[2] John Owen Lowe described the series as "about a father-son dynamic that's very relatable but under a really specific lens, which is a father who loves being the center of attention and his son, who feels the exact opposite.

"[3] It was announced in April 2022 that Rob and John Owen Lowe would both act as executive producers on the show along with Victor Fresco, with production handled by the Netflix studio.

The website's critics consensus reads, "Unstable is a little wobbly as it veers between sincere family affair and scathing satire, but Rob Lowe's reliable comedic chops provide the necessary ballast.

"[13] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 68 out of 100 based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

"[15] Angie Han for The Hollywood Reporter said "it's very, very funny, thanks to a crackling combination of sharp writing, lovably eccentric characters and snappy comedic timing.