Grand Army was created by Katie Cappiello and is loosely based on her 2013 play Slut: The Play, with Netflix ordering a 10-episode adaptation that expanded on the original work.

The storylines of the series are based on real-life stories from Cappiello's students.

Amalia Yoo reprised her role as Leila Kwan Zimmer, which she had originated in the stage production, for the Netflix series.

Principal photography took place in both Toronto and New York City from May to September 2019, with most indoor scenes shot in Toronto and most outdoor and subway scenes filmed in New York City.

On the day the teaser was released, writer Ming Peiffer publicly stated on Twitter that she and two other writers of color had quit the project, citing allegations of racist exploitation and abuse against one of the creators.

Artist Fahamu Pecou painted the promotional artwork used for the series' posters.

The series premiered with 9 episodes instead of the originally ordered 10 episodes.

Despite generally favorable reviews (71% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 68/100 on Metacritic), Netflix canceled the series after just one season in June 2021.