Created by William Broyles Jr. and John Sacret Young, the series looks at the Vietnam War from the perspectives of the women, military personnel and civilians who were present during the conflict.

Set at the fictitious 510th Evacuation Hospital and R&R facility (the "Five-and-Dime"), the series' cast of characters includes US Army doctors and nurses, officers, soldiers, Red Cross volunteers and civilian personnel (American, French, and Vietnamese).

The show was inspired in part by the book Home Before Morning (1983) written by the former U.S. Army Nurse Lynda Van Devanter.

The book takes the reader from Van Devanter's wish to serve her country through the adventure she thought her deployment to Vietnam would be, her culture shock upon returning to "the States", and her struggles with PTSD.

The title sequence theme song was "Reflections" by Diana Ross & the Supremes (the episode "Phoenix" instead used "We Gotta Get out of This Place" by Eric Burdon with Katrina & The Waves).

[10][better source needed] John Sacret Young stated prior to the show's October 2013 DVD release that he was working on a follow-up novel, titled Reflections, in which Colleen, now in her 60s and recently widowed, returned to Vietnam and reconnected with the retired Dick Richard and venture capitalist K.C.