Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Family movie night? There's an app for that

Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

Somebody Feed Phil

By Marty Brown, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Fun food tourism show features global cultures and cuisines.

TV Netflix Reality TV 2018
Somebody Feed Phil Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

See all
age 8+

Based on 2 parent reviews

mbmartin874
mbmartin874 Parent of 10 and 12-year-old
June 29, 2021
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?
j8mith
j8mith Adult
September 8, 2020
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.
See all 2 parent reviews

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?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate