Drew Barrymore isn't your typical daytime host. Honestly, she's kind of a chaotic force of nature in a landscape that usually feels way too sanitized. Most talk shows follow a rigid, predictable rhythm. You know the drill: celebrity walks out, waves, sits down, plugs a movie, and leaves. But The Drew Barrymore Show basically threw that playbook in the trash the moment it premiered in September 2020.
It’s messy. It’s emotional. Sometimes, it’s even a little awkward.
People either love her or they’re totally baffled by her. There isn't much middle ground. When she gets down on her knees to talk to a guest, some viewers cringe while others feel like they’re witnessing a real human connection that’s missing from modern television. That’s the Drew magic. She’s been in the public eye since she was seven years old, so she doesn’t really have a "filter" in the way a traditional broadcaster does. She’s just Drew.
The Weird Evolution of The Drew Barrymore Show
When the show first launched during the height of the pandemic, it looked weird. Everyone’s show looked weird back then, with those "Big Mouth" digital screens for audiences, but Drew’s felt different because of the "Drew’s News" segment. It wasn't just headlines; it was her and Ross Mathews dissecting the world with a level of earnestness that felt almost jarring.
The show survived the "dead zone" of daytime TV where many others, like The Ellen DeGeneres Show or The Real, eventually faded out or ended. Why? Because it’s cheap to produce? Maybe. But mostly because it’s viral.
The show’s format changed significantly in its third season. They split it into two half-hour chunks in many markets. This was a tactical business move by CBS Media Ventures. It allowed local stations more flexibility. But for the fans, it just meant more bite-sized moments of Drew being, well, Drew. You’ve probably seen the clips on TikTok. The one where she’s raining on herself? Or when she reunited with her ex-husband Tom Green? Those aren't "talk show segments." They’re moments.
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Why the "Drew-ness" Actually Works
If you watch a clip of the show, you'll notice she spends a lot of time physically close to her guests. This "kneeling" thing became a whole meme. But if you look at the interview with Pamela Anderson, you see why it matters.
Anderson was talking about her life and her memoir, and Drew was right there—literally at her feet—listening with an intensity that you just don't see on The View. It breaks the "fourth wall" of celebrity interviews. It stops being a press junket and starts being a conversation between two people who have been chewed up and spit out by the Hollywood machine.
The Ross Mathews Factor
You can’t talk about The Drew Barrymore Show without mentioning Ross Mathews. He’s the "Rossy" to her Drew. He provides the structure she lacks. While Drew is spinning off into a beautiful, rambling monologue about the power of sunflowers or the resilience of the human spirit, Ross is there to bring it back to the prompt. Their chemistry is genuinely one of the most authentic things on daytime TV. It doesn’t feel like they’re reading a teleprompter; it feels like they’re having coffee and forgot the cameras were on.
Navigating the 2023 Controversy
We have to talk about the strike. In late 2023, the show faced a massive backlash. Drew announced she was bringing the show back during the WGA writers' strike, and the internet essentially exploded. People were furious. It was a rare moment where "America's Sweetheart" suddenly became a villain in the eyes of many.
She eventually walked it back and delayed the premiere until the strike was settled, but the scar remained for a while. It was a fascinating look at the business of daytime television. These shows support hundreds of non-writing staff members—camera operators, hair and makeup artists, lighting techs—who don't get paid if the lights are off. It was a "no-win" situation that she handled poorly at first, then tried to fix with a tearful (and later deleted) video.
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The show came back, and surprisingly, the ratings stayed solid. It turns out the daytime audience is a bit more forgiving than the "X" (formerly Twitter) audience.
Behind the Scenes: The "Art of the Interview"
What most people get wrong about The Drew Barrymore Show is thinking it’s all improvised. It isn't. The production team, led by showrunner Jason Kurtz, puts an incredible amount of work into the visual aesthetic. It looks like a cozy loft. The lighting is warm. It’s designed to make you feel like you’re in Drew’s living room.
- The Signature Segments:
- Drew’s News: A fast-paced look at feel-good and quirky stories.
- The Vibe Check: Usually a deep dive into mental health or wellness.
- The Design Home: Drew is obsessed with interior design (her "Beautiful" line at Walmart is a huge hit), and she brings that into the show constantly.
She doesn't do "gotcha" journalism. If you're looking for a hard-hitting interview with a politician, you're in the wrong place. But if you want to see a celebrity cry because Drew asked them about their childhood dog, you’re in luck. She taps into a specific type of nostalgia. Because she grew up in the industry, she can ask questions about the "loneliness of fame" that someone like Kelly Clarkson or Tamron Hall just can't.
The Future of Daytime
Daytime TV is dying, or at least it’s changing. Cord-cutting is killing the traditional 2:00 PM time slot. But The Drew Barrymore Show is built for the transition. Its segments are perfectly edited for YouTube and Instagram. It’s a "social-first" talk show that happens to air on CBS.
The show has been renewed through the 2025-2026 season, which is a huge vote of confidence in this climate. It’s outlasted bigger names. It survived a global pandemic and a PR nightmare.
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How to Get the Most Out of The Drew Barrymore Show
If you’re actually going to watch, don't go in expecting a standard broadcast.
First, ignore the "cringe" factor. If you lean into the earnestness, it’s actually kind of refreshing. In a world of cynical podcasts and scripted reality TV, Drew Barrymore being genuinely excited about a new spatula is sort of lovely.
Second, watch the YouTube "Behind the Scenes" content. That’s where the real personality shines. You get to see the chaos of the "news desk" and the interactions with the audience that don't always make the final broadcast cut.
Finally, pay attention to the "Drewber" segments. She’s leaning more into her history as a film icon. When she reunites with the cast of Scream or Ever After, it’s not just a reunion; it’s a celebration of her own survival in an industry that usually breaks people. That’s why people keep tuning in. They aren't just watching a talk show; they’re rooting for Drew.
To keep up with the show's evolving schedule or to see if you can snag tickets to a taping in New York City (they're free, but they go fast), check the official show website or follow their social channels for the most recent updates on guest lineups and special tapings.