The series was co-created by rapper/comedian Dave Burd, known by his stage name 'Lil Dicky,' who also plays the titular fictionalized version of himself, alongside Jeff Schaffer.

Lil Dicky's real-life hype man, GaTa, co-stars as himself in the series, playing a rapper who lives with bipolar disorder.

Rachel McAdams appears as a recurring character in season 3, playing a fictionalized version of herself as a popular movie star who befriends Dave.

In 2023, Burd announced a soundtrack album titled Penith (The Dave Soundtrack), compiling music from all three seasons of the show, with up to 20 songs and unreleased full versions of tracks that had only appeared as 'bits and pieces' in the series.

Burd worked with producer Benny Blanco, who also appears in the show as himself, on the Dave soundtrack album, with 'Mr. McAdams' released as its first single on December 15, 2023.

By the end of its first season, Dave averaged 5.32 million viewers per episode, making it the most popular comedy in FX's history at the time.

Critics such as Daniel D'Addario of Variety compared the show unfavorably to Donald Glover's Atlanta, criticizing the Lil Dicky character's greater zeal for fame than genuine creative ambition.

FX announced in February 2024 that there were no current plans to renew the series for a fourth season while Dave Burd pursues other projects.