Dr. Phil Makes 'House Call' With A Father-Daughter Who Haven't Spoken In 5 Years While Living Under The Same Roof

(CBS) - Tonight at 9:00PM ET/PT, Dr. Phil is back and this time he's stepping outside the studio for some house calls. House Calls With Dr. Phil sees Dr. Phil coming directly into people's homes to help them through whatever they are going through, available to watch on CBS, Paramount+ or via the CBS App.

In tonight's premiere episode Dr. Phil visits a family with a father and daughter who haven't spoken to each other in five years; despite living in the same home. CBS' Matt Weiss spoke to Dr. Phil about the new series and what to expect in episode one.

MW: Dr. Phil, nice to see you again! House Calls With Dr. Phil coming out tonight at 9PM on CBS as well as Paramount+ and the CBS app. What's it been like for you coming out of the studio and visiting people in their homes?

Dr. Phil: Well, Matt it was very rewarding because, while I love what I do on stage here, I have been really excited to visit people in their home environment. This is where the drama happens. This is where the triggers are that set things in motion.

To be able to visit people where they live, sit at their table, have dinner with them, spend days with them, see them in their natural habitat was a very rich experience for me. I think it gave me an opportunity to really dig in. I think it's going to be a great experience for people to watch; to see the dynamics of what's going on.

MW: On top of that, especially after the last year and a half, how cool was it to be welcomed into people's homes?

Dr. Phil: It was just so great. But listen, people did not know I was coming. Only one member of the family knows that I'm coming. We do have cameras in the home because they think they're auditioning for a potential reality show about families.

When I walk through the door and they see me, they are beyond shocked. Those cameras we have in their homes, there's something special about them. When that red light goes off and the crew walks away. Those cameras are still rolling. I want to see what they say, what they do, how they behave, how they interact with each other when they don't think anybody is watching.

They don't think anybody's listening and that's when they stop performing and you see what's really going on with them. That gave me great information, great data that you wouldn't ordinarily have.

MW: Tonight's episode is called "Traumatized And Dramatized." What are we in store for?

Dr. Phil: The show took us to Utah, we visit a home of a young girl, that at 14 years of age got sideways with her dad over a cell phone. It turned into a big blow up. "She said I'll never speak to you again. You destroyed my life."

She has not spoken to or been in the room with her father for five years, even though they live under the same roof. I found that unbelievable. I started asking how is that possible?

I quickly found out, mom is a huge enabler. Every time dad's pulling in the driveway, she's saying here he comes and off she goes up the stairs locks her bedroom door and won't come out. Mom has made this whole thing happen. My job is to get her out that door, down the stairs, and interacting with dad.

There's a lot going on here. Listen, every family in America isn't going to have that situation or circumstance, but the dynamic is relatable, because they all have situations where there's tension between the parents and the teenager or tension between mom and dad. Good cop, bad cop, can't agree on how to parent the kids.

I think it's going to be very relatable to the viewers. I'm looking forward to it being entertaining, intriguing, informative, all of those things. I think it's going to do all of that.

MW: What was the catalyst for you connecting with this family, you mentioned the mother is an enabler, was she the one who reached out to you and said, 'hey we need to get a handle on this'?

Dr. Phil: Actually, she was and was a little shocked when the tables got turned and she got focused on as a big part of the problem. The question becomes is she going to own it and be part of the solution or get defensive.

How's this all going to work? Does the daughter come down? What happens if she does? Lots of intrigue in this show, but I think it's going to be entertaining and very aspirational. I think people are going to really be inspired by what they see here.

MW: This is a situation that is so relatable for lots of families where the parents are dealing with teenagers, may be their relationship isn't exactly where they want it to be. How helpful do you think this episode will be for parents and teenagers going through this situation?

Dr. Phil: I think it's going to be a catalyst for change. I think people are going to watch it and say, that worked with them, we need to go back and take our own inventory and see what can we do to be a change agent in our own family. That's what I'm looking forward to. I think that's what will happen.

MW: Fantastic. Dr. Phil thank you so much for the time, always a pleasure talk to you and all the best with the show.

Dr. Phil: Thank you, Matt.

House Calls With Dr. Phil comes to CBS, Paramount+ and the CBS App tonight at 9:00PM ET/PT. Check your local listings for more information.

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