it being a 2006 episode where a father fails a lie detector test after being accused of molesting his daughter. The father only brings it up because he is caught in his lie. Dr. Phil promptly tells him to "[[BreakTheHaughty get off his high horse.]]"
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Occurs at times when a guest is particularly abusive or obnoxious. Toned-down versions also occur, such as when Dr. Phil is confronted with a guest who responds to his observations with, "Yeah, but..."
* {{Spinoff}}: From ''Series/TheOprahWinfreyShow''.
* StrawMisogynist: One episode focusing on sexist husbands featured a man who, while on camera, goes on long tirades to his guest's face about how she as a woman is just not as good at anything as men are. But then subverted with the other husband. He's described as being sexist and mean to his wife, but in all fairness his wife's complaints just make it sound like he came home tired from work a lot and just wanted to watch TV to unwind now and then with their rat terrier on his lap.
* TalkShow
* TheUnfavorite: This sometimes happens in episodes featuring broken families. Often, one child will be labeled as out of control or destructive, even "a devil". While the minor in question does have serious behavior issues, it's often the case that the parents favor siblings over that minor. Skylar is one example from Season 16; she had uploaded a profile to a sugar baby website, gotten three [=DUIs=], and been in a boatload of other trouble while her twin sister Shaylen was an honor student with a good reputation. Yet her parents felt it was okay to constantly belittle Skylar, invade her privacy, and ridicule her attempts at getting treatment.
** Preston is another example; his destructive behavior looks a little different when you know that, though Preston is 15, his dad still spanks him with a belt, over every little thing. In contrast, his brother Adam is held up as what Preston terms "the golden child," whether or not this label is always valid.
* WhatWereYouThinking: Pretty much one of his catchphrases.
----

to:

[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Dr_Phil_9416.jpg]]
->''"What gives you the right to imprison your wife in the basement?"''
-->-- Dr. Phil, addressing a typical guest

Dr. Phil is a reality/talk television show hosted by Phil [=McGraw=]. After [=McGraw=]'s success with his segments on ''Series/TheOprahWinfreyShow,'' Dr. Phil debuted on September 16, 2002. On both shows [=McGraw=] offers advice in the form of "life strategies" from his life experience as a clinical psychologist.

The show is in syndication throughout the United States and a number of other countries. The show's syndication contracts specifically state that if Dr. Phil is on another station, it cannot air at the same time as Oprah. Occasional prime time specials have aired on CBS. The program has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award every year since 2004.

He also produces another show with his son Jordan, ''The Doctors'', a medical talk show [[DuelingShows competing with]] Series/TheDoctorOzShow. As with ''Oprah'', both shows are contracted so that they can't air at the same time if on different networks.

