How many times does one get to engage in a do over?
In the television world, especially back in the golden olden days, getting a TV pilot (test or demo episode) off the ground wasn’t easy. Shooting another pilot was practically unheard of in Hollywood, however, that’s just what production studio Desilu and Gene Roddenberry as creator of Star Trek were granted.
That 2nd pilot would become Where No Man Has Gone Before, and the reason it was produced is because of the first pilot, The Cage - starring Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Christopher Pike.
C’mon. Let’s talk about the first mind blowing adventure of the USS Enterprise, you know the one where Captain Pike ruled the roost and Captain Kirk wasn’t even on board for the spacey fun nor even mentioned. This is Trek’s first exciting tale and still one of its most memorable voyages.
'The Cage' - Star Trek's First Pilot