Prior to filming, LeVar Burton had surgery and his scenes were carefully filmed after the majority of production was concluded; this is why he only appears in close-ups and not in shots with any of the other main characters. Most of Geordi LaForge's lines were given to Colm Meaney's Mr. O'Brien.
Mars was "played" by a model of the planet that the production team borrowed. It had been used for the scientific documentary series Cosmos (1980).
After Riker's conversation with Guinan in the ready room, he sits in the main chair and does the Picard Maneuver (the pulling at the bottom of his uniform top). And again after he stands.
Whereas The Best of Both Worlds (1990) originated the half of the Borg's trademark quote "Resistance is futile," Part II originated the other half of the quote: "You will be assimilated."
This was the first episode to establish that shuttlecraft are equipped with their own transporters.