----
!!This TV show provides examples of:
* AbusiveParents: Quite often. Even in cases where the kid is the one out of control, Dr. Phil often uncovers some form of abuse going on that either caused the problems or exacerbate them.
* TheBabyTrap: One episode had this as its main focus, and among the highlights was a guy who had sex with his wife ''while she was sleeping'' in order to get her pregnant, and a woman who stopped taking her birth control without telling her husband in order to get pregnant. Dr. Phil tore right into them.
* BackAlleyDoctor: Jillian Mai Thi Epperly, the creator of the ‘Jilly Juice’ quackery (essentially cabbage boiled down into a disgusting greenish concentrate, mixed with water and a whole bag of salt - needless to say, this is something you shouldn’t put anywhere near your body) showed up for an episode in which Dr. Phil attempted to confront her on her claims that it could cure anything. Shockingly, she used the airtime as an attempt to shill her ‘miracle cure’, culminating in the moment where a hoodwinked member of the audience rushed the stage in an attempt to plead with her to give him a sample of the toxic liquid.
* BasementDweller: Dr. Phil refers to these people as Moochers, and has done [[http://drphil.com/shows/show/29 four]] [[http://drphil.com/shows/show/520 specials]] [[http://drphil.com/shows/show/610/ on]] [[http://www.drphil.com/shows/show/1657 them.]]
* BerserkButton: Dr. Phil once brought in the creator of the infamous ''Bumfights'' movies. Halfway during the intro package, he cut it off in disgust and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNPvdsJS-qE threw the guy out of his studio.]]
** This clearly had more to do with the fact that the Bumfight guy had come DRESSED UP as Dr. Phil and was prepared to [[NotSoDifferent draw comparisons between his exploitation of homeless people and]] [[{{Hypocrite}} Dr. Phil's exploitation of, well, everyone else]].
** Do ''not'' insult his staff.
** During the episode featuring Jillian Mai Thi Epperly, a member of the audience, a vulnerable and fragile-looking elderly man, attempted to rush the stage to plead with the Quack to give him a sample of her Jilly Juice ‘cure’, having been utterly hoodwinked by her claims. Given that this same ‘medicine’ had been responsible for numerous hospitalisations and had the possibility to even kill people, Dr. Phil was less than impressed.
* BigEater: Dr. Phil has dealt with several obese guests in recent years. In an inversion, one show also had him talking to grown adults who ate only one food day after day (i.e., French fries).
** In at least two other inversions, Dr. Phil has featured anorexic or bulimic guests. This includes an entire special on eating-disordered boys, and a show featuring a woman so anorexic and bulimic that she could barely function onstage.
* [[BigBrotherMentor Big Sister Mentor]]: 15-year-old Madison was mentoring her 13-year-old sister, Liz, in all the ''wrong'' behaviors, including smoking pot, stealing, and assaulting their parents. Madison even posted a video on social media of the first time her sister got high on good-quality weed. The girls had ended their [[TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry]] so that they could team up to make their parents' life a nightmare.
* BigotVsBigot: "[[RealityTVShowMansion The Dr. Phil House]]." A skinny girl who hates fat people living with a morbidly obese man who hates skinny people! A black racist living with a white racist! A redneck homophobe living with a butch heterophobe!
** For the most part it was successful, except for the fat guy.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: Phil himself has been accused of being one. With alleged rumors that he mistreats his workers, and the fact he uses his show to exploit people instead of helping them (See UnintentionallyUnsympathetic on the YMMV section).
* BoomerangBigot: One episode featured a black girl named Treasure Richards... who hated African-Americans and insisted she was actually white. It didn't take long for [[WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks Uncle Ruckus]] comparisons to start popping up.
* BrattyTeenageDaughter: At least several times a month. As per the norm, they were quite often extreme versions of the trope. The show has had other out-of-control teens exhibiting some but not all of the extreme aspects of the trope.
** Arguably the most infamous example is Danielle, a 13-year-old guest who appeared in the September 2016 episode "I'm Done with My Car-Stealing, Knife-Wielding, Twerking 13-Year-Old". Danielle differs from many of the out-of-control teenagers who have appeared on ''Dr. Phil'' in her mannerisms, acting similarly to the out-of-control teens who have appeared on ''Series/{{Maury}}'' (dressing provocatively, talking in a "street" accent, excessive smack-talk to the extent of cursing at her mom and grandmother on-stage). Among other thing, she has assaulted her mother, Barbara Ann, in the breast despite her having had breast cancer twice, has stolen cars (even absconding with $3 and car keys of a show make-up artist who was present during filming at their family's home, who expressed that she felt violated by being robbed by Danielle), has recreationally taken Xanax and smoked