The show was cancelled at the end of the 1982-83 season due to low ratings. In response, viewers wrote to CBS, protesting the cancellation. This effort, combined with the show's increasing ratings during the summer reruns, prompted the network to reverse the decision. Although the cast members had just been released from their contracts, they were soon brought back to work on the show. The series was reinstated in March of 1984, and ran until 1988.
Early in their careers, Miguel Ferrer and his brother Rafael were cast in guest roles in this series. Their episodes were to be filmed close together, so they decided to take a vacation on location. They invited their father, José Ferrer, and their cousin, George Clooney, who was trying to figure out his next move after failing to make it as a professional athlete. During this vacation, Miguel encouraged George to take up acting.
From season two onwards, the Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series went to one of the stars of this show. Tyne Daly won the award four times and Sharon Gless won twice.
Loretta Swit played Christine Cagney in the television movie that inspired the series. Swit couldn't continue in the role due to her contract with M*A*S*H (1972), so Meg Foster took over the role of Christine Cagney. After the first season, Sharon Gless won the role, and played Cagney for six years. At the time, a CBS spokesperson said Gless replaced Foster because the audience had trouble telling the two leads apart. It was later revealed that Foster was replaced because they felt that her portrayal made Cagney appear to be a lesbian. When the show was revived from cancellation, CBS demanded that Barney Rosenzweig replace Foster.