Some literary licence is taken with Burroughs's character.  This season's episode is set in 1910 about two years before ERB turned to fiction. Burroughs' first novel was published by a pulp magazine in 1912. 

 ERB's first novel UNDER THE MOONS OF MARS which would eventually be named A PRINCESS OF MARS had been submitted to All-Story magazine under the penname "Normal Bean" suggesting that the author of this fantasy fiction wasn't really crazy -- the typesetter ruined the joke by misreading the name as "Norman Bean". To add a bit of mystery to the Murdoch plot, the screenwriters had ERB use the name "Norman Bean" when he attended the Writer's Convention in Toronto. 

ERB recognized the policeman investigating a murder at the event as being Constable George Crabtree -- one of his favourite authors. Crabtree was flattered and let this struggling writer follow him around as he investigated the murder. But ERB was eventually suspected of being the murderer. 

When cleared of the crime and after George had read the manuscript for ERB's TARZAN OF THE APES (actually ERB's third novel), the two express each author's admiration for the other's writing. George suggests that ERB use a different name than Norman Bean and is impressed when ERB tells him that his real  name is the much more appropriate EDGAR RICE BURROIUGHS. 

Crabtree suggests that the name for ERB's jungle hero "Zantar" sounds like a magician's name and that the alternate "Tublat Zan"  sounds more like a creature from outer space than a super human man-ape character. He suggests that the names be reversed and ERB agrees that a much better name would be "Tarzan the Apeman." 

The two new friends leave for the pub to enjoy a pint together.