"The Good Doctor" strongly appears to have been inspired by the real-life disappearance of Gail Katz-Bierenbaum from her Manhattan home in July 1985. In October 2000, after years of investigation, Gail's husband, the plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Bierenbaum, was convicted of his wife's murder. Her body has never been recovered.
This episode is the source of the iconic opening credits photo of Courtney B. Vance (ADA Ron Carver) holding two knives in the air. The photo is taken from the scene of Carver's cross examination of the doctor.
Penny Balfour (Lisa Voight) has played other characters in the Law and Order franchise in Flight (1998) (Roni), Hubris (2001) (Carol Gibbons) and Downloaded Child (2014) (Tammi Dobbs).