Matt Groening got the idea to make an episode where Mr. Burns was shot. He thought this idea could be used to get more people's attention. The writers wanted the episode to be in two parts with a mystery that could be used for a contest. They made it so that the mystery had clues, had hidden images, and that it would be easy to understand who shot Burns. Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein (the writers of the episode) got the idea for Barney Gumble to be the one who shot Mr. Burns. David Mirkin wanted Maggie to do it because he thought it would be funnier if someone from the Simpson family did it.