The episode was written by series creator Ronald D. Moore, and the television directoral debut of Michael Rymer. Moore and executive producer David Eick made the decision to slot this episode as the first of the season because of its potential impact on the audience. "33" distinguished the themes of the new "Battlestar Galactica" series by following characters on the spaceships, on the planets that were fled, and in the minds of other characters. Attention to detail was prevalent in this first episode; the production team, the editing team, and even the actors themselves strove for authenticity of specific portrayals and moments.