Boots Riley began writing the series in 2019, and the project was first reported in June 2020 as a collaboration with Michael Ellenberg of Media Res, with Jharrel Jerome starring.

Riley later stated there were no plans for a second season, revealing that 40% of the original script, including a penultimate episode, had to be cut due to budget issues just two weeks before production began.

The voice cast for the fictional cartoon-within-the-show 'Parking Tickets' features an eclectic mix of stars including Joel Edgerton as a UPS driver, Danny Glover as a weatherman, Juliette Lewis as a character named Justin, and philosopher Slavoj Žižek voicing a baby.

Principal photography took place primarily in New Orleans, Louisiana, while additional outdoor scenes were shot on location in Oakland, California, where the story is set.

To depict the 13-foot-tall main character Cootie, the show relied on practical effects, using miniatures and puppets for many shots instead of purely digital effects.

The soundtrack was provided by Boots Riley's own music group The Coup, while the band Tune-Yards composed the score.

The series was nominated for Outstanding Special (Practical) Effects in a Photoreal or Animated Project at the 22nd Visual Effects Society Awards.

The show received widespread critical acclaim, holding a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 86 out of 100, indicating 'universal acclaim'.