When Chris (Marshall Lancaster) says "Is she or isn't she?" after Shaz (Montserrat Lombard) has been busy spraying hairspray everywhere, he is referring to a popular advert from the 1970s for Harmony Hair Spray where a woman's hairstyle has such natural-looking hold it causes observers to wonder whether she is or isn't wearing hairspray. Having seen Shaz's liberal display with the aerosol, Alex (Keeley Hawes) sharply retorts "She most definitely is!"
The episode begins with Molly Drake (Grace Vance) reading out Sam Tyler (John Simm)'s speech from the opening credits of Life on Mars (2006).
Layton (Sean Harris) objects to being stared at. Scopophobia is the fear of being looked at or stared at.
The PC on the South Bank refers to Layton (Sean Harris) as an "IC1 male." This stands for Identity Code 1; 1 is White person, 2 is Mediterranean, Hispanic, 3 is African/Caribbean, 4 is Indian, etc., 5 is Chinese, etc., 6 is Arabic etc., and IC0 is a person of unknown origin.
Shaz (Montserrat Lombard) says, "Here you go?" as she offers Alex (Keeley Hawes) a can of Tab. Spotting this, Gene (Philip Glenister) says, "Tab?, don't be ridiculous Granger, look at 'er-airs and graces this one, likes a drop of Bolly before she gets 'er knickers off. Back to your desk". Tab is a diet cola produced by the Coca-Cola company first introduced in 1963. It was marketed originally to "consumers who want to keep a tab on their weight." Sales fell when diet Coke was introduced on 4 July 1982. In the first episode of Life on Mars (2006), newly arrived Sam Tyler (John Simm) tries to order a Diet Coke from Nelson the landlord of the Railway Arms in 1973. Bollinger is a wine production house in the champagne region of France. They produce vintage champagne under the Bollinger label. In the UK Bollinger Champagne is affectionately referred to as "Bolly".