This is the second episode in this fourth season to take place entirely away from the ER at County General. In this case, it involves Mark Greene visiting his parents in San Diego after his mother suffers a series of strokes.
In the scene on the beach toward the end of the episode, Dr Greene recalls going to see an aircraft carrier and being afraid of its size and power. In the film Top Gun, Anthony Edward's character, Goose, is a Naval aviator who flies off of aircraft carriers.
When Admiral Jay Jackson, played by Robert Symonds, leaves the Officers' Club, he mentions to Mark and Cynthia he can tell them all about the Korean conflict. Symonds previously played Colonel Horace Baldwin in two episodes of M*A*S*H (1972) which was set during the Korean War.
Guest stars Mariska Hargitay and John Cullum would work together on Law & Order SVU as Olivia Benson and Barry Mordock
Julianna Margulies (Carol Hathaway) & John Cullum (David Greene) also worked together on episode 4.18, Death of a Client (2013), as Alicia Florrick & Cardinal James respectively.