The word "thirtysomething" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary as a direct result of its popular usage from this series.
In 2013, TV Guide placed the series as No. 10 in its list of The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time.
A scene included in the episode "Strangers" showing Russell (David Marshall Grant) and Peter (Peter Frechette) in a post-coital conversation is widely believed to be the first time gay male characters were ever shown in bed together in a sexual context on American network television. Although the other (heterosexual) couples on the show were frequently shown kissing and having sex scenes, and despite the fact that the scene contained no revealing nudity, no kiss, or even any physical contact at all between between Grant and Frechette, just the fact that the two men were implied to have just had sex was enough to prompt the loss of about US$1.5 million worth of advertising revenue when many of the show's advertisers withdrew their commercials. ABC responded by pulling the episode out of the rerun and syndication lineup, so it was only seen again once the show was released on DVD. Actor David Marshall Grant went on to a second career as a writer and producer of plays and TV shows, including the shows "Brothers & Sisters" and "Smash," both of which featured gay couples who display affection with little controversy.