Drop Dead Diva was originally developed at Fox before Lifetime stepped in and ordered the script to pilot.

Creator Josh Berman described the show as 'a cross between Freaky Friday and Heaven Can Wait,' calling it a 'life-affirming dramedy' meant to challenge Hollywood's narrow definition of beauty as 'size 2 and under 25'.

Although set in Los Angeles, the series was actually filmed in Peachtree City and Senoia, Georgia, with principal photography taking place in a studio inside a large hangar at Atlanta Regional Airport, largely to take advantage of Georgia's tax incentives.

Lifetime canceled the series in January 2013 after its fourth season despite the finale drawing a season-high 2.76 million viewers, then reversed the decision about six weeks later and renewed it for a fifth season.

Reality star Kim Kardashian appeared in a recurring role as Nikki LePree during the show's fourth season.

A soundtrack titled 'Drop Dead Diva (Music from the Original Television Series)' was released in June 2010 and included tracks performed by cast members Brooke Elliott, Margaret Cho, and Ben Feldman.

The show inspired a South Korean remake called Goddess of the Court, produced with Sony Pictures Television and local company Redwoods, planned for broadcast in early 2018.

A gender-swapped reboot titled Drop Dead Dave, with Josh Berman returning as writer and Jamie Babbit as director, was developed at CBS in 2021 but was ultimately not picked up by the network.