The Deacon Dark character is loosely based on a Gene Simmons/Kiss type character who wears face makeup and uses theatrics during his performances.
The second of four episodes guest starring Sonny Bono (one of them being 2 hours long, later syndicated as separate episodes making for a total of five episodes by that measure), who along with series regular Fred Grandy would later serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, the two respectively for the California 44th District and the Iowa 6th and 5th Districts on successive terms. Ironiically, Grandy's time in office started on January 3, 1987 and ended on the day that Bono's term started on January 3, 1995, with Bono serving until his death in a skiing accident on January 5, 1998. During Grandy's time in office, Bono had served as the Mayor of Palm Springs, California, from April 1988 to April 1992. Both served as Republicans.