Based on a rejected plotline for Dead Like Me (2003) where Ellen Muth's character couldn't collect any souls because somebody was resurrecting them with a touch.
Bryan Fuller wrote the part of Ned for Lee Pace, but his agents declined it. Fuller then offered the role to Adam Brody who turned it down because he was not looking to do another TV series after The O.C. (2003). Finally, Lee Pace's manager went around his agents and told Pace he should read the pilot script. Pace read it and accepted the role.
Before the show was axed, Bryan Fuller stated that one of the things he wanted to do in the future was to have narrator Jim Dale appear on screen and reveal who was telling the story.
British Anna Friel who plays Chuck used her American accent all the time when on set. The only person she dropped it for was her mother when she called, as she can't stand her daughter using her "American voice".
After ABC canceled the show at the end of 2008, the last three episodes of the 2nd season remained unaired until German TV-channel Pro7 aired them in March 2009. This means, the last three episodes of the show had their world premiere on German television and were not aired in the US until May 30th through June 13th 2009.