The series is based on Lifetime's 2010 television film of the same name, with Jennifer Love Hewitt reprising the lead role but playing a different character in a re-imagined premise rather than a direct continuation.

The pilot was written by Jordan Budde, who got the job because Suzanne Martin, the writer of the original film, was busy working on Hot in Cleveland at the time.

After watching the original film, Budde felt the story had already ended and was 'super depressing,' so he pitched a reimagined version of the show to Lifetime, which was accepted.

At one point, the network considered calling the show 'The Rub' with no connection to the original film, but eventually decided against it.

Jennifer Love Hewitt was initially involved in casting the actors who played her character's massage clients, but she reduced her involvement as the show progressed.

Producers later tried to cast 'more real guys' for the client roles, but by that point the network refused and insisted on keeping 'hot guys,' leading to complaints that all the male clients were too good-looking.

A promotional video released on January 26, 2012 featured Jennifer Love Hewitt performing Shirley Bassey's 'Big Spender' in a music-video style advert referencing the true nature of the massage parlor's services.

The show sparked a nationwide campaign by licensed massage therapists called 'Massage Therapists Against The Client List,' who argued the series perpetuated the misconception that massage therapy includes sexual services.

In response to the controversy, A&E issued a press release stating the series was a fictionalized story not intended to depict any specific spa or disparage the therapeutic massage profession.

An expected third season was delayed after Jennifer Love Hewitt's real-life pregnancy was announced in June 2013, as she reportedly wanted her real-life fiancé and co-star Brian Hallisay's character to be the father of her character's fictional baby, while executives wanted Colin Egglesfield's character to be the father; the creative dispute contributed to the show's cancellation on November 1, 2013.