Each episode of Trading Spouses followed two families, often of different cultural or social backgrounds, who swapped mothers or fathers for a week.

On February 27, 2008, Fox announced that it had sold the rights to Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy to CMT, effectively ending the series.

[3] In 2005, Trading Spouses was one of several television programs cited in a class-action lawsuit filed by the Writers Guild of America concerning labor law violations.

Brian Lowry of Variety criticized the series, stating, "Trading Spouses is as cynical as its name — designed to stoke conflict and elicit well-orchestrated feelings of contempt or bemusement toward the key 'characters.

'"[4] On December 15, 2004, Fox and Rocket Science Laboratories were sued by RDF Media over allegations that Trading Spouses copied Wife Swap.