The BEST episodes of Dr. Phil season 17
Every episode of Dr. Phil season 17, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Dr. Phil season 17!
Dr. Phil is a talk show hosted by Phil McGraw. After McGraw's success with his segments on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil debuted on September 16, 2002. On both shows McGraw offers advice in the form of "life strategies" from his life experience as a clinical psychologist.
#1 - My Fiancé Believes He's a Superhero
Season 17 - Episode 98 - Aired 2/7/2019
Kalan wrote into the show desperate for Dr. Phil’s help because she says her fiancé, Giovanni, made a major shift in his life goals. Just two days after he asked Kalan to marry him, she says the Army veteran made a very serious decision to change his identity. Kalan says he has now taken on the persona of a superhero and will only answer to “Goose Wayne Batman.” Kalan says he refuses to take off his mask or eye makeup and although she’s loved him since she was 14, this may be too much to handle. “Goose,” as he refers to himself, says he just wants to help and protect people, and being “Goose Wayne” is a non-negotiable part of his life and also his full-time job. The two are engaged to be married, but Kalan says she doesn’t want to be walking down the aisle with a masked man.
Watch Now:Amazon
#2 - My Mother Is Dating the Man Who Abused My Sister
Season 17 - Episode 32 - Aired 10/23/2018
Alyssa, an 18-year-old college student, says she is horrified that her mom, Carla, is dating Ron, the man who was convicted of assaulting her baby sister 12 years ago.
Watch Now:Amazon
#3 - “Tales of Deception and Terror: Virtual Kidnapping” And “A Deadly Love Scam, Deceit and 'Dirty John'”
Season 17 - Episode 78 - Aired 1/10/2019
Andy and his wife, Bridget, say they were petrified after receiving a call from a scammer posing as a kidnapper who claimed he was holding their daughter, Sam, hostage for ransom money. Dr. Phil explains to the frightened couple that this trending scam is called “virtual kidnapping,” as he instructs the audience on how to recognize these types of scammers. Then, Dr. Phil meets with Debra Newell, the real woman behind the popular podcast and hit Bravo series Dirty John. Debra was a single, successful business owner who had raised her four children when she decided she was ready to go online to try to find love. Then, Debra met John, a man who first seemed like a charming, intelligent doctor but later revealed he was emotionally abusive with a dangerous and criminal past. Detective Julia Bowman also talks about how unbeknownst to Debra, she had arrested John in 2013 for stalking and harassing an ex, and he later tried to put a hit out on the detective.
Watch Now:Amazon
#4 - Dad Confronts Daughter’s Abuser
Season 17 - Episode 47 - Aired 11/13/2018
Dr. Phil continues his conversation with D’Andre, who claims that his abusive relationship with his girlfriend, Autumn, is partly due to what he calls her “messed up” upbringing. And, hear what D’Andre says about violating the restraining order that Autumn has against him. Plus, psychiatrist and member of the Dr. Phil Advisory Board Dr. Charles Sophy weighs in. Find out why he says he believes Autumn’s parents are partly responsible for her constantly running to D’Andre.
Watch Now:Amazon
#5 - “Held Captive, Drugged, and Abused by My Own Father”
Season 17 - Episode 109 - Aired 2/22/2019
Tatiana says from ages 6-25, her father forced her to do drugs so he could physically and sexually abuse her. She also claims he tortured her and would beat her feet with a bat to the point where she couldn’t walk. At 12 years old, Tatiana claims her father pulled her out of school and started sexually assaulting her every single day. She says he installed security cameras and motion sensors around their home, making it impossible for her to escape. But that’s not all. Tatiana’s father impregnated her four times, and she bore three of her father’s children. At age 25, Tatiana finally escaped 19 years of torture, after her father was arrested for stabbing her twice in the chest! Dr. Phil sits down with Tatiana who tells her horrific tale of survival. Don’t miss it!
Watch Now:Amazon
#6 - A Second Schizophrenic Child or a Misdiagnosing Mom: Can Bodhi Be Helped?
