Uh, ML, you did never by any chance watch the mid-90s TV-show Babylon 5, did you? Talk about hints hidden upfront to be noticed and enjoyed the second or third time around.
Actually, I really liked that show - and mostly for the reason you're mentioning. I remember hearing once that the creator had the five seasons all mapped out before he started filming. And he was the one who also wrote the majority of the scripts, if I recall correctly. Made for a great series - because watching it the second time was actually more enjoyable than watching it the first time.
Btw, Michael, be sure you also take note of my EDIT above. I added that at about the same time that you were posting - but I thought you might be interested in that.
ML
