Parents' Guide to

Somebody Feed Phil

Somebody Feed Phil Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Marty Brown By Marty Brown , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 12+

Fun food tourism show features global cultures and cuisines.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 12+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 8+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 9+

Geography + food = awesome

I'm not really sure why Common Sense rated this only 3 stars...my family loves this show. It gives a taste of geography, which my kids (in fact most Americans young and old) really need. And it exposes viewers to interesting foods, which in our household's case led to my kids wanting to expand their palettes. Our family likes Phil's gentle sense of humor, and his joke-filled Skypes with his parents at the end of each episode are always a treat. Again, Common Sense, why just the 3 stars?
age 7+

Fun show with gentle humour

Great commentary on the importance of friends and family, of making connections with other cultures as members of our extended human family.

What's the Story?

Philip Rosenthal, best known as the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond, loves food. On SOMEBODY FEEL PHIL, he travels from city to city across the globe and samples different cuisines, from food he's very familiar with -- like New York pizza -- to food he's not -- like live octopus. He learns about the indigenous cuisines and cultures of all the places he visits and explores what makes them unique, both in their culinary offerings and sight-seeing hotspots. Places traveled include Tel Aviv, New Orleans, Cape Town, Seoul, Marrakesh, and many more.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (8 ):

Well-known spots in exotic locales is a bland template for a food and travel show. The one unique thing Somebody Feed Phil adds to the mix is its host, Phil Rosenthal, who is at turns enthusiastic, curious, and brash. Rosenthal has a talent for providing a relatable (and extremely American) point-of-view on even the most unfamiliar cuisine, but the viewer's experience with the show will likely depend on whether they find him charming or cloying.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the featured city. Where did Phil visit this episode of Somebody Feed Phil? Where is this city located? What is near there? What did Phil eat? What are the popular foods of this city? What are some of the hidden treasures?

  • What was Phil's opinion about the city and the cuisine before he visited? Did his opinions change? How? What made him change his mind?

  • What did you know about this city before this episode? How did your knowledge of the city change? What surprised you? Are there any places you'd like to visit or food you'd like to try yourself?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

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