Somebody Feed Phil

I don’t watch much TV. I am just not a big television fan. I would much rather spend my limited free time hanging out with my family, playing dinosaurs with my grandson, reading, walking my dog, playing my guitar, or playing cribbage or Trivial Pursuit with my wife, Kim. There are some shows, however, that Kim and I do occasionally enjoy watching together in the evenings. These include, from the Food Network: Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, Chopped Canada, and You Gotta Eat Here, and from HGTV: Beach Front Bargain Hunt, Caribbean Life, and House Hunters International. We also used to enjoy watching Anthony Bourdain on CNN on Sunday evenings, and more recently, Stanly Tucci: Searching for Italy. This latter, however, has had only one season so far, and it looks like it may be a while before we see a season two.

So, a couple of Sunday evenings ago, with none of our favorite shows on and Stanly Tucci in limbo, myself and Kim were looking for something to watch. As we could find nothing on cable (big surprise) we went to Netflix to see what they have to offer in the categories of food and travel. We were pleasantly surprised by the available options. After about twenty minutes of perusing we decided to check out Somebody Feed Phil, as it appeared to fit both categories, travel and food, and were we glad we did. What a treat this show turned out to be.

This series follows Phil Rosenthal, former producer of and writer for the hit TV show Everybody Loves Raymond, around the world, where he explores the food and culture of the cities he visits. I was hooked on this show in the first five minutes. What we had intended to be one hour of relaxation before bed on a Sunday night turned into a four episode mini binge. And even then, at 1:30 in the morning, we hated to stop watching.

Phil is so charming, so delightful, so lovable, and his curiosity and enthusiasm so infectious that you feel like you are traveling with a close friend, discovering these places and enjoying this food together. When I watch this show I start smiling at the opening scene and don’t stop until the end, often laughing out loud. If I could only watch one hour of television a week I would watch Somebody Feed Feel. I feel like the guy in the Dos Equis ads, except not about beer but TV shows: “I don’t always watch tv but when I do…”.

Anyway, I am not going to go on about the show, trying to describe it to you, as I feel it is something best experienced for oneself. I will say this, if you enjoy travel and food, and shows about travel and food, you have to check this one out. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Now, I must run. I’m going to Montreal with Phil.

Cheers,

Stephen