Robert Picardo and Dwight Schultz worked extremely well together. They spent most of the time between takes comparing prior theater experiences, laughing at each other's jokes, and having fun with the rest of the cast and crew. Picardo even said that working with Schultz was like attending a great party.
When the ship computer is reporting systems that are offline, it lists Sewer and waste management. A long running joke with Star Trek fans is that "bodily functions" such as visiting a toilet are never mentioned. This is one of the few times it is hinted.
This is one of four episodes that were produced in the first season but held back to air in the second season. Giveaways are the stardate (48892.1) compared to the stardate of the previous episode Initiations (1995) (49005.3), the font of the credits, and this episode featuring the older TR-580 Tricorder VII & type-2 hand phasers from Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), while "Initiations" featured the newer TR-590 Tricorder X and redesigned type-2 phasers from Star Trek: First Contact (1996). The other three episodes are The 37's (1995) (stardate 48975.1), Elogium (1995) (stardate 48921.3) and Twisted (1995) (no stardate given).
We learn that about six months has passed since Voyager arrived in the Delta Quadrant.
This episode was directed by Jonathan Frakes, who played William T. Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987).