NBC's handling of the show's scheduling became controversial because the network moved several episodes out of their regular production order in a quest to boost ratings that were less-than-impressive for a primetime drama in the 1990's. The two most famous examples came in Season 1, when an episode set during the most brutal part of the Baltimore summer was moved into the season finale spot due to the winter-set intended-season finale being seen as "too grim" to finish the year, and the infamous Season 3 occasion where Jon Polito's final appearance as Det. Steve Crosetti actually aired before another episode that had his character serving as a major part of the story. On both occasions, the production team hastily put up screen titles indicating the shows had taken place a long time before, so as to explain the inconsistency.
This episode takes place in October 1994.