[2] On September 24, 2014, it was announced that ABC bought the original concept of the untitled mystery drama from Grey's Anatomy and Scandal regular writer Jenna Bans.

[27] On February 25, it was announced that three-time Oscar nominee Joan Allen will play the leading role of mayor and Warren family matriarch.

[34] On October 2, 2015, Grant Show joined the series in the major recurring role as the Democratic governor and Claire's rival.

The website's consensus reads, "The Family takes a confusing, convoluted course to solve its central mystery that few will want to follow, despite a game performance from Joan Allen.

Stacey Ritzen of Uproxx wrote that "the cast all bring their A game, particularly Allen as the ball-busting matriarch and McCarthy, who lends genuine creepiness and dread to the role.

"[42] Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly gave it a C−, summarizing it as a "sour, formulaic expression of ABC's penchant for buzzy, 'sticky' potboilers."

He wrote that the show delivered a "shallow treatment of material that deserves more maturity, more empathy, more savvy about American culture.