Season 17 - Episode 111 - Aired 2/26/2019
Dr. Phil continues his discussion with exes Michael and Susan about the care of 11-year-old Bodhi, who Susan insists is dealing with schizophrenia, just like their 16-year-old daughter, Janni.
Watch Now:Amazon
#7 - An Estranged Father Finally Confronts His Children
Season 17 - Episode 106 - Aired 2/19/2019
On Monday, Dr. Phil didn’t allow exes Libby and Brian to appear on stage because he believed they had an inability to put their animosity for each other aside for the sake of their children. Today, the outrageous accusations continue between these two parents. Find out what happens between Brian and Dr. Phil that almost left Dr. Phil asking Brian to leave the stage. Plus, Brian sits down with two of his oldest children for an emotional reunion. Will they forgive their father?
Watch Now:Amazon
#8 - Expelled, Handcuffed & Violent: My 14-Year-Old Daughter Is Out of Control
Season 17 - Episode 100 - Aired 2/11/2019
Melissa says her 14-year-old daughter, Destoni, is aggressive, violent, and a bully. At home, she has chased her sister and babysitter with a butcher knife. At school, Destoni yells accusations at teachers in the hallways, throws school supplies, and gets kicked out of class almost every day. But Destoni crossed a line when she threatened to shoot her teacher and other students, causing her to be suspended from two different schools. Melissa and her mother, Michelle, fear Destoni will end up killed or homeless due to her behavior. One thing is for sure, Destoni is just not functioning well in life.
Watch Now:Amazon
#9 - My Husband Told My Best Friend I Was Dying and Asked Her to Marry Him
Season 17 - Episode 88 - Aired 1/24/2019
Penny says when she lost her close friend, Glena, she offered comfort to Glena’s grief-stricken husband, Glen, but was shocked when he leaned over and tried to kiss her on the day of the memorial service. Within days, Glen says he revealed his true feelings for Penny, but she says she felt like she was betraying her dead friend. Nonetheless, just three months after the funeral, Penny and Glen were married. But Penny also fell ill and claims while she was in the hospital, Glen told her best friend, Paula, that she was dying. Not only that, Penny claims he asked Paula to move in, replace her as a mother to their now 4-year-old daughter, and marry him, which Glen denies. Although Penny survived — she says she doubts her marriage can. Emotions run high when Paula confronts Glen, resulting in him having a panic attack, causing emergency services to rush to the studio.
Watch Now:Amazon
#10 - Is My Nigerian Boyfriend Scamming Me?
Season 17 - Episode 99 - Aired 2/8/2019
Sixty-four-year-old Josie says she met the love of her life, Victor, on Facebook. Even though he’s Nigerian, 30 years younger, and she’s never physically met him, she insists it’s true love. She’s purchased a ticket to Nigeria and hopes to marry Victor, but her older sister, Carmen, her best friend, Angela, and her 19-year-old son, Anthony, say Josie is acting like a teenage fool. They believe Victor is conning Josie into marrying him for a green card. Dr. Phil took cameras to Nigeria to find Victor to see if he’s telling Josie the truth. Josie’s family says they want Dr. Phil to convince Josie that this relationship will never work. Is Victor who he says he is, and will Josie leave for Nigeria after hearing what Dr. Phil has to say?
Watch Now:Amazon
#11 - Exes at War: Who's Behind the CPS Reports? And Charlamagne Tha God's Blueprint for Beating Fear and Anxiety
Season 17 - Episode 52 - Aired 11/20/2018
Bronwyn and Brett each have thousands of pages of evidence claiming the other parent is unfit and have been battling in court for years; Charlamagne Tha God (radio show "The Breakfast Club") tells how anxiety has been a driving force in his life.
Watch Now:Amazon
#12 - Violent Love; A Boyfriend's Confession of Abuse
Season 17 - Episode 40 - Aired 11/2/2018
Mindy says she is petrified that her daughter Jourdon's boyfriend, Richard, is going to kill Jourdon due to his physical abuse; Mindy claims Richard admitted to stabbing and even attempting to drown Jourdon.
