Brancato said the duo decided to do "an X-File with a genetics experiment gone awry" inspired by the film The Boys from Brazil (1978), where Nazi scientists create clones of Adolf Hitler, while finding "our own themes and characterizations to explore", such as commenting on the human condition similarly to The Twilight Zone.
Brancato explained that the creative team decided to combine elements of the X-Files with a story about a genetic experiment gone wrong. This was inspired by the film "The Boys from Brazil" (1978), which features Nazi scientists creating clones of Adolf Hitler. The creators also wanted to explore themes similar to "The Twilight Zone".