“Nobody Really Cared”: Walter Koenig Says He Took A Break From Star Trek: The Original Series In Season 3

Walter Koenig reveals he took a break from filming Star Trek: The Original Series in season 3, but that "nobody really cared" since everyone in the production felt the show would be canceled. Koenig portrayed Ensign Pavel Chekov in Star Trek: The Original Series seasons 2 and 3, and he reprised Chekov in seven Star Trek movies, including Star Trek Generations. In Star Trek: Picard season 3, Koenig voiced Chekov's descendant, Anton Chekov, President of the United Federation of Planets.

Every month on The 7th Rule podcast, Walter Koenig joins hosts Cirroc Lofton and Ryan T. Husk to review episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series. During their rundown of the classic Star Trek season 2 episode, "The Trouble With Tribbles," Walter explained why he left the show during season 3, which was Star Trek: TOS' final season. Read Koenig's quote and watch The 7th Rule video below:

I left Star Trek in the third season. I left the show. Nobody thought it was going to be picked up anyway, so nobody really cared. I left for a month and I did a play outside of Chicago with Jackie Coogan, Charlie Chaplin’s old sidekick, and that was great fun. And I didn’t miss being on the show because, at that point, it was really, ‘Aye aye, sir.’ And I still wanted to perform in my chosen profession with some dignity. Dignity of participation.

Why Walter Koenig Left Star Trek: The Original Series In Season 3

Chekov Had Little To Do In Season 3

Walter Koenig appeared as Ensign Pavel Chekov in 16 of Star Trek: The Original Series season 3's 24 episodes. As he explained during The 7th Rule's review of "The Trouble With Tribbles," Star Trek's supporting cast like James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols and himself got to shine in that comedic romp. However, this wasn't often the case, and there was even less focus on characters like Chekov, Scotty, and Lt. Uhura in Star Trek: The Original Series season 3. When Koenig left midway through season 3 to do a play, Star Trek's cancelation by NBC was expected and came to pass.

Star Trek: The Original Series primarily focused on the lead trio