marijuana, stolen her mother's credit cards with balances totaling $6,000 (even buying a stripper pole at one point), threatened her mother with knives, was accused of framing Barbara Ann on a drug possession charge and even taunted her mother one time after coming home after stealing her mom's car by twerking in front of her face[[note]]For obvious reasons, Danielle's backside is blurred in the video of said incident shown, since she was wearing only a thong on that area of her body at the time it was recorded[[/note]]. It doesn't help matters that her mother, Barbara Ann, [[NotSoAboveItAll often reacts to Danielle's similar threats by engaging in verbal altercations and physically threatening her]]. Dr. Phil points out that she's not as "street smart" as she lets on, as Danielle single-handedly admitted on-camera to premeditated grand theft auto, leaving the scene of an accident after crashing the make-up artist's car, theft and even implicating a friend in the possession of stolen goods, and surmises that Danielle puts up a tough veneer because she's been hurt many times in life. To get Danielle to go the rehab ranch they plan to send her to, Dr. Phil gives her a choice: either go to the ranch or the make-up artist will file charges against her for the crimes she committed during the week of the video shoot. She ultimately does go, but briefly puts up a fight backstage before she decides to head to the ranch. She became an Internet meme and subsequently attempted a rap career under the name Bhad Bhabie, succeeding only in ending up on various "worst of" music lists.
* CaptainObvious: At times. It should be obvious to anyone that it's not okay to beat your children daily.
* CatchPhrase: "How's that working for you?" comes up quite a lot.
** Lately, it's common to hear Dr. Phil say, "This is not an [X] problem, it's a family problem," especially in reference to teens and young adults who are considered out of control.
** When Dr. Phil deals with a teen or young adult who exhibits outrageous behavior, expect to hear, "I don't ask why he/she/you does this. I ask why ''not.''"
** "What were you thinking" is a fairly frequent staple.
** "That's not okay" is semi-frequent, sometimes said with an air of YouHaveGOTToBeKiddingMe.
* ConfessionCam
* DatingServiceDisaster: He has featured several women who are victims of dating website scams. Many of them are variations of the typical FourOneNineScam, with the women sending hundreds of thousands of dollars to men who they have never met or seen, or even talked on the phone with. These women typically are complete idiots, with Dr. Phil having to show them that the guys are scams through basic things they should've been able to figure out.
* DomesticAbuse: Occurs as much if not more than AbusiveParents. One November 2015 episode featured a husband who repeatedly spanked his wife with a wooden spoon out of the belief his religion condoned it. While the abused party is often the woman, Dr. Phil has interviewed abused males, and couples where it goes both ways.
* DoubleStandard: Dr. Phil seems to think it's okay for women to fight for their lives if necessary, but for men to "run away" from women. Even if they're trying to kill them. If a man fights back, even to defend himself, he's an abusive monster.
* FelonyMisdemeanor: Dr. Phil compared a man who has lots of piercings and body modifications to his other guest that episode, a drunken idiot who does extreme sports for no reason and constantly breaking his limbs for funzies.
* GoodIsNotSoft: Dr. Phil does have a reputation for saving many lives of people who have suffered from abuse, neglect, rape, molestation, or addiction. That being said though, Dr. Phil does ''not'' mince words with more difficult guests and doesn't care if you hate him or not. And he ''will'' [[https://youtu.be/DisGC8PukRg alert local authorities]] if a guest's behavior is really bad enough.
* GrammarNazi: Whatever you do, don't use the word 'but' in a sentence when speaking to Dr. Phil. You'll get an earful for it.
* HappilyMarried: Subverted in one episode where Dr. Phil spent an episode talking to a couple who have been together for years but don't want to get married, citing this trope as reason that they have a problem. Even when they said they are perfectly happy just being together, Dr. Phil would just keep asking "Well then why aren't you married?". It turns out not everyone feels the need to get married.
* IllGirl: The parents of an extremely lazy, irresponsible twenty-year-old tried to use this trope as an excuse for her behavior. Dr. Phil called them on it, pointing out that there was little to no medical evidence for the litany of problems the parents claimed their daughter had. Some cases where a child is mentally ill play the trope straighter.
** In particular, one episode featured a young girl (only about six) who suffered from powerful and extreme delusions.
* ImNotADoctorButIPlayOneOnTV: Dr. Phil's license to practice expired in 2006.
* ItsAllMyFault: Dr. Phil's advice essentially boils down to making the guests realize this about themselves, in that whatever problems they are having, they, and they alone, are to blame.
