The show started off with serious topics and guests. When the ratings were lagging, and Multimedia Entertainment, the show's production company, threatened to cancel the show, the format was changed in 1994 to the sensationalism that it is famous for today.
In 1999, TIME named the series as one of the 100 Worst Ideas of the 20th Century. Along with AfterMASH (1983) and Barney & Friends (1992), it was one of only three TV series included on the list.
(May 2009) In a poll conducted by The Factor (1996), host Bill O'Reilly revealed that this series was voted the 2nd worst TV show in broadcast history. Other dubious nominees included: (1) My Mother the Car (1965) / (3) Friends (1994) / (4) The Gong Show (1976) and (5) Cop Rock (1990).
Many critics accused this show of ripping off "Richard Bey," which, unlike "Springer" (a The WB station staple), was on UPN stations (UPN being more popular than The WB 11 years straight). The two shows were tied in the ratings when "Bey" went national in 1995, and this was even better by "Bey" occasionally.