This show shares a universe with both Friends (1994) and Frasier (1993). In Caroline and the Folks (1995), Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) crosses over from Friends (1994) while Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves) and Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce) crossed over from Frasier (1993) in the episode Caroline and the Bad Back (1995). In addition, Caroline Duffy (Lea Thompson) crossed over on Friends (1994) in the episode The One with the Baby on the Bus (1995).
On Caroline and the Office (1998), Caroline and Del joke about the movie Howard the Duck (1986), a film in which Lea Thompson (Caroline) starred nearly a decade earlier.
At one point, Judith Light, Brooke Shields, and Catherine Lloyd Burns were all considered for the role of Caroline Duffy before Lea Thompson was cast in the role.
Jon Favreau, Craig Bierko, and Greg Kinnear were considered for the role of Richard Karinsky before Malcolm Gets was cast.
Though it was not the first show to be produced by one broadcast network for another (ABC had produced "Class of '96" for Fox and "The Boys Are Back" for CBS, neither of which survived their first season), it was the first series under such circumstances that lasted more than one season. In this case, CBS Productions sold the series to NBC after its namesake network turned it down.