Steve Valentine, who plays a magician, is an award-winning close-up magician in real life. He has performed in Las Vegas, at the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, and in more than twenty countries. He also appeared on House M.D. as an ill-fated magician (You Don't Want to Know (2007)).
The Zig Zag Cabinet was invented in the mid-1960s by noted magician Robert Harbin.
The blue birdcage in Karl Torini's (the magician) house is the same as the one that would later be shown in Kurt Pressman's (the inventor's) house in Happy Birthday, Mr. Monk (2009)(#8.9).
Caroline Aaron (Sheila Dorfman) and Tony Shalhoub (Adrian Monk) would go on to play in-laws in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017).