** In episodes with unruly and out of control children (sometimes adult children, that still live at home), Dr. Phil almost always places the blame on the parents. When one guest called him out on this, saying that he'll blame her because "he'll blame the parents like he always does" (she was a frequent watcher of the show), he was less than pleased. And indeed, he still blamed her for her child's problems.
* JerkassHasAPoint:
** Regardless of their misdeeds, some guests have pointed out that Dr. Phil exploits them far more for ratings ("good television", as one guest said) than helping them, and a few former guests of both this show and ''The Doctors'' have come forward accusing them of later going back on the help they promised after the show aired.
** As awful as the Bumfights guy was, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4H5S6UkZDk several commenters]] have noted that he had a point when comparing his exploitation of poor people and Dr. Phil's exploitation of his guests.
* NeverMyFault: Occurs often, even when a guest is confronted with hard evidence of horrible things they've done. For instance, one recent guest continually justified her abuse of her daughter with, "Well, you're exaggerating/I already apologized/that's not true." Dr. Phil did ''not'' appreciate it.
* OnceAnEpisode: Recent seasons have made sure that every show he puts in a word for his newest book at the time, like the ''Life Code'' or ''The 20/20 Diet''. [[InsistentTerminology Published by his son Jay's publishing company]]. [[ShamelessSelfPromoter Also, not one episode goes by without him mentioning "my and my son Jay's company" Doctor on Demand, or his wife Robin's latest business venture.]]
** '''[[ShamelessSelfPromoter Robin [=McGraw=] Revelation!]]'''
* PointAndLaughShow: Has generally turned into a ''[[Series/TheJerrySpringerShow Jerry Springer]]'' "for moms" format.
** When a guest gets angry at the audience for laughing at them, Dr. Phil always replies that "[[BlatantLies they're laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation]]", and never berates the audience for doing so.
* PushoverParents: Fairly common. Most of the time when there is a problem with parents and children and they aren't AbusiveParents, they are the opposite extreme and do absolutely nothing to discipline their child. An extreme example is Kaylie, who let her 14-year-old daughter Gabrielle smoke weed and have sex (she even put her daughter on birth control) and was completely nonchalant when Dr. Phil told her what she was doing was criminal, writing it off as normal teenage behavior.
* RealityShowGenreBlindness: The guests often don't seem to grasp the fact that their private problems are being broadcast to ''millions'' of people; you'd think all the cameras and the giant studio audience would give them a hint.
** There have been some rare examples where the guests points out that they are being humiliated to "[[RatingsStunt boost ratings]]". An example of it being a 2006 episode where a father fails a lie detector test after being accused of molesting his daughter. The father only brings it up because he is caught in his lie. Dr. Phil promptly tells him to "[[BreakTheHaughty get off his high horse.]]"
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Occurs at times when a guest is particularly abusive or obnoxious. Toned-down versions also occur, such as when Dr. Phil is confronted with a guest who responds to his observations with, "Yeah, but..."
* {{Spinoff}}: From ''Series/TheOprahWinfreyShow''.
* StrawMisogynist: One episode focusing on sexist husbands featured a man who, while on camera, goes on long tirades to his guest's face about how she as a woman is just not as good at anything as men are. But then subverted with the other husband. He's described as being sexist and mean to his wife, but in all fairness his wife's complaints just make it sound like he came home tired from work a lot and just wanted to watch TV to unwind now and then with their rat terrier on his lap.
* TalkShow
* TheUnfavorite: This sometimes happens in episodes featuring broken families. Often, one child will be labeled as out of control or destructive, even "a devil". While the minor in question does have serious behavior issues, it's often the case that the parents favor siblings over that minor. Skylar is one example from Season 16; she had uploaded a profile to a sugar baby website, gotten three [=DUIs=], and been in a boatload of other trouble while her twin sister Shaylen was an honor student with a good reputation. Yet her parents felt it was okay to constantly belittle Skylar, invade her privacy, and ridicule her attempts at getting treatment.
** Preston is another example; his destructive behavior looks a little different when you know that, though Preston is 15, his dad still spanks him with a belt, over every little thing. In contrast, his brother Adam is held up as what Preston terms "the golden child," whether or not this label is always valid.
* WhatWereYouThinking: Pretty much one of his catchphrases.
----
[[redirect:Series/DrPhil]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* DoubleStandard: Dr. Phil seems to think it okay for women to fight for their lives if necessary, but for men to "run away" from women. Even if they're trying to kill them. If a man fights back, even to defend himself, he's an abusive monster.

to:

* DoubleStandard: Dr. Phil seems to think it it's okay for women to fight for their lives if necessary, but for men to "run away" from women. Even if they're trying to kill them. If a man fights back, even to defend himself, he's an abusive monster.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* BackAlleyDoctor: Jillian Mai Thi Epperly, the creator of the ‘Jilly Juice’ quackery (essentially cabbage boiled down into a disgusting greenish concentrate, mixed with water and a whole bag of salt - needless to say, this is something you shouldn’t put anywhere near your body) showed up for an episode in which Dr. Phil attempted to confront her on her claims that it could cure anything. Shockingly, she used the airtime as an attempt to shill her ‘miracle cure’, culminating in the moment where a hoodwinked member of the audience rushed the stage in an attempt to plead with her to give him a sample of the toxic liquid.


Added DiffLines:

** During the episode featuring Jillian Mai Thi Epperly, a member of the audience, a vulnerable and fragile-looking elderly man, attempted to rush the stage to plead with the Quack to give him a sample of her Jilly Juice ‘cure’, having been utterly hoodwinked by her claims. Given that this same ‘medicine’ had been responsible for numerous hospitalisations and had the possibility to even kill people, Dr. Phil was less than impressed.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


Since September 8, 2008, Dr. Phil has been broadcast in HDTV with a revamped look and a new theme written and performed by [=McGraw=]'s son, Jordan. He also produces another show with Jordan, ''The Doctors'', a medical talk show [[DuelingShows competing with]] Series/TheDoctorOzShow. As with ''Oprah'', both shows are contracted so that they can't air at the same time if on different networks.

to:

Since September 8, 2008, Dr. Phil has been broadcast in HDTV with a revamped look and a new theme written and performed by [=McGraw=]'s son, Jordan. He also produces another show with his son Jordan, ''The Doctors'', a medical talk show [[DuelingShows competing with]] Series/TheDoctorOzShow. As with ''Oprah'', both shows are contracted so that they can't air at the same time if on different networks.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


The show is in syndication throughout the United States and a number of other countries. The show's syndication contracts specifically state that if Dr. Phil is on another station, it cannot air at the same time as Oprah. Its eighth season premiered on September 14, 2009. The show is to be renewed through 2014, or twelve seasons. Occasional prime time specials have aired on CBS. The program has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award every year since 2004.

to:

The show is in syndication throughout the United States and a number of other countries. The show's syndication contracts specifically state that if Dr. Phil is on another station, it cannot air at the same time as Oprah. Its eighth season premiered on September 14, 2009. The show is to be renewed through 2014, or twelve seasons. Occasional prime time specials have aired on CBS. The program has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award every year since 2004.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* GoodIsNotSoft: Dr. Phil does have a reputation for saving many lives of people who have suffered from abuse, neglect, rape, molestation, or addiction. That being said though, Dr. Phil does ''not'' mince words with more difficult guests and doesn't care if you hate him or not. And he ''will'' [[https://youtu.be/DisGC8PukRg alert local authorities]] if a guest's behavior is really bad enough.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Copied from Basement Dweller > Real Life folder for consitancy.

Added DiffLines:

* BasementDweller: Dr. Phil refers to these people as Moochers, and has done [[http://drphil.com/shows/show/29 four]] [[http://drphil.com/shows/show/520 specials]] [[http://drphil.com/shows/show/610/ on]] [[http://www.drphil.com/shows/show/1657 them.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** There have been some rare examples where the guests points out that they are being humiliated to "[[RatingsStunt boost ratings]]". An example of it being a 2006 episode where a father fails a lie detector test after being accused of molesting his daughter. The father only brings it up because he is caught in his lie. Dr. Phil promptly tells him to "[[BreaktheHaughty get off his high horse.]]"

to:

** There have been some rare examples where the guests points out that they are being humiliated to "[[RatingsStunt boost ratings]]". An example of it being a 2006 episode where a father fails a lie detector test after being accused of molesting his daughter. The father only brings it up because he is caught in his lie. Dr. Phil promptly tells him to "[[BreaktheHaughty "[[BreakTheHaughty get off his high horse.]]"

