Raphael Sbarge, who played Jake Straka, didn't know his character was going to be gay until he received the script in which his character was revealed as such, in the middle of the third season.
Charles Malik Whitfield, James Mooney, is one of the few main cast members to appear on the Mentalist, another Simon Baker show.
It was announced in May 2004 that CBS had canceled the Pittsburgh-set legal drama after a three-year run. The program was reportedly done in by multiple factors, including low ratings among young viewers. "Looking at the whole picture, I have yet to get perspective on it to quite understand why it got canceled," series creator David Hollander said. "I think the ratings are a piece of it. I think the opportunity costs and certain obligations and promises made to other shows run into it, too. We found ourselves in an equation that had so many factors." The politics of television also may have played a role in the show's demise. CBS Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves began referring to The Guardian as a "bubble show" (meaning it was on the fence for renewal) in January, around the same time Hollander signed a new deal with Sony Pictures Television. Hollander previously had a deal with CBS Productions and the two entities produced The Guardian together.
Beginning in season 2, the theme song was "Empire in My Mind" performed by The Wallflowers.