Jake Lacy claimed that due to the COVID-19 production bubble, the season 1 cast all actually did stay in the same hotel and eat every meal together at the same restaurant just like their characters in the show.
HBO renewed the series for a second season despite the show being intended as a limited one season mini-series. It is said that the show will be an anthology style series with new characters for each season. HBO has done this before (to widespread acclaim) with the series True Detective (2014).
Mike White wrote the part of Tanya McQuoid with Jennifer Coolidge in mind. They had worked together on La guerre des Broncos (2009), and later went on a trip together after White's partner canceled. According to Coolidge, a lot of the "unfiltered side" she exhibited on the trip served as inspiration for the series.
In season 1, Mark says his wife (played by Connie Britton) studied Mandarin in college. In reality, Britton majored in Asian studies with a concentration in Chinese at Dartmouth College, and studied at the Beijing Normal University in Beijing. She speaks Mandarin during this episode on a Zoom call.
Valentina's "Peppa Pig" retort to Tanya was totally improvised by Sabrina Impacciatore. Jennifer Coolidge, Jon Gries and Mike White all broke out in a fit of laughter, which had to be edited out.