Added: 976

Removed: 976

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* BitchInSheepsClothing: Phil himself has been accused of being one. With alleged rumors that he mistreats his workers, and the fact he uses his show to exploit people instead of helping them (See UnintentionallyUnsympathetic on the YMMV section).
* BoomerangBigot: One episode featured a black girl named Treasure Richards... who hated African-Americans and insisted she was actually white. It didn't take long for [[WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks Uncle Ruckus]] comparisons to start popping up.



* BitchInSheepsClothing: Phil himself has been accused of being one. With alleged rumors that he mistreats his workers, and the fact he uses his show to exploit people instead of helping them (See UnintentionallyUnsympathetic on the YMMV section).
* BoomerangBigot: One episode featured a black girl named Treasure Richards... who hated African-Americans and insisted she was actually white. It didn't take long for [[WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks Uncle Ruckus]] comparisons to start popping up.



* HappilyMarried: Subverted in one episode where Dr. Phil spent an episode talking to a couple who have been together for years but don't want to get married, citing this trope as reason that they have a problem. Even when they said they are perfectly happy just being together, Dr. Phil would just keep asking "Well then why aren't you married?". It turns out not everyone feels the need to get married.



* ImNotADoctorButIPlayOneOnTV: Dr. Phil's license to practice expired in 2006.



* ImNotADoctorButIPlayOneOnTV: Dr. Phil's license to practice expired in 2006.



* HappilyMarried: Subverted in one episode where Dr. Phil spent an episode talking to a couple who have been together for years but don't want to get married, citing this trope as reason that they have a problem. Even when they said they are perfectly happy just being together, Dr. Phil would just keep asking "Well then why aren't you married?". It turns out not everyone feels the need to get married.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* BrattyTeenageDaughter: At least twice. As per the norm, they were extreme versions of the trope. The show has had other out-of-control teens exhibiting some but not all of the extreme aspects of the trope.
** One such example is Danielle, a 13-year-old guest who appeared in the September 2016 episode "I'm Done with My Car-Stealing, Knife-Wielding, Twerking 13-Year-Old". Danielle differs from many of the out-of-control teenagers who have appeared on ''Dr. Phil'' in her mannerisms, acting similarly to the out-of-control teens who have appeared on ''Series/{{Maury}}'' (dressing provocatively, talking in a "street" accent, excessive smack-talk to the extent of cursing at her mom and grandmother on-stage). Among other thing, she has assaulted her mother, Barbara Ann, in the breast despite her having had breast cancer twice, has stolen cars (even absconding with $3 and car keys of a show make-up artist who was present during filming at their family's home, who expressed that she felt violated by being robbed by Danielle), has recreationally taken Xanax and smoked marijuana, stolen her mother's credit cards with balances totaling $6,000 (even buying a stripper pole at one point), threatened her mother with knives, was accused of framing Barbara Ann on a drug possession charge and even taunted her mother one time after coming home after stealing her mom's car by twerking in front of her face[[note]]For obvious reasons, Danielle's backside is blurred in the video of said incident shown, since she was wearing only a thong on that area of her body at the time it was recorded[[/note]]. It doesn't help matters that her mother, Barbara Ann, [[NotSoAboveItAll often reacts to Danielle's similar threats by engaging in verbal altercations and physically threatening her]]. Dr. Phil points out that she's not as "street smart" as she lets on, as Danielle single-handedly admitted on-camera to premeditated grand theft auto, leaving the scene of an accident after crashing the make-up artist's car, theft and even implicating a friend in the possession of stolen goods, and surmises that Danielle puts up a tough veneer because she's been hurt many time in life. To get Danielle to go the rehab ranch they plan to send her to, Dr. Phil gives her a choice: either go to the ranch or the make-up artist will file charges against her for the crimes she committed during the week of the video shoot. She ultimately does go, but briefly puts up a fight backstage before she decides to head to the ranch. She became an Internet meme and subsequently attempted a rap career under the name Bhad Bhabie, succeeding only in ending up on various "worst of" music lists.

