John de Lancie (Q) joins the short list of those who have played the same character in three different Star Trek series. The others are Jonathan Frakes (Commander William T. Riker), Marina Sirtis (Counsellor Deanna Troi), Armin Shimerman (Quark), Michael Ansara (Kang) and Richard Poe (Gul Evek).

Peter Dennis (Sir Isaac Newton) later played Admiral Henricks in "Friendship One".

Sir Isaac Newton was previously portrayed by John Neville in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Descent, Part I".

LeVar Burton (Geordi LaForge) was initially scheduled to reprise his role in this episode. However, he had to back out due to other commitments. He eventually appeared in the 100th episode of the series, "Timeless", which he also directed.

This episode marks the first reference to the Borg on the series.

The first paragraph of Q's My Corner of the Contiuum piece, entitled "I'm Ready to Die; How About You?", reads as follows: For many years as I have put my thoughts to paper and written this column, it has occurred to me that I would run out of things to say. Find nothing new to comment about. But I have. And it's deeply troubling to me. Frankly, I believe the time has come for the Continuum to look at the possibility that immortality is not in this society's best interest. I have found myself recently looking at life and saying[,] "I've had enough. Why not call it quits?" And you know what? I've decided that's exactly what I want to do. Let's take a good[,] hard look at our life. Each of us should ask himself[,] "Have I had enough?" My answer is yes.

Quinn: (imperiously) When someone asks you about me, and they will, would you tell them I said (breaking his train of thought; conversational tone) You know what, I've had 300 years to think of appropriate last words, I wanted something...memorable, quotable you know. (imperiously again) Would you tell them I said "I die, not for myself, but for you."

Q: (to Captain Janeway) Have you heard about little me? Do tell. Has Jean-Luc been whispering about me behind my back?

Q: Say, is this a ship of the Valkyries or have you human women finally done away with your men altogether?

Q: (to Quinn) This is your own doing. You could live a perfectly normal life if you were simply willing to live a perfectly normal life.

Q: Ugh, Vulcans.

Q: (referring to Quinn) Without Q, there would have been no William T. Riker at all. And I would have lost at least a dozen really good opportunities to insult him over the years.

Q: (to Captain Janeway) A hearing? You would have me put his future into your delicate little hands? Oh, so touchably soft. What is your secret, dear?

Q: My, my, now I guess we get to find out whether the pants (looks at Captain Janeway's bottom) really fit.

Tuvok: You assisted his suicide?
Q: Illogical, Tuvok? I don't think so. By demanding to end his life, he taught me a little something about my own. He was right when he said the Continuum scared me back in line. I didn't have his courage or his convictions. He called me irrepressible. This was a man who was truly irrepressible. I only hope I make a worthy student.
Captain Janeway: I imagine the Continuum won't be very happy with you, Q.
Q: (grins) I certainly hope not. Au revoir, Madame Captain. We shall meet again.

"Death Wish": The Trial/Death of Socrates
The entire episode, from the trial of Q at, under the Federation's guise, the hands of the Q Continuum, to the rights of the individual vs. the state and Q's wish to die that could possibly affect the Q Continuum's status quo, to the death of the philosopher Q due to ingesting hemlock, is a direct reference to the trial of the 70 year old philosopher Socrates by the city-state of Athens in 399 AD. In fact, the prosecution of Q by another Q is a direct reference to the Athenian judicial system, in which a trial could be initiated and tried by any citizen who had accused another. While the philospher Q's ideals are the exact opposite of those of Socrates, who viewed the state as being supreme to the individual and did not view Athenian democracy favorably, Q's "attack" on the Continuum is similar to the events that led to Socrates being accused by the state on the charge that he was immorally corrupting the citizens of Athens with his teachings despite the fact that he had been teaching his beliefs for years in the city-state with not a word against him until 399, when he was nearing the end of his life. More on the Trial of Socrates can be found here and here. Also, the Apology (Defense) of Socrates, as transcribed by his student Plato, can be found here.