Developed for television by Felicia D. Henderson, the series was an adaptation of George Tillman Jr.'s 1997 film of the same name, which was based on his childhood experiences growing up in Chicago.

The series picks up six months after the events in the 1997 film, starting with the birth of Bird and Lem's son Jeremiah, as the family tries to hold together after the death of the Joseph sisters' mother Josephine (Irma P. Hall, reprising her role in flashback sequences), usually referred to as Mama, Mother Joe, or Big Mama.

Short-lived series such as Under One Roof and City of Angels featured predominantly black casts but never gained recognition due to lack of ratings and viewership.

Many known performers such as Gerald Levert, Montell Jordan, India Arie, Sunshine Anderson and Common have made guest appearances as well.

Nicole Ari Parker commented on studio executives telling the cast and crew that they were not marketable overseas; yet, after the show ended, the series garnered a fanbase in France.