The character Peter Watts makes mention of the origin of the name of Chernobyl, a city in Ukraine that was the location of the Chernobyl disaster, a 1986 nuclear meltdown. According to Watts, the name "Chernobyl" translates as "wormwood", causing the disaster to be likened to the Biblical star of Wormwood prophesied in the Book of Revelation, which was said to cause death through poisoning the waters. However, the word "chernobyl" can be translated as "black grass" or "black myth". Actor Brian Downey, who portrayed a medical examiner in the episode, later appeared in an unrelated role in the two-part second season episodes "Owls" and "Roosters".