Torri Higginson replaces Jessica Steen as Doctor Elizabeth Weir. She also plays that role in the spin-off Stargate: Atlantis (2004).
This is the first episode to be presented in HD wide-screen format.
According to Robert C. Cooper and Andy Mikita (director of "New Order") in a 9th season commentary, they first started using high definition video rather than 35mm film on this episode. They were remarking on issues they had with the HDTV cameras as they were by then (9th season) a year old.
The premiere of Season 8 is the first episode in which Teal'c doesn't have his head shaved.
New Order originally aired as one 90 minute episode, and is also shown as such on the season 8 DVD box-set. Subsequently New Order was split into two separate episodes for syndication. Earlier both these episodes reused the original guest- and end credits for both episodes, thus crediting several actors not present in one or the other part. In recent syndication part 1 and part 2 has received individual crediting, reflecting who actually appears on screen in each part. These new individual credits are reflected on IMDb's credit for each episode.