Compare and Contrast

Rough Draft
Compare and Contrast Essay
3/9/14

TV Shows: Dr. Phil & Maury

In today’s world of TV shows and entertainment, talk shows have been shown to be one of the most watched and the most hyped type of television programming throughout the world. No matter whose household it is, it’ll be likely that they are watching talk shows, such as Oprah Winfrey’s show or even Jerry Springer’s show. Basically we all know the norm for talk shows, and how they usually show negative scenarios or talk about relationship and family problems. For instance, you would normally see a couple arguing and fighting over the paternity of a baby on the Jerry Springer show or if you’re watching the Montel Williams show you will see him talking about different subjects such as diets, wealth, and life secrets and a lot of other stuff along those lines. The best shows that I personally think contrast the most are the Maury Povich and Dr. Phil talk shows.
The Maury Povich show likes to showcase a lot of different topics and tries to relate a lot of the material to people’s everyday lives. The show in its early years covered topics of a serious nature, including gang warfare. Maury has dealt with a variety of issues across its many seasons, including—but not limited to—teenage pregnancy, sexual infidelity, paternity test results, uncommon illnesses, makeovers, "out of control" teenagers, transgender individuals, obese children, domestic violence, little people, bullying, and unusual phobias. After the taping of these episodes, guests are often tracked for progress, both on air and on the Maury website. In recent years, the most common topic is paternity testing, followed by lie-detector testing, abusive relationships and "out-of-control" teen girls are tied for third.
Dr. Phil (also known as Phil McGraw) -- on the other hand covers some of the same topics, but doesn’t have all of the rude and ignorant people fighting and screaming on his show like Maury does. Dr, Phil is a therapist and tries to give people guidance. On numerous shows, Dr. Phil who like a lot of other talk show hosts, have children and/or adults take lie detector tests. The show is generally serious in tone, with moments of humor from time to time. It has its occasional tense moments and often trashy scenes, like that of The Montel Williams Show, but without the arguments or aggressive fights on stage, in contrast to The Jerry Springer Show, or Maury Povich's show. McGraw is noted for often bringing back families for multiple shows for follow-up "therapy" sessions. The show covers a wide variety of topics, including weight loss, financial planning, gift suggestions, children who have been diagnosed with autism, unhappily married couples, rebellious teenagers, mothers who dress far from their age, mothers who refuse to attend weddings, children being stars and their parents' rights, the emotional benefits of controlling, and dysfunctional families. Dr. Phil covers more sensitive subjects and really tries to give people hope and therapy by going to his show. He is really all about addressing the problem and finding solutions to people’s problems, unlike Maury Povich’s show where he mainly just lets people argue with each other for the majority of the show until he takes action and starts to give out suggestions and solutions to his guest’s quarrels.
Maury compared to Dr. Phil’s show makes it look like a whole bunch of low class people who just want to share their troubled lives with world in exchange for an hour of fame. I think both the shows are definitely organized, one more than the other but they both go and reach out to people to help solve their conflicts. Dr. Phil especially, since he is world renowned and has counseled a countless number of celebrities and other big names on his show. Dr. Phil is a show where he wants people to reach deep in their hearts and share with the audience about their personal life struggles and situations all while being in a safe and professional environment. He rarely condones violence on his show or violence in general, he wants you as a person to be at peace and by doing that he also wants you to be physically and mentally healthy as well.
People tend to watch Maury for all of the fights and all of the strange scenarios that he presents in his programs. I’d say his show is typically more oriented for the young adult because they go over a lot of “young adult” problems and situations where as Dr. Phil goes over “physiological topics “and other deep thinking scenarios that make you want to go into deep thought and reflect. That why his show has more middle aged viewers and married couples.
These two shows are different in retrospect but both have the same goals. At the end of each program, they both address what the problem was and end up resolving it by the end of the show. Maury and Dr. Phil are masters at what they do, hence the many different seasons and the durations of their shows. It just goes out to show you that in today’s society they’re people out there that want to help out people and set an example for others worldwide.