Watch Now:Amazon
#13 - My Husband Thinks I'm Hacking Our Devices: Help Clear My Name!
Season 17 - Episode 16 - Aired 10/1/2018
Jennifer claims her family has been the victims of hackers for almost two years. The problem is her husband, Billy, thinks she is the hacker! Things have gotten so bad that Billy has asked for a divorce. Jennifer says he is so obsessed with the situation that he has lost weight and is about to lose the family auto business. But Billy says he just wants the truth. He claims Jennifer has admitted to hacking their phones and to being unfaithful. Jennifer says she only took the blame to end all arguments but instead, it made things worse. Jennifer says she wants to clear her name and save her marriage!
Watch Now:Amazon
#14 - My African-American Daughter Believes She Is Caucasian
Season 17 - Episode 33 - Aired 10/24/2018
Treasure, 16, is African-American, but aligns herself with European-Americans, and has racist views against other African-Americans.
Watch Now:Amazon
#15 - Arrested for Keying Ex-Boyfriend’s Car
Season 17 - Episode 46 - Aired 11/12/2018
Autumn says she was called a “crazy, jealous girlfriend” after a video of her keying her ex-boyfriend’s car went viral. But Autumn claims she was pushed to the point of insanity after being stuck in a cycle of abuse for almost two years, where she claims her ex-boyfriend, D’Andre, choked her, head-butted her and sexually assaulted her– but, D’Andre denies sexually assaulting her. Autumn’s father, Sean, says one time, he picked up his daughter from D’Andre’s house and she had swollen eyes and blood coming out of her nose and mouth. Sean says his daughter refused to press charges because she did not want to get D’Andre in trouble. Why is Autumn defending D’Andre to her parents?
Watch Now:Amazon
#16 - A Therapist Involved in a Money-Laundering Scam Faces Prison Time
Season 17 - Episode 35 - Aired 10/26/2018
A marriage counselor may go to prison after falling for a catfish scam, believing she is romantically involved with an actor from "The Walking Dead," being taken for thousands of dollars, and being put in the middle of a criminal conspiracy.
#17 - Edge of Insanity: I Believe I Have a Second Schizophrenic Child
Season 17 - Episode 110 - Aired 2/25/2019
Susan and Michael, parents of schizophrenic Janni, return to the show at odds over their 11-year-old son, Bodhi, who Susan is convinced is schizophrenic as well; Michael thinks Susan's quest for a diagnosis will harm their son.
#18 - From Physician Assistant to Living in Her Truck With Foreign Language Syndrome
Season 17 - Episode 103 - Aired 2/14/2019
Michelle and her daughter Brianna say her oldest daughter Tia – who recently changed her name to Rose – went from being a mom with a great job as a physician assistant to being unemployed, living in her truck and speaking with a British accent. Rose says she suffers from a rare condition called “Foreign Accent Syndrome,” which she developed a few months ago after suffering a stroke. Rose says she “speaks like Mary Poppins with a bit of Nicki Minaj.” But Michelle and Brianna say they are alarmed after witnessing some of Rose’s behavior on social media that reveals more than just a British accent, such as singing to birds and children and wearing costumes from the 1800s. Michelle and Brianna say they haven’t seen Rose in person in five years, but Rose says that has been her choice because her mother put so much pressure on her to be something she was not and now, she is living her most authentic life. Find out what happens when this family meets for the first time face-to-face in five years to try to figure out what is going on with Rose.
#19 - I Regret Agreeing to My Wife Being a Sugar Baby
Season 17 - Episode 82 - Aired 1/16/2019
Ryan says he filed for divorce from his wife, Danielle, because she worked as a sugar baby, had an affair, and engaged in sexually deviant behavior for money.
