The episode's director, Marita Grabiak, had worked with Lost co-creator J.J. Abrams on the television series Alias. She met with him to discuss the episode's tone, and they also regularly talked over the phone once filming began. She explained, "He was involved in every aspect of the outline, the first draft, the second draft, just constant phone calls back and forth because, basically the challenge of that show was making the schedule."[6]