In an interview, Goldblum was asked what he thinks the lesson of the show is. His reply: "you have to keep learning. The reason time seems to go so slowly when you're young is because of a strange makeup of our brains whereby if we're learning a lot every day, it slows time down. Whereas if you're going through the motions or you're learning less, time speeds up on you. So be present, be spontaneous. Enjoy the moment, enjoy yourself, and learn."
The production started in April 2019. During filming, Jeff Goldblum researched as little as possible on the topics being presented on the show so he can learn along with the audience. He explores a wide range of products including sneakers, ice creams, tattoos, and bicycles.
The show was announced as part of National Geographic presentation in Disney's investor meet on April 11, 2019 for Disney+.
The first episode of the series made its debut on November 12, 2019, the launch date of Disney+. Each episodes was then released weekly.
The title is a take-off on The World According to Garp (1982). Jeff Goldblum has worked with many of that film's cast. He and Glenn Close appeared in The Big Chill (1983), along with William Hurt, the then-husband of Mary Beth Hurt. He and John Lithgow appeared together in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984). He and Robin Williams appeared together in Nine Months (1995) and Man of the Year (2006).