The scenes between Julia Ogden and Darcy Garland having meals at increasingly long tables is inspired by a similar sequence of scenes in Citizen Kane between Charles Foster Kane and his first wife. In both instances it signals increasing estrangement between husband and wife.
This episode takes place in September 1899.
George "invents" the first Penthouse-style letter when he starts typing "I never thought this would happen to me..." at the end of the episode.