MacGruber began as a recurring Saturday Night Live sketch from 2007 to 2010, co-created by Will Forte, Jorma Taccone, and John Solomon as an absurdist parody of the MacGyver franchise.

The 2010 film adaptation was a box-office bomb, but it gained a growing cult following over the years, which along with continued enthusiasm from the creative team led to the development of a sequel.

A second film sequel was originally considered, but focus shifted to a television series when another movie was deemed not financially viable.

After their sitcom The Last Man on Earth was cancelled, Will Forte and John Solomon returned their focus to reviving MacGruber, pitching the project with Jorma Taccone to television networks in early 2019.

The series was officially announced on January 16, 2020 as part of NBCUniversal's inaugural development slate for its then-upcoming streaming service Peacock, and production was later delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mickey Rourke was originally cast in the series alongside Sam Elliott and Laurence Fishburne, but he left the production by August 2021 and was replaced by Billy Zane.

Timothy V. Murphy reprises his role from the 2010 film in the series, alongside returning stars Kristen Wiig and Ryan Phillippe.

Director Christopher Nolan, a public fan of the 2010 film, was invited by Jorma Taccone to the series' initial table read; though unable to attend, he sent an email expressing his anticipation for the project, saying 'the world is waiting, the world is watching.'

On Rotten Tomatoes, 85% of 20 critics' reviews were positive with an average rating of 7.4/10, with the consensus noting that the series 'reaffirms that deadpan buffoonery is Will Forte's forte.'