Begins a tradition of Buffy birthdays gone awry, although Buffy does not celebrate her birthday on-screen in the final season. Her birthday takes place in Season Three (Helpless (1999)), Season Four (A New Man (2000)), Season Five Blood Ties (2001) and Season Six (Older and Far Away (2002)), when Spike suggests Buffy to not celebrate her birthday anymore.
Brian Thompson plays "The Judge". In Welcome to the Hellmouth (1997) and The Harvest (1997) , he played the vampire Luke.
In giving Buffy a Claddagh ring, and remarking that it is a tradition of his people, it suggests Angel is originally from Ireland.
Mercedes McNab was to appear as Harmony Kendall. However, due to time constraints and the focus on the Buffy/Angel and the Spike/Drusilla/Judge story lines, her scenes were cut out.
This scene was cut for length:
- Jenny: "I guess it makes sense. I mean, all of Buffy's senses are heightened. Why should her intuition be different?"
- Giles: "Precisely. It's not unheard-of for the Slayer to start having prophetic dreams and visions as she approaches adulthood."
- Jenny: "Adulthood? Buffy's seventeen tomorrow, Giles. Don't rush her."
- Giles: "I'm not the one rushing her. While I loathe to say it, the fact is, the Slayer rarely lives into her mid-twenties. It follows that she'd exhibit signs of maturity early on. Her whole life cycle is accelerated."
- Jenny: "Still, you should be careful about treating her like a grown-up. Like-this thing with Angel. Have you even talked to her about it?"
- Giles: "I...I suppose I try not to pry."
- Jenny: "Maybe you should, a little. The way she talks, it's clear she has intense feelings for him."
- Giles: "Well, yes. They're friends..."
- Jenny: "They're more than friends, and you know it."
- Giles: "I'm not her father, Jenny."
- Jenny: "She looks up to you. She'll never actually say that, but she does. And I just think, at her age, it's easy to get in over your head. She could make some bad choices here. Trust me on this one."
- Giles: "I'll keep an eye to it. Right now, I'm worried enough trying to think of the right birthday present."