Series creator Lauren Iungerich spent time with real high school students to help craft authentic teen dialogue and to ensure the show reflected their actual lives.

Iungerich described the season-by-season themes as evolving identity questions: season one asks 'Who am I?', season two asks 'Who do I want to be with?', and season three asks 'Who do I want to be?'

Iungerich cited Friday Night Lights and its creator Jason Katims as a major influence, praising how the show let characters grow, graduate, and return in organic ways over five seasons.

Creator Lauren Iungerich announced she would leave the series after production of season three wrapped in June 2013, with new showrunners Chris Alberghini and Mike Chessler taking over starting with season four.

The third season's episode order was split, airing part in spring 2013 and the remainder starting in October 2013 following Iungerich's departure announcement.

The fifth and final season was also split into two halves, with the story picking up during the characters' summer after freshman year of college when it returned in 2016.

Producer Chris Alberghini suggested a sixth season was possible and most cast members said they would happily return, encouraging fans to tell MTV they wanted more, but no further episodes were ultimately produced.

Critics frequently compared the show and its lead character to other teen classics such as Juno, Mean Girls, Heathers, Pretty in Pink, and Sixteen Candles, with actress Ashley Rickards likened to Juno star Elliot Page.