First episode where chief engineer Geordi LaForge has been promoted to rank of Lt. Commander. In addition, Worf has been promoted to full lieutenant from his previous rank of lieutenant junior grade.
Debut of new two-piece uniform design, replacing the one-piece jumpsuit design uniforms used in the first two seasons. The entire cast vastly preferred the two-piece design over the previous costumes, found the new costumes much more comfortable and, more importantly to them, easier to deal with when going to the restroom. Additionally, several cast members found the old uniforms so tight and constrictive, there was legitimate concern that the old uniforms would cause permanent bone and joint damage over time due to how they were forced to walk and sit while wearing them.
Data mentions that there hasn't been a systems-wide technological failure on a starship in 79 years. This is in reference to the systems-wide technological failure that occurred on the Enterprise-A in the beginning Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989), which took place in 2287.
This episode shows the first appearance of the new opening credits, featuring the typical "blue nebula" which the camera enters in the first seconds of the opening credits. The score was altered again, becoming the show's final version of the famous Star Trek: The Next Generation theme.
Gates McFadden returns as Dr. Beverly Crusher. McFadden left the show after the first season, reportedly due to creative differences with show runners.