When Michael presents his torture plans to Vicky, she complains and directs him that "From now on, make all your memos one page, max, with pictures." This is a reference to then-President Donald Trump. There were media reports that Trump wouldn't read memos and wanted them to be only one page and contain pictures.
Chidi suggests they start reading "Death" by Todd May. Dr. Todd May is one of the philosophy advisers assisting the writers on the show.
Upon first perceiving his existential crisis, Michael contorts his face and hands like that in Edvard Munch's famous painting, The Scream.
Midlife crisis Michael shows his tattoo, the Chinese ideogram for "Japan". Adding to the humor is the fact that the Japanese Kanji character for "Japan" is also the Chinese ideogram for "Japan".
When Chidi runs off screen and exclaims "I'm going to go get some Camus", Michael says to Eleanor "Searching for meaning is philosophical suicide". This is one of French philosopher Albert Camus' most famous ideas, as written about in "The Myth of Sisyphus" (1942).