Template:QOTW - The Rape of Heather Willis/Cultural references

"The Rape of Heather Willis" features several references to media, music, film, and other pop culture phenomena. The episode's title references series creator Ava Zinn's three sexual assaults from 2002, 2010, and 2015.

The character of Bobby Joe Bones is a parody of Nashville radio personality Bobby Bones. Ava Zinn began to write the episode just seconds after Bones was announced the winner of the 27th season of Dancing with the Stars.

The episode parodies the season three In the Heat of the Night episode "Raped" and the season four Hunter three-part episode "City of Passion".

Part 1 was bleep censored 157 times by 16 characters: Heather was bleep censored 47 times, Ava 32, Deanna 27, Angie 14, Nancy Bones 6, Bobby Joe Bones and Lilly Rush 5 each, Officer Battishill 3, Officer Dailey, Pia Yoque, and Tabby twice each, and Shushu, Ray Grissom, Amber Battishill, Akim Anastopolouo, and Officer Millspaugh once. This episode is notable for using the word "fuck" 118 times out of 157 (mostly "what the fuck").

The episode ends with "You Never Miss a Real Good Thing" performed by Crystal Gayle. A second song, "The Woman in Me" is also perfromed in the episode.