Ricki Lake is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Ricki Lake. The show ran for eleven seasons from September 13, 1993, to May 21, 2004, in which it broadcast 2,420 episodes. Taped at Chelsea Studios, the show was primarily formatted as a tabloid talk show. It featured single-issue panel discussions with everyday people, in which the guests discussed their personal experiences. These topics were often centered on relational transgressions. Lake moderated these discussions and an emphasis was placed on audience engagement.

The show specialized in sensationalist topics involving invited guests and incorporated questions and comments from a studio audience. But unlike most of the counterparts of the day, her primary audience was aimed at teenagers, young adults, college students, and urban viewers (who described themselves as "Generation X") rather than the 25+ audience that advertisers were catering to, plus it was less sensational and tamer compared to the other programs. It was taped at the Chelsea Studios in New York City. During an interview on A Spoonful of Paolo, Lake stated that she almost signed up to do the show for only $5,000.

A majority of the shows had surprises waiting in store for the guests, which were revealed by a doorbell ringing if a guest didn't come clean about themselves. This prompted Ricki to bring out another guest who knew the truth about the primary guest's intentions. At times, the guests would find out that someone else had been listening to their confession while they were on stage or in the audience. On one show in 1997 for example, a man who admitted to having an affair was unaware that his wife was on stage. The doorbell (and other surprises) were a major part of the series throughout its run.

In 1992, television producers Garth Ancier and Gail Steinberg conceived the idea of a talk show that targeted young adults. It materialized as Jane, a show hosted by Sassy editor Jane Pratt that focused on young and explicit topics. It received a 13-week trial run on WNYW; however, it was not renewed or picked up for syndication. Ancier claimed that Jane's production company, 20th Century Fox, liked the show's format although not Pratt as host. As a result, Ancier searched for a new host for the show. Over 100 women auditioned for the role and the finalists included Veronica Webb, Melissa Rivers, and Ricki Lake. According to Steinberg, producers wanted "someone who's young but someone who has enough of a world view to bring some understanding to a range of topics. When we met Ricki, we felt all of that immediately." Most of Jane's production staff was retained for Lake's show, which Ancier described as Jane with a new host.

The show primarily focused on relationships, which were discussed from a youth's perspective. According to Lake, "Where Oprah Winfrey would have a show like, 'My teen daughter is driving me crazy,' we'd do it as, 'My mom doesn't understand me.' That was really our hook." The show's premiere featured the topic "I'm Getting Married But I Haven't Met My Husband Yet". Lake attempted to distance the show from the tabloid talk show subgenre, stating, "It's not exploitative. It's not crude. It's not freaks."

The show occasionally featured live music performances and topics such as lie detectors and paternity tests.

Topics commonly discussed on the show included relationship issues, shoplifting, condoms, violence, drugs, and teen pregnancy. These discussions often focused on conflicts between the guests, with Lake claiming that "[t]he conflicts of real people are what people want to watch". In 2002, Michael Rourke replaced Steinberg as executive producer after she stepped down to develop new television programs for Columbia TriStar Domestic Television. The show experienced a content overhaul under Rourke, in which its focus shifted from conflict-driven topics to more mature discussions about relationships, sex, and women's success stories. Its topics were typically reflected through confrontational titles, such as "Back Off, Boys, I'm a Lesbian—You'll Never Have Me!" and "Yeah, I'm Only 13, But I’m Going to Have a Baby!"

During the series' run, its primary focus was on dealing with personal subjects like parenting skills (including single mothers who are accused of having the lack of experience of taking care of children), romantic relationships (both marital and non-marital), LGBT issues (like discrimination, same-sex couples who want to have children or straight people attracted to a person who is LGBT or the other way around), racism and prejudice (even within their own race and gender), interracial relationships, family discord, revealing secrets, and social topics of the day (like money, looking for work or being on welfare). At times she had lighter shows, ranging from contests (including female impersonators, beauticians, or those who want to prove to others that they do have talent), celebrity guests, and reunions, to granting viewers' personal wishes.