to:

* BrattyTeenageDaughter: At least twice. several times a month. As per the norm, they were quite often extreme versions of the trope. The show has had other out-of-control teens exhibiting some but not all of the extreme aspects of the trope.
** One such Arguably the most infamous example is Danielle, a 13-year-old guest who appeared in the September 2016 episode "I'm Done with My Car-Stealing, Knife-Wielding, Twerking 13-Year-Old". Danielle differs from many of the out-of-control teenagers who have appeared on ''Dr. Phil'' in her mannerisms, acting similarly to the out-of-control teens who have appeared on ''Series/{{Maury}}'' (dressing provocatively, talking in a "street" accent, excessive smack-talk to the extent of cursing at her mom and grandmother on-stage). Among other thing, she has assaulted her mother, Barbara Ann, in the breast despite her having had breast cancer twice, has stolen cars (even absconding with $3 and car keys of a show make-up artist who was present during filming at their family's home, who expressed that she felt violated by being robbed by Danielle), has recreationally taken Xanax and smoked marijuana, stolen her mother's credit cards with balances totaling $6,000 (even buying a stripper pole at one point), threatened her mother with knives, was accused of framing Barbara Ann on a drug possession charge and even taunted her mother one time after coming home after stealing her mom's car by twerking in front of her face[[note]]For obvious reasons, Danielle's backside is blurred in the video of said incident shown, since she was wearing only a thong on that area of her body at the time it was recorded[[/note]]. It doesn't help matters that her mother, Barbara Ann, [[NotSoAboveItAll often reacts to Danielle's similar threats by engaging in verbal altercations and physically threatening her]]. Dr. Phil points out that she's not as "street smart" as she lets on, as Danielle single-handedly admitted on-camera to premeditated grand theft auto, leaving the scene of an accident after crashing the make-up artist's car, theft and even implicating a friend in the possession of stolen goods, and surmises that Danielle puts up a tough veneer because she's been hurt many time times in life. To get Danielle to go the rehab ranch they plan to send her to, Dr. Phil gives her a choice: either go to the ranch or the make-up artist will file charges against her for the crimes she committed during the week of the video shoot. She ultimately does go, but briefly puts up a fight backstage before she decides to head to the ranch. She became an Internet meme and subsequently attempted a rap career under the name Bhad Bhabie, succeeding only in ending up on various "worst of" music lists.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* PushoverParents: Fairly common. Most of the time when there is a problem with parents and children and they aren't AbusiveParents, they are the opposite extreme and do absolutely nothing to discipline their child.

to:

