In an interview, Michael Dorn revealed that the events of this episode altered his perception of Worf, and influenced how he played the part from then on. He said, "There was a lot more involved in it than the writers realized. Things that have to do with Klingon loyalty and honor. They didn't give it its due. You look at Worf in a different light, and I've played him in a different light since that episode. This is not something they have come up with. I'm doing this on my own. Hey, it's their fault. They wrote it. So now, I'm going to carry on with it."
Tony Todd makes his first appearance as Kurn. He reprises the role in Redemption (1991), Redemption II (1991), and Sons of Mogh (1996).
This episode marks the first appearance of the Klingon homeworld Qo'noS in the "Star Trek" franchise. However, it would not be named until Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991). (Previous guest star Klingons referred to a place called "Kling," at the time implying that it was the name of the yet-unnamed home planet, but, since it was never specified, some fan theories suggest Kling is instead the name of a major city in Qo'noS).
This episode won an Emmy in 1990 for Outstanding Art Direction in a Series. The award was given to Richard D. James for production design and Jim Mees for set decoration.
Michael Dorn (Worf) named "Sins of the Father" and The Drumhead (1991) as his two favorite episodes of TNG.