The voyeuristic documentary series puts the spotlight on the lives of five New York citizens and veterans to the city's night life.
In the interview, McGovern, a former news assignment editor at the same newspaper, noted that she was inspired by working in the early morning shifts and reading police reports on the "craziness that would go on the night before.
In a more negative review, Brian Lowry from Variety thought that while the show was "visually provocative", 3AM was "only mildly entertaining" and "never for a moment truly convincing."
Lowry also criticised the title of the series, which he noted in his review as conveying the impression that "strange things happen at night while those who work the day shift slumber, especially around the designated hour."
In addition, Lowry criticised the character followed by the series for giving the impression of posturing for the cameras, which "offsets the effect of the gritty photography and dreamy music used to set the mood.