Sheldon is frustrated with writer George R.R. Martin because Martin couldn't keep up his writing with the pace of Game of Thrones (2011), so Sheldon is no longer able to spoil the show for Leonard with his knowledge from the books. At the time of the episode, the TV series had indeed caught up with 'A Dance with Dragons', which was then the most recently released book in Martin's 'A Song of Ice and Fire' book series. Sheldon actually voices the frustration of many fans of the books who had already been waiting five years for the release of the next book, 'The Winds of Winter', as Martin kept missing his deadlines. By the time that The Big Bang Theory and Game of Thrones ended (both in 2019), the book was still not released.
The Game of Thrones episode the group is getting ready to watch is The Red Woman (2016). Stuart has dressed himself up as the character Jon Snow (Kit Harington) from that series.
Howard again has an allergic reaction to nuts in his food after The Peanut Reaction (2008), although this is the first time that this doesn't happen intentionally (as he had to keep Leonard away from a surprise party in the earlier episode).
While watching TV in Penny's apartment, Sheldon sits in his favorite spot, the one he had selected in The Tangerine Factor (2008) (a chair to the left of Penny's couch). It is one of the few times that his favorite spot in any given room is not the right seat of a couch (seen from the front).
During their argument Leonard mentions that Sheldon loves the Simpsons, Sheldon says he loves Lisa Simpson. Yeardly Smith who voices Lisa Simpson was a guest star in The Einstein Approximation (2010).