The episode was written by playwright Julia Cho and consulting producer Jason Cahill, and was directed by Christopher Misiano.
The episode focuses on Fringe Division's efforts in finding a man with the uncontrolled ability to affect electrical energy, thanks to the work of a wanted rogue scientist.
Meanwhile, Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) sees visions of her deceased lover, John Scott (Mark Valley).
The episode's premise began with the idea of a computer virus being able to spread to humans, which then evolved into the story of a man who comes into his unique abilities.
Series consultant Glen Whitman noted the premise was based on the "very very weak magnetic field" of electrical energy surrounding humans that an EEG detects, and the writers simply amplified this.
Joseph Meegar (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), a shy delivery boy who lives with his mother (Marylouise Burke), arrives late for work and delivers a package to an office building where he comes across Bethany (Diane Davis), a receptionist with whom he's infatuated.
Olivia reveals to Charlie Francis (Kirk Acevedo) her encounter with her deceased lover John Scott (in the previous episode).
She, Peter (Joshua Jackson), and Walter Bishop (John Noble) arrive at the scene, where they determine that the deceased were electrocuted before the impact, and that the elevator did not fall, but drove down.
He later reveals to his mother that some time ago he answered a magazine advertisement promising to "unlock [his] hidden potential", and although he has no knowledge of what has been done to him, he believes that what he has done was a result of being experimented on.
The team becomes aware that a human has the uncontrolled ability to affect electrical energy, made this way by Jacob Fischer (Max Baker).
"Power Hungry" was written by consulting producer Jason Cahill and playwright Julia Cho,[1] each of which would go on to write other first season episodes.
Special effects coordinator Conrad Brink used a "mechanical trip" to support an electrical cable, which he then strung to the other side of the adjacent road using a pole.
The crew filled the fuse box with "sparking devices", meant to give the appearance of an exploding transformer and power lines.
[9] After he filmed his character hitting Joseph with a crow bar, actor Joshua Jackson joked, "Finally I'm going to get a little respect on this set.
Travis Fickett of IGN rated the episode 6.8/10, stating that although it was "perfectly serviceable, professionally produced television," it was "much like the last week with a little bit of been-there-done-that conspiracy stuff thrown on top of it," and that the plot was "almost boilerplate for this genre.
"[4] In addition Griffin enjoyed Fischer's "casual surrender", as "in the past, those associated with 'the pattern' exhibited a fevered desire to avoid capture, going as far as committing suicide.
[4] Los Angeles Times reviewer Patrick Kevin Day stated that at this point in the series, he "initially fretted that Fringe would never grow beyond a run-of-the-mill "X-Files" knock-off," but now saw the creators' intentions.