The title is based on an old expression 'Pay the two dollars!' which is a reference to a Depression-era Willie Howard vaudeville sketch written by Billy K. Wells. A man is in court to pay a $2 fine for spitting on the subway, but his lawyer insists on fighting the case. As the lawyer incurs greater and greater sentences, his defendant keeps pleading, "Pay the two dollars!"
This is the first time the interior of the Jeffersons' house is shown.
George makes a sarcastic comment about Moms Mabley marrying Lester Maddox. Mabley was a famous black stand-up comedienne, while Maddox was a Georgia governor known for his segregationist ideals.
Talking about the fight between Edith and Louise, she asks who will make the first move. Mike replies, "whoever wants to make up the most." He should know that when discussing two people, he should speak in the comparative voice: "...make up more." Since Mike loves to correct everyone, the shoe fits on the other foot.
By the end of the transaction, Mike says everybody is paid off. This is not entirely true. Archie regains the counterfeit $20 bill and has the two $10 bills that Jefferson found in his coat pocket. This was never a loss or a gain. After all the transactions, Jefferson gets twenty dollars plus an extra ten dollars (three that Edith owed for borrowing vegetables, seven for ball game tickets owed to Lionel). But Archie is not paid off yet. Mike still owes Archie for his share of the ball game tickets.