Adam Horowitz is a fan of the singer Bruce Springsteen. "Darkness on the Edge of Town" shares its name with a song from the rock star's 1978 album of the same name.
"Darkness on the Edge of Town" is the twelfth episode of Season Four of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz, and directed by Jon Amiel. It is the seventy-eighth episode of the series overall, and premiered on March 1, 2015.
Goofs: The old Storybrooke Pet Shelter sign can be seen in an establishing shot of Granny's Diner, even though Ingrid's ice cream shop, Any Given Sundae, moved into the pet shelter's premises in "A Tale of Two Sisters" and was clearly established as still being there in episodes before and after "Heroes and Villains." The shot seems to be stock footage from Season One.
Vancouver's Stanley Park doubles as the Storybrooke town line for the opening scene by the ice wall and the scene where Robin and his family leave Storybrooke. A blue-screen was used for Elsa's ice wall, which was created in post-production via digital effects.
"Heroes and Villains" is the eleventh episode of Season Four of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, and directed by Ralph Hemecker. It is the seventy-seventh episode of the series overall, and premiered on December 14, 2014.