Show creator David E. Kelley originally came up with the idea that Chez Jay and the Ocean Lodge would be Billy's anchor point, living and working in the motel and drinking at the bar. David had his first date with his wife, Michelle Pfeiffer, at Chez Jay, which created a sentimental tie for him.
The producers asked David Cross if he wanted to take a racquetball lesson before his racquetball scene, but David insisted his performance would be better if he didn't have any prior training.
Tom Wyatt (Mark Duplass)'s wardrobe was defined by costume designer Lindy McMichael. Once she started creating looks for his character, it began to develop his backstory of being a germophobe and having a wool allergy.
The production team created Gabriel's Mexico residence in Santa Ynez, California. Originally it was intended to be filmed in Mexico, but costs were similar, so the crew decided to stay in California, finding a beautiful winery in Santa Ynez, where they spent four days creating Gabriel's home for the shoot.
Billy Bob Thornton improvised his dialogue during the toast. Billy has a strong identification with the city of Los Angeles even though he wasn't born or raised there. It was a perfect toast in the sense that it's relatable to people from all over the world who have made L.A. their home.