Braga also counted this episode's two-parter as a highlight of the fourth season (along with "The Killing Game" and "The Killing Game, Part II" as well as "Prey"), and opined that – in common with the two-parter "The Killing Game" – this episode's duology involved "high concept stories with an epic sweep, with big cinematic action sequences, and all of the characters [having] something fun to do."

An element of the two-parter's development that Braga felt was "unfortunate" was that he and Menosky had chosen to make Tuvok blind. Braga explained that his reasoning for disliking this element of the plot was "because of the Geordi La Forge connection," referencing the fact that Tim Russ had been temporarily considered to play the character of Geordi La Forge on TNG.

Taylor further enthused about the two-parter, "It had a lot of action, a gigantic adventure, personal stakes, an intriguing villain and a very science fiction-based premise. Those are the things we love to get."

However, the writers were – or, at least, Joe Menosky was – admittedly unsure what would become of Annorax, following this episode's final scene. "Does he give up work, spend more time with his family, and become more humanized? I don't know," Menosky conceded.

Perhaps as a result of this uncertainty, this episode's two-parter constitutes the only Star Trek production in which the character of Annorax features.