The scandal where Governor Shalvoy is trying to sell a US Senate seat parallels former Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich who went to prison over a similar act.
The title is based on the book with the same title, written by Italian writer Primo Levi, survivor of the Shoah.
Kevin O'Rourke has portrayed six different characters over the course of the series:
- Life Choice (1991) - Kevin Donovan
- Precious (1994) - Marty Willick
- Turnaround (1997) - Deputy District Attorney Jerry Weiss
- Patsy (1999) - Det. O'Malley
- All in the Family (2004) - Granado's Defense Attorney
- Bible Story (2005) - Stan Malloy
- The Drowned and the Saved - Amato's Attorney
- Steel-Eyed Death (2010) - Amanda's Attorney.
Alison Elliott, who plays Rita Shalvoy in this episode as well as in Personae Non Grata (2008) and Excalibur (2008), previously co-starred with Linus Roache in The Wings of the Dove (1997).
This is the second time, after Corner Office (2006), where it's mentioned someone had been involved with a "Brazilian whore."