Porchat came up with the idea for
Viral during a trip to Africa, a continent where
HIV/AIDS is a serious public health issue. The inspiration came after he watched the film
50/50, in which the young Adam (
Joseph Gordon-Levitt) discovers he has cancer and learns to deal with the problem with the support of a friend. Another inspiration was the episode "
Sex Ed" of the American television comedy series
The Office, in which the character
Michael Scott (
Steve Carell) contacts all his ex-girlfriends after being told that his
cold sore is a form of
herpes.{{cite web|url=http://www.estadao.com.br/noticias/arte-e-lazer,porta-dos-fundos-lanca-sua-primeira-serie-que-fala-de-aids-com-humor,1142350,0.htm |title=Porta dos Fundos lança sua primeira série, que fala de aids com humor ==References==