This storyline is a not-so-subtle reference to the sexual abuse scandal at the Horace Mann School in Riverdale. In 2012, multiple allegations were revealed by former students from as long ago as the early 1970s, directed at long-time teachers at HMS.
In this episode, Anthony Rapp plays Nathan Forrester, a man who was sexually abused by a teacher during his teenage years. In a tragic parallel, Rapp would come forward just 5 years after this episode aired to share to allege that actor Kevin Spacey had made sexual advances against him when he was just 14.
Three of the guest stars- Buck Henry, Elliott Gould, and Charles Grodin served as guest host of Saturday Night Live (1975) in the early days of the show.
Anthony Rapp and Jayce Bartok were previously together in School Ties (1992), which was also by Dick Wolf.