In deference to this episode being an enjoyable filler, some tangential questions.

Assuming that the creators (of the show, not of the island) couldn't have known in advance that Lost would become a phenomenon, it seems unlikely that they would initially have done more than write a few scripts that they would put alongside some sort of skeletal master plan. The plan would allow for a certain amount of prehistory and complex symbolism that they would scatter around the island; these curious bits would have been stuck in there for a couple of reasons: to drive a season's worth of shows and to provide--without needing to tie down loose ends--curiosities.

Questions: how many scripts would beginners write before the network would greenlight their project? How many before they would start shooting? Do y'all think a multiyear dramatic arch was planned before they even cast the show? To what extent are current shows based on events and characters who weren't a glimmer in the creators' eyes when production began? If you gave a Lost island quiz to some of you and to the island's creators before the first season, which group would know more about the island?