This is Penny Marshall's last episode as Paula Kovacs. Marshall filmed this episode just before the start of production of the series Laverne and Shirley that starred her and Cindy Williams that aired as a mid-season replacement for the 1975-76 television season. Marshall's Paula character had been brought on to emphasize Mary's friends and home life, apart from her work life, just like Rhoda and a Phyllis had done in the earlier seasons. For Marshall, Laverne and Shirley would be a hit and launch her into stardom. Unfortunately for The Mary Tyler Moore Show the writers were never able to create new characters to replace Rhoda and Phyllis and thus for its last two seasons all the series plots dealt with Mary's interactions with her friends and colleagues at WJM.
Ted wants to watch S.W.A.T. (1975) at Mary's party on Saturday at 9. In the 1975-76 season, S.W.A.T. (1975) aired on ABC on Saturdays at 9 o'clock, competing with The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970) on CBS.
Charlene had been played by Sheree North, who was unavailable at the time of the filming of this episode.
This is the first episode in which Mary called Lou by his first name.