Because of the budget cuts for the second season, creator Alan Spencer was given less creative control over the episodes. Certain shots such as Hammer hanging on a flagpole, almost went over budget.
The calendar shown in the scene when Hammer is using the fan is for 1988. This is clear because the number on the left at the bottom is the number of days gone in the year, including the one in question, while the one on the right is for the days left. The sum of these values is 366 - the number of days in a leap year. The date the calendar ends on is Thursday the 25th of August, 1988, which is correct. On that day in history the Challenger Center for Space Science Education opened in Houston, Iraq and Iran started negotiations to end their war and a fire ravaged the centre of Lisbon.