The episode's script went through several variations, taking shape after series creator Chris Carter suggested killing off the character of Catherine Black (Megan Gallagher).
Continuing from the preceding episode, several Millennium Group members in hazmat suits sanitize and clear out a house in El Cajon, California, where a family succumbed to the viral outbreak; outside, dozens of dead birds litter the ground.
Group member Frank Black (Lance Henriksen) returns to his former home with his wife Catherine (Megan Gallagher) and daughter Jordan (Brittany Tiplady).
However, Black decides to remain with the Group, despite his belief they are dangerous, feeling a responsibility to utilize their resources and ability to predict future events for good; Catherine, though understanding, is upset.
He recovered information about the virus, which was discovered by Soviet bio-weapons scientists and has been living dormant in bird species since the end of the Cold War; it may now be making a resurgence in the U.S. after a previous minor outbreak in 1986.
Black asks Watts to locate Lara Means (Kristen Cloke), another Group member, as he is concerned by several rambling phone messages he's received from her.
Watts arrives at the motel where Means is sequestered but is attacked by other Group members and barely manages to escape, losing his cell phone in the process.
[5] The episode's script went through several different versions before a final plot was decided upon, as Morgan and Wong believed the series would not be renewed for a third season and wished to write a suitable ending.
Morgan and Wong discussed the idea with actress Megan Gallagher, who felt that it was an interesting decision to have Catherine give her life after seeing Frank Black sacrifice so much for their family throughout the previous episodes.
Gibron felt that the two-part episodes were "a one-two punch that many dramatic series would die for", finding the conclusion to have been effectively hinted at throughout the season.
[10] Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated "The Time Is Now" five stars out of five.