When Athena (Angela Bassett) is trying to talk Bobby (Peter Krause) down from the roof while he is on LSD, she says "Right here. Right now. You're real. I'm real". Angela Bassett's character, Mace, in the movie Strange Days also says "Right here. Right now." when speaking to Ralph Fiennes's character, Lenny. The audio clip from Strange Days forms the principal sample of the song "Right Here, Right Now" by Fatboy Slim.
The subplot of a journalist doing a story on the LAFD is very similar to a plot on the 1970's show M.A.S.H. titled "The Interview" (02-24-76) where Clete Roberts interviews the doctors in the episode and broadcast in a black and white.