Series creator/executive producer David E. Kelley and series regular Dedee Pfeiffer (Denise Brisbane) are brother/sister-in-law in real life, Kelley married to Pfeiffer's older sister, Michelle Pfeiffer.
The character of Ronald was based on real life serial killer Ed Gein. Gein was also the inspiration for Norman Bates from Psycho (1960), Leatherface from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), and Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs (1991).
The Silence of the Lambs (1991) costars Ted Levine and Brooke Smith both appear in season 1, Smith in the first half of the season and Levine in the second half.
The character of Ronald was partially inspired by Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs (1991) . The second half of season one costars Ted Levine who played Bill in the movie.