"A Hero Sits Next Door" was directed by Monte Young and written by the writing team of Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman. It featured guest performances from actress Suzie Plakson, figure skater Michelle Kwan, as well as actors Wally Wingert and Carlos Alazraqui. Much of the episode features a cutaway style of humor that is typically used in "Family Guy", many of which feature cultural references and include "Super Friends", Pez, "Teletubbies", and the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy.