While Michaels had first appeared in the season four episode "Lost and Bound", Ruditis had also portrayed Tyler in the novel The Brewing Storm (2004), and Shand wanted to avoid inconsistencies or "retreading".
The decision not to reuse plot points was motivated by Michaels' initial appearance in the fourth-season episode "Lost and Bound". Additionally, Ruditis had previously played Tyler in the 2004 novel The Brewing Storm. To maintain narrative coherence, Shand aimed to avoid rehashing earlier storylines.