The design of Joe Friday is based on his design in "Dragged Net!", a parody of "Dragnet" that was done in "Mad Magazine" in the 1950s. Mona becoming a radical after seeing Joe Namath's sideburns is a parody of how many 1960s films have a sudden transformational moment and play music such as "Turn! Turn! Turn!" and there was much discussion among the writers as to what that moment should be. The song originally intended to be taped over Mr. Burns' cassette of Richard Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" was "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham!, but it was too expensive to clear, so ABBA’s "Waterloo" was selected instead.