The series is loosely based on the novel Shades of Blue: 30 Years of (Un)ethical Policing by Michael Rudolph.

NBC gave the show a 13-episode straight-to-series order in February 2014, skipping the traditional pilot process.

Jennifer Lopez was attached to the lead role as early as 2014, well before the rest of the cast was assembled.

On February 26, 2015, Ray Liotta, Drea de Matteo, Vincent Laresca and Warren Kole were cast in their main roles, with de Matteo's and Laresca's characters originally named Shirley Nazario and Tony Espada before becoming Tess Nazario and Carlos Espada.

Karsen Liotta, the real-life daughter of Ray Liotta, was cast in season 3 to play Anna Kate Wozniak, the deceased daughter of her father's character.

Vanessa Vander Pluym, who played the recurring character Gina Rodriguez, also served as Jennifer Lopez's stunt double for the show.

All filming for the series took place on location in New York City, the show's setting.

Filming began June 5, 2015 for season 1, July 2016 for season 2, and April 2017 for season 3.

The show received mixed reviews overall, scoring 58/100 on Metacritic and 57% on Rotten Tomatoes, though critics consistently praised Jennifer Lopez's performance as the standout element.