#20 - My Lazy Son Has No Empathy for My Cancer” And “My Mom Acts Like My Sister and Not My Mother
Season 17 - Episode 79 - Aired 1/11/2019
Vera says her 22-year-old son, Michael, always had a comfortable life. But when she got diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, her son’s life was turned upside down. She says Michael is now negative, lazy, hates rules, and spends days lounging on the couch and watching daytime TV. Vera says now she’s dealing with stage-four cancer and she’s worried Michael will end up homeless after she passes away. Can Dr. Phil help this family? Then, Isaac says his mother, Christina, has told him multiple times that he ruined her life. Christina was just 15 years old when she gave birth to him. Christina says the problem is Isaac’s lack of respect. She claims he has sent her horrible texts calling her a monster, snotty, not wife material and saying she was never a mom to him. Isaac says their relationship is dysfunctional but this is the closest they have ever been.
#21 - Teenage Brides and Horrific Abuse: Escaping the Secret Life of Polygamy
Season 17 - Episode 76 - Aired 1/8/2019
It’s a story Dr. Phil has been deeply involved in for over 13 years, and with an estimated 10,000 current members, one he vows to continue to cover until the alleged abuse in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints stops. It’s been more than a decade since FLDS prophetic leader Warren Jeffs was arrested and sentenced to life in prison, but despite Jeffs being behind bars, some of his devoted followers are still active and dispersed across the country. Today, Dr. Phil speaks with two former FLDS members who take viewers inside this controversial religious group. Marirlynn claims her sexual abuse, all in the name of God, began at just 4 years old. Ian says Warren Jeffs is his uncle. He says Jeffs told him, as a little boy, he’d “burn in hell” if he didn’t obey. Ian says he was kicked out at 15 and hasn’t spoken with his mother or father in eight years.
#22 - I Believe I’m Being Electronically Harassed And Tricked Into Seeing Aliens!
Season 17 - Episode 75 - Aired 1/7/2019
Three years ago, after attempting to summon UFOS, Debbie says she began seeing aliens and other apparitions in and around her home. Debbie says she thought she was going crazy or had possibly opened a portal to hell. But now, Debbie says she has figured out why she is having these strange visions. Debbie believes she is being electronically harassed. She believes whoever is harassing her has somehow tampered with her optic nerve and is projecting false images of aliens! Even worse, she says these electronic harassers are now using other torture methods, including electric shock and gang stalking, just to mess with her mind. Debbie’s husband, Tony, says he believes Debbie has a mental illness. He says Debbie’s constant talk of aliens and electronic harassment is hurting their marriage because he simply doesn’t believe it, and it leads to constant arguments. Is Debbie really being electronically harassed? Can Dr. Phil help her? Find out!
#23 - I Am Not Mentally Ill But I Am the Reincarnation of Pocahontas
Season 17 - Episode 74 - Aired 1/4/2019
Ayanna says she is the reincarnation of Pocahontas and claims she even has memories from the 1600s.
#24 - My Cat-Hoarding Obsession is Ruining My Marriage
Season 17 - Episode 60 - Aired 12/5/2018
Pamela wrote into the show saying she is obsessed with the 15 cats that currently live in her home, and she’s worried that her cat obsession might cause the end of her fourth marriage. Pamela says she is consumed with anxiety about the welfare of her cats and rarely leaves her home for fear that something bad might happen to them, and she says she is terrified that one of her cats might die. In fact, Pamela, a recent breast cancer survivor, admits, “I’d rather have breast cancer again than lose another cat.” Her husband, Mitch, says their lives revolve around the cats’ needs and feeding schedules, and he and Pamela get into fights about it. Mitch says something needs to change.
#25 - Actress Daughter Confronts Hoarder Mother on Eve of Eviction
Season 17 - Episode 53 - Aired 11/21/2018
Soap-opera actress Tracy seeks Dr. Phil's help for her hoarding 71-year-old-mother, who could be evicted from her home at any minute, and tells him what it is like growing up in a home full of filth, chaos and animals.