Diana Muldaur was given a dark wig to wear for the role of Miranda. This was largely to help distinguish the character from her previous guest role as Dr Ann Mulhall in Return to Tomorrow (1968).
Although often cited by some fans as evidence of a "larger message" in Star Trek, the "IDIC" ("Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations") medallion that Spock wears during the dinner scene had much baser origins. Leonard Nimoy was originally supposed to give a lengthy speech about the medallion and what it represented. Nimoy found the speech completely unsuited to the plot, and refused to say the lines until he got an explanation from producer Gene Roddenberry, who had had the lines and the use of the medallion inserted into the script. Roddenberry came to the set and admitted to Nimoy that he was selling the "IDIC" medallions through his personal marketing company, Lincoln Enterprises, and inserted the scene about the "IDIC" purely as product placement to generate sales. Nimoy ultimately refused to say the lines, and instead the scene was re-written with Capt. Kirk and other characters commenting on Spock's wearing of the medallion instead.
This episode included a rare glimpse of the seldom seen left side of the bridge opposite the turbolift.
The episode title is from a poem by the 17th century English poet and clergyman George Herbert, from his poem "Jordan (I)", line 2: "Who says that fictions only and false hair/ Become a verse? Is there in truth no beauty?"
The name Kollos, is pronounced kàlos, a reference to the Greek word Kallos which means Beauty.