Homer alludes to TV personalities Geraldo Rivera and Bob Eubanks when he is complaining that public television doesn't have sensationalist personalities like the ones he associates with commercial TV.
The person who lost their arm in the vending machine was holding a Fresca, the grapefruit-flavored citrus soft drink introduced in the US in 1966.
The "Wedding March" is heard when Homer imagines Maggie's wedding in the future.
The plot of the episode loosely parodies that of the 1991 American buddy comedy-drama Thelma & Louise. Many references are seen throughout the episode:
Homer mentions to Marge "Saturday is our special night" because of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman starring Jane Seymour in the title role, which did indeed air on Saturdays from 8 to 9 pm Eastern time during its entire original run on CBS.
Later in the episode, while in pursuit of Ruth and Marge, Chief Wiggum plays "Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows" on the car stereo in his police cruiser, apparently deeming it suitable "car chase" music.
When Lisa asks for a babysitter to take care of her, Bart, and Maggie, Homer tells her that it is not necessary, and sets the example of what happened to Kevin McCallister in Home Alone.
Lionel Hutz's line, "This isn't the YMCA", appears to be a reference to The Twilight Zone episode "Person or Persons Unknown", in which the protagonist snidely remarks at one point, "What? This isn't the YMCA?".
Kent Brockman alludes to the Book of Revelation when he thinks Marge and Ruth's behavior could incite other women, leading to anarchy of "biblical proportions".
The ending of the episode is an homage to the crime drama series Dragnet.
The distinctive four-note theme, "Dragnet", is played at the end of the closing sequence, just before the credits roll.
According to the narrator, Homer was sent to Fort Meade, Maryland for neurochemical research.
The episode parodies the 1991 film Thelma & Louise. Ruth's car is the same 1966 Ford convertible Louise drives, and several scenes from the film, including the ending chase, are parodied throughout the episode.
References to Thelma & Louise include:
Marge takes the more innocent role of Thelma Dickinson (Geena Davis), while Ruth Powers takes the role of the sharp-tongued Louise Sawyer (Susan Sarandon).
Homer parodies the controlling behavior of Darryl Dickinson (Christopher McDonald).
The man who approaches Marge at Shotkickers is a reference to Harlan Puckett (Timothy Carhart). Unlike in the film, he politely backs off when Marge turns him down.
Ruth carries the same type of gun that plays a prominent role in the film.
Chief Wiggum takes the role of Detective Hal Slocumb (Harvey Keitel) and tries to pull Marge and Ruth over in the same way the state trooper pulls Thelma and Louise over for speeding.
The ending chase when Marge and Ruth are heading towards the Grand Chasm is a parody of the ending scene in Thelma & Louise that takes place in the Grand Canyon.
As Chief Wiggum's car flies over the chasm, the sequence suddenly cuts off and the screen fades to white. In the very last scene in the film, it is Louise's car that is falling into the canyon, with the same fading effect displayed right before the credits start.
The chain of coffeehouses, Jittery Joe's, was named after Jittery Joe's Coffee Shop, as the founders discovered that "Jittery Joe's" wasn't trademarked.
In the scene where Homer is talking through a bullhorn to Marge, Dan Castellaneta actually recorded the lines using a bullhorn.
