I have this series. The beginning is a little slow, but made more for folks just starting out, I think. It does get much harder if phase two. To make it harder, I just use heavier weights and do more advanced moves from the get-go instead of waiting to do it later on. Some of the workouts are shorter, so I usually tack on a short weight workout or a short cardio segment.
These are not Cathe workouts. They are not supposed to be. I do feel they are effective for working the core. I can feel that my abs are much stronger then when I started. Will I end up with a six-pack? Who knows, but I have been watching my food very closely, and I have dropped 6 pounds.
As for the comments that he made about "liking the view from back here", I don't know what video they are talking about....I haven't heard him say anything like that on any of the dvds I've watched.