The show has been nominated for and has won several awards that focus on internet culture and web series.

[1] The PDS is then edited by James Girardier so that the episode is presented in a fast paced vlog format, complemented with use of frequent jump cuts throughout.

[2] During the show's early existence, in 2007, DeFranco stated that he usually searches websites such as Technorati to find topics to discuss.

The geeky toys on the shelves and various art [...] adorning the walls behind him let the viewer know what fandom he belonged to (like Star Wars, for example).

[18] In 2008, an episode of the PDS used footage of the 2008 Toronto propane explosion captured by then 24-year-old Saejin Oh without permission, a violation of YouTube's community guidelines.

I’m rather more disgusted by the fact that they used a video of real-life event that caused death of two people to pay tribute to ... a movie."

[19] The video received over 351,094 views and had monetization enabled, giving DeFranco potentially hundreds of dollars from Google AdSense (if earning the average CPM).

[citation needed] Over the course of the series, guests have appeared on the show, such as cosplayer Jessica Nigri, and video game journalist Adam Sessler.

DeFranco would continue uploading similar content on his sxephil channel, under the name Not Safe For Work, which was abbreviated NSFW.

[2] By early 2013, DeFranco's sxephil channel, driven almost entirely on the PDS, had accumulated over one billion video views.

[36] The series has been met with critical success, as well; DeFranco has been called "the Walter Cronkite of the YouTube generation".

"[38] In 2016, Aja Romano of Vox wrote that on The PDS, DeFranco is known for his "candid, often satirical delivery and his willingness to cover everything from celebrity gossip to memes.