Why The Star Trek Episode Catspaw Is Still Making Fans Wig Out Today
"Star Trek: The Original Series" introduces numerous story elements, worlds, and more that have become the stuff of legend within the now-sprawling science fiction franchise. The same goes for the characters on the program, with such names as Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) remaining well-known in popular culture and beloved in "Star Trek" fan circles. This includes Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig), who was first filmed as a part of the USS Enterprise crew in the Season 2 episode "Catspaw" — an installment that has gone down in infamy in "Star Trek" history.
The reason why "Catspaw" remains such a buzz-worthy episode is actually pretty hilarious. As Redditor u/jfarm47 pointed out, Koenig wears a horrendous wig throughout the episode as Chekov. As it turns out, this hair helmet also appears in other "Star Trek" episodes early on in Chekov's run, as another Redditor, u/freddyjohnson, discussed in a separate thread. It's one of those details that's impossible not to notice upon first viewing, but once it's pointed out, it's unforgettable.
So, what's the reason for Chekov's wild hair? According to Koenig himself, it all came down to demographics.
Chekov's hair was meant to help younger viewers connect with the character
Decades after he donned Chekov's wig, Walter Koenig spoke about why he had to wear it in the first place. According to the actor, the idea came from Gene Roddenberry — the mastermind behind "Star Trek" – who told his staff that he wanted the character to have the same appeal with the younger demographic as The Monkees frontman Davy Jones did with the youth of the era. "Chekov was all about demographics. They wanted a male character who could bring in the 8 to 12-year-olds," Koenig explained to TV Insider in 2016.
Ultimately, Koenig recalled that the wig situation worked out for the best, achieving the desired effect and then some. "Pretty soon, I was getting the third highest amount of fan mail on the show, after Shatner and Nimoy, and I was really clicking with the kids. They weren't interested in Chekov's nationality. They just liked his groovy haircut," he said with a laugh. Koenig also noted that despite negative feelings in the United States toward those from the Soviet Union during the Cold War, younger audiences came to love the Russian Chekov and his pop star-esque hairdo.
In the end, Chekov's absurd wig didn't last forever. Koenig grew his hair out over time, making the wig unnecessary. Still, evidently, just because it wasn't long for the small screen doesn't mean it hasn't endured in the collective mind of "Star Trek" fans.