Creator Jeff Rake came up with the idea for the show 10 years before its premiere while on a family vacation. When pitching to networks, it was turned down repeatedly. In 2014, when Flight MH370 disappeared, Jeff stated in an interview: "my crazy pie in the sky idea felt a little bit more real, relatable." Years later, Jeff took his idea out again and was eventually picked up by NBC.
Netflix picked up the cancelled NBC show for a fourth and final supersized season of 20 episodes on 8/28, which is also the disappeared plane's number (828).
Melissa Roxburgh and J.R. Ramirez, who play Michaela and Jared, were involved in a similar relationship to their characters. They became a couple while making Manifest, broke up, got back together and then broke up again.
Jeff Rake presented Netflix executives with three different options to wrap up the show: A two-hour movie, a six-episode limited series or a full season. The executives went with the latter.
Renewed for a 20-episode 4th season at Netflix.