Before writing the script, co-creator Rachel Ramras sent showrunner Jessica Elbaum a monologue she had prepared after being inspired by the wave of women-centric mystery thriller books and series.

The project was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing the writers to abandon several ideas that couldn't be safely executed, with Will Ferrell supervising the writers' room remotely via Zoom.

Glenn Close revealed she joined the cast based on a single request, even though the background of her character had not yet been decided.

Child actress Samsara Yett's parents explained the nature of the adult-oriented show to her, but said she was not yet prepared to watch or fully understand it, so she was only guided through her specific scene requirements.

Principal photography took place in Los Angeles between March and May 2021 under the working title 'The Woman in the House'.

Hibiscus tea was used as a substitute for red wine during filming, and most rain scenes were shot at dawn or dusk to simulate cloudy weather.

A five-minute dance sequence between Kristen Bell and Michael Ealy was filmed but ultimately cut from the final release.

Kristen Bell and Samsara Yett performed much of their fight scene themselves, though stunt doubles were used for certain parts.

Cinematographer John Lindley shot the series using a Sony VENICE camera with Cooke Optics' S4/I lenses, while Pankaj Bajpai served as the colorist.

The series parodies psychological thrillers with 'The Woman' or 'The Girl' in their titles, drawing inspiration from A. J. Finn's 'The Woman in the Window', Paula Hawkins's 'The Girl on the Train', Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca', Alfred Hitchcock's 'Rear Window', and Gillian Flynn's 'Sharp Objects'.

Kristen Bell's detective-like role in the series is also inspired by her earlier character Veronica Mars, and she recorded a cover of the nursery rhyme 'Rain Rain Go Away' for the opening theme.

Kristen Bell defended the series' deliberately long title when Netflix wanted to shorten it, and the title was changed from the working title before the December 2021 announcement.

The 196-minute miniseries topped Netflix's US charts between January 30 and February 3, 2022, despite receiving mixed reviews, with a 53% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 49/100 on Metacritic.