This episode marks the return of Barbara Bel Geddes as Miss Ellie Ewing Farlow after Donna Reed had assumed the role in Season Eight.
This episode marks Joshua Harris' first appearance as Christopher Ewing. He would play the role until the series' penultimate episode The Decline and Fall of the Ewing Empire (1991).
As with previous first episodes, there are inexplicable changes from the end of the previous season (aside from the obvious cast differences). At Southfork, the landing where the bedrooms are has been redecorated; the wall next to the piano (where they often make pre-dinner drinks) now has a large 3-bulb light either side of the painting, and there is an open door to the right of it. Additionally the map of Texas in JR's office now has a surface pattern that wasn't previously there.
Joshua Harris (Christopher Ewing) appeared in two episodes of different series which aired consecutively on CBS on September 27, 1985. The other was The Twilight Zone (1985) pilot episode Shatterday/A Little Peace and Quiet (1985) in which he played Russ, Jr. The two series were both part of CBS' Friday night schedule during the 1985-1986 season with The Twilight Zone (1985) airing at 8 o'clock and Dallas (1978) airing at 9 o'clock. Furthermore, Shatterday/A Little Peace and Quiet (1985) features a reference to Fail Safe (1964) in which Larry Hagman played Buck.
Actress Donna Reed who temporarily played Miss Ellie back in Season Eight, died less than four months after the premiere of Season Nine, in January 1986.