The number 8 as in 88 refers to the eight letter in the alphabet. In other words, 88 is HH, which is short for "Heil Hitler" or "Hail Hitler".
RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES: The episode is modeled after the May 1, 2023 incident in which Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old black man who was homeless and emotionally-disturbed, was placed in an extended chokehold by Daniel Penny, a 24-year-old former Marine, in response to Neely yelling and frightening riders on board a New York subway. Neely subsequently died. On June 14, 2023, Penny was indicted on a charge of second-degree manslaughter. The trial is scheduled to start October 8, 2024.
This episode takes place from January 17 to March 21, 2024.
The episode started off as a variation of the episode, Subterranean Homeboy Blues (1990), starring Cynthia Nixon of Sex and the City (1998) fame, pretty dancer attacked on the subway.
It is mentioned that "blood and soil" is a slogan used by white supremacy groups. It originates from the days of Nazi Germany and was used to express their ideal of a racially pure population (blood) living together in the same geographic area (soil), separate from other races.