Netflix commissioned the six-part series in November 2021, to be produced by Little Chick and Sister, with a script written by Abi Morgan.

Benedict Cumberbatch took on a dual role in the series, starring as the puppeteer Vincent Anderson while also providing the voice for the seven-foot-tall Eric puppet, including scenes where Eric appears to exist on his own.

The main supporting cast, including Gaby Hoffmann, McKinley Belcher III, Dan Fogler, Clarke Peters and others, was revealed in February 2023, with Jeff Hephner and Wade Allain-Marcus joining later that same month.

Principal photography began in early 2023 with filming taking place in Budapest and New York, standing in for 1980s New York City.

During filming, Cumberbatch was photographed by the media on the street wearing glasses and a dark green trench coat.

The series' original score was composed by Keefus Ciancia, and a soundtrack album was released on streaming platforms the day after the show's premiere.

The theme song for the fictional children's show Good Day Sunshine featured in the series was written by Tim Minchin and released to streaming platforms alongside the soundtrack.

The series holds a 71% approval rating from 70 critics on Rotten Tomatoes with an average score of 6.3/10, and a Metacritic score of 61/100 indicating generally favorable reviews.

Eric won the BAFTA for Best Costume Design at the 2025 British Academy Television Craft Awards, and McKinley Belcher III received Supporting Actor nominations at both the Royal Television Society Programme Awards and the 2025 British Academy Television Awards.