* PushoverParents: Fairly common. Most of the time when there is a problem with parents and children and they aren't AbusiveParents, they are the opposite extreme and do absolutely nothing to discipline their child. An extreme example is Kaylie, who let her 14-year-old daughter Gabrielle smoke weed and have sex (she even put her daughter on birth control) and was completely nonchalant when Dr. Phil told her what she was doing was criminal, writing it off as normal teenage behavior.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* [[BigBrotherMentor Big Sister Mentor]]: 15-year-old Madison was mentoring her 13-year-old sister, Liz, in all the ''wrong'' behaviors, including smoking pot, stealing, and assaulting their parents. Madison even posted a video on social media of the first time her sister got high on good-quality weed. The girls had ended their [[TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry]] so that they could team up to make their parents' life a nightmare.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** One such example is Danielle, a 13-year-old guest who appeared in the September 2016 episode "I'm Done with My Car-Stealing, Knife-Wielding, Twerking 13-Year-Old". Danielle differs from many of the out-of-control teenagers who have appeared on ''Dr. Phil'' in her mannerisms, acting similarly to the out-of-control teens who have appeared on ''Series/{{Maury}}'' (dressing provocatively, talking in a "street" accent, excessive smack-talk to the extent of cursing at her mom and grandmother on-stage). Among other thing, she has assaulted her mother, Barbara Ann, in the breast despite her having had breast cancer twice, has stolen cars (even absconding with $3 and car keys of a show make-up artist who was present during filming at their family's home, who expressed that she felt violated by being robbed by Danielle), has recreationally taken Xanax and smoked marijuana, stolen her mother's credit cards with balances totaling $6,000 (even buying a stripper pole at one point), threatened her mother with knives, was accused of framing Barbara Ann on a drug possession charge and even taunted her mother one time after coming home after stealing her mom's car by twerking in front of her face[[note]]For obvious reasons, Danielle's backside is blurred in the video of said incident shown, since she was wearing only a thong on that area of her body at the time it was recorded[[/note]]. It doesn't help matters that her mother, Barbara Ann, [[NotSoAboveItAll often reacts to Danielle's similar threats by engaging in verbal altercations and physically threatening her]]. Dr. Phil points out that she's not as "street smart" as she lets on, as Danielle single-handedly admitted on-camera to premeditated grand theft auto, leaving the scene of an accident after crashing the make-up artist's car, theft and even implicating a friend in the possession of stolen goods, and surmises that Danielle puts up a tough veneer because she's been hurt many time in life. To get Danielle to go the rehab ranch they plan to send her to, Dr. Phil gives her a choice: either go to the ranch or the make-up artist will file charges against her for the crimes she committed during the week of the video shoot. She ultimately does go, but briefly puts up a fight backstage before she decides to head to the ranch. She became an Internet meme and became a rapper by the name of Bhad Babbie.

to:

** One such example is Danielle, a 13-year-old guest who appeared in the September 2016 episode "I'm Done with My Car-Stealing, Knife-Wielding, Twerking 13-Year-Old". Danielle differs from many of the out-of-control teenagers who have appeared on ''Dr. Phil'' in her mannerisms, acting similarly to the out-of-control teens who have appeared on ''Series/{{Maury}}'' (dressing provocatively, talking in a "street" accent, excessive smack-talk to the extent of cursing at her mom and grandmother on-stage). Among other thing, she has assaulted her mother, Barbara Ann, in the breast despite her having had breast cancer twice, has stolen cars (even absconding with $3 and car keys of a show make-up artist who was present during filming at their family's home, who expressed that she felt violated by being robbed by Danielle), has recreationally taken Xanax and smoked marijuana, stolen her mother's credit cards with balances totaling $6,000 (even buying a stripper pole at one point), threatened her mother with knives, was accused of framing Barbara Ann on a drug possession charge and even taunted her mother one time after coming home after stealing her mom's car by twerking in front of her face[[note]]For obvious reasons, Danielle's backside is blurred in the video of said incident shown, since she was wearing only a thong on that area of her body at the time it was recorded[[/note]]. It doesn't help matters that her mother, Barbara Ann, [[NotSoAboveItAll often reacts to Danielle's similar threats by engaging in verbal altercations and physically threatening her]]. Dr. Phil points out that she's not as "street smart" as she lets on, as Danielle single-handedly admitted on-camera to premeditated grand theft auto, leaving the scene of an accident after crashing the make-up artist's car, theft and even implicating a friend in the possession of stolen goods, and surmises that Danielle puts up a tough veneer because she's been hurt many time in life. To get Danielle to go the rehab ranch they plan to send her to, Dr. Phil gives her a choice: either go to the ranch or the make-up artist will file charges against her for the crimes she committed during the week of the video shoot. She ultimately does go, but briefly puts up a fight backstage before she decides to head to the ranch. She became an Internet meme and became subsequently attempted a rapper by rap career under the name of Bhad Babbie.Bhabie, succeeding only in ending up on various "worst of" music lists.

Top