Nancy Marchand passed away before the third season began filming. Writer David Chase decided there should be one final conversation with Tony before Livia dies. Dialogue from previous episodes was pieced together for Livia's half of the conversation, and state-of-the-art CGI effects were used to place old footage of her face on a body double. The effect cost about $250,000, and took two weeks to put together. Chase was inspired by seeing the same effect used in Gladiator (2000) with Oliver Reed. Unfortunately, this was a difficult process and the part of Livia's hair moves from one side of her head to another and the lighting on her face doesn't match the light of the room or the other characters in the room with her.
One of the agents in the FBI surveillance van is reading a copy of "The Internet for Dummies."
Another homage to The Godfather (1972) is evident in the scene where the undertaker assures Tony he will "use all my power and all my skills" to prepare Livia for her funeral. This is a direct reference to the "Godfather" scene in which Don Corleone asks the undertaker to "use all of your power and all of your skills" to take care of his murdered Sonny. Also, the shot of the elevator going down which reveals The Sopranos (1999) undertaker is virtually identical to the camera angle in "The Godfather."
Tony brings his mother the audio version of the novel "Omerta" by Mario Puzo. The actor reading the book is 'Michael Imperioli' who plays Christopher on the show, and Puzo, of course, was the novelist whose 1969 book created "The Godfather" saga.
Sal "Big Pussy" Bompensiero can be seen in the reflection on the mirror when Tony opens the cabinet in the wall