Surface was created by Veronica West for Apple TV+ and received a straight-to-series order in November 2020.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw was attached to star as Sophie Ellis from the project's inception and also serves as a co-executive producer on the series.

In June 2021, several core cast members joined the project, including Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Stephan James, Ari Graynor, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, François Arnaud and Millie Brady.

Phil Dunster and Freida Pinto were added to the cast for the second season between April and May 2023.

Filming for the first season began around July 1, 2021, in Vancouver, despite the story being set in San Francisco.

For the second season, which shifts the story to England, production physically relocated to London.

The first season received mixed reviews, holding a 46% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metascore of 49 out of 100, with critics praising Gugu Mbatha-Raw's performance while criticizing the derivative amnesia plot.

The second season was received somewhat better than the first, earning a 56% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The series was renewed for a second season on December 2, 2022, which later aired from February 21 to April 11, 2025.