Made for Love is based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Alissa Nutting, who also served as an executive producer and later showrunner for the series.

The series was the first original series produced for the HBO Max streaming service, which greenlit it in June 2019.

Patrick Somerville was the original showrunner and writer for season one, with S. J. Clarkson directing, before Christina Lee took over as showrunner.

Cristin Milioti was cast to lead the series in July 2019, followed by Ray Romano in September 2019 (whose deal was only for one season), Noma Dumezweni in October 2019, and Billy Magnussen, Dan Bakkedahl and Augusto Aguilera in November 2019.

Caleb Foote, who recurred in season one, was promoted to series regular for season two, while Sarunas J. Jackson went from guest star in season one to series regular in season two.

Singer and dancer Paula Abdul joined the cast as a guest star for the second season, playing a character called Anydoors.

The series was cancelled in June 2022 after two seasons, following the merger of HBO Max's parent company WarnerMedia with Discovery, Inc. to form Warner Bros. Discovery, despite generally positive critical reception.

In its official cancellation statement, HBO Max humorously referenced show elements, thanking 'Zelda the talking dolphin and everyone's favorite synthetic love interest, Diane,' and joking that 'like a Gogol chip, the series will always be on our minds.'

The series was removed entirely from HBO Max in late December 2022, following its cancellation.

The first season holds a 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 54 critic reviews, with critics praising Cristin Milioti's charisma and comedic timing as the show's most valuable special effect.