As a kid I watched a lot of shows on The Food Network, and that trend carried over to college. Anytime I find myself wanting to watch something new, I default to cooking shows. However, I usually feel like there is something missing.  

I’m not usually picky with elements of the shows I watch, but I do get bored very easily. “Somebody Feed Phil” was a show I stumbled upon a few weekends ago when I was home visiting my family.  

I love television shows that are engaging enough to keep me entertained but basic enough to completely understand without paying too much attention to, and this is just that. “Somebody Feed Phil” is a Netflix series centered around cities around the world. Each episode focuses on a city, history, a few restaurants and chefs, guests (always including a video call to Phil’s father), and a wrap-up meal featuring everyone involved at the end.

There are four seasons released currently and each episode is between 45 minutes and an hour.  

Watching this show I really feel that I get to know those involved and the city more than I would with any other series. Phil does a good job of being a genuine host, a comedian, and a tour guide all at once. 

Seeing the host be so excited about everything makes the viewer more excited to watch and feel more connected to the location. I am even hoping to stop in to some of the restaurants he visited in his episode in Chicago. 

I’m sure that visiting the locations in the future will make me feel all the more connected to more content that comes out in the future.  

I have watched almost all four seasons since I discovered the show just under a month ago. There are only 22 episodes now, but fortunately the show has been picked up for a fifth season (sans release date).   

This is a perfect show to keep on while you do homework or clean to keep you entertained while also not having to dedicate a lot of thought to the program. More often than not, I find myself putting on episodes I’ve already sat through so that I don’t miss my favorite portions of the show. 

While I find the cooking and interviews entertaining, I am biased toward the history portion of the episodes. I love learning about why the cities are structured the way they are, the architecture, and how these details influence the cultural norms of cities.  

“Somebody Feed Phil” is such an original take on a cooking show because of all of the elements that are at play. Overall, it is a very well put together series that I would recommend to almost anyone! 

Maya Kurth is a sophomore public relations major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or at mkurth@eiu.edu.