 Hatem claimed the show was born "that day, in that room" in March 2001.Hatem, Wolpert, and Patmore liked the idea that a character (Paul Callan) who came from a strict religious background and was raised to believe that any strange occurrence was either a sign from God or a sign from the devil, was suddenly thrust into a world where various phenomena "crossed those boundaries" and could not be classified as "good or bad" because they had elements of both.Hatem believes this is the element that "creates the drama," and makes the show "fun and scary."