Star Trek: The Original Series premiered almost six decades ago, changing the face of sci-fi and television as a whole with fans celebrating its premiere date as Star Trek Day. However, before the USS Enterprise took flight on the small screen, creator Gene Roddenberry had to produce two pilot episodes to get the series off the ground.
The first and original pilot for the now-iconic sci-fi series did not feature one of its most important characters, Captain Kirk, played by William Shatner. Instead, the USS Enterprise was under the command of a different captain from the original pilot, who was later incorporated into the wider franchise. As we celebrate the 2024 Star Trek Day, here is everything you need to know about the legacy of Enterprise’s original captain.
Star Trek‘s First Pilot Did Not Feature William Shatner’s Kirk as the Enterprise’s Captain
Gene Roddenberry first produced a pilot for his ambitious sci-fi series Star Trek between 1964 and 1965. The pilot remained unaired for decades before it was released on home video. The original pilot for the series featured several differences from the actual series, which saw William Shatner lead the crew of the USS Enterprise.
In the original pilot, the USS Enterprise was under the command of Captain Christopher Pike, played by Jeffrey Hunter. The episode follows Pike and the crew investigating a shipwreck on a far-off planet. Among other notable differences between the final series and the original pilot was the presence of Pike’s second-in-command, Number One, and Spock as the team’s science officer.
According to reports, Hunter wasn’t retained for the series as the actor did not wish to continue in the role. Instead, Hunter admitted that he wanted to focus on his film career, which was the primary reason he chose not to appear as a series lead when Star Trek was eventually picked up for a full series by NBC. Eventually, Shatner was hired to replace Hunter as a new character.
The Footage From Star Trek‘s First Pilot Was Later Repurposed For a Different Episode
Hunter’s Pike being the USS Enterprise’s original captain has been acknowledged in the wider Star Trek franchise. Pike makes his first official appearance in the original series, in the two-part season 1 episode, titled The Menagerie.
The episode uses footage repurposed from the original pilot, with the narrative restructured to incorporate the new USS Enterprise crew led by Captain Kirk. It remains Pike’s only appearance in the original series. Actor Bruce Greenwood later played a version of Pike in the Kelvin Timeline films, serving as a mentor to Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk.
The character’s time as the captain of the USS Enterprise is further explored in Star Trek: Discovery and its spin-off series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Actor Anson Mount took over the role of Pike first appearing in Discovery, and later leading the spin-off series. As a result, Pike’s legacy as the original captain of the Enterprise remains secure in the sci-fi franchise.
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