The episode includes the third and final appearance of Beverly LaSalle (played by Lori Shannon), after "Archie the Hero" (in which Archie Bunker saves her life) and “Beverly Rides Again” (in which she invites the Bunkers out to dinner).
Beverly LaSalle, a transvestite and friend of Edith Bunker, is attacked with Mike Stivic a few days before Christmas in an incident of gay bashing.
Edith has a crisis of faith and begins to wonder how God would allow people to punish one of his children.
She believes that all people are worthy of love and feels a sense of loss and sadness at the tragic event, and doesn't understand it.
Pop Matters wrote that this episode highlighted the "social stigma against trans persons, an act of injustice emphasized by Edith's inability to understand humanity's rejection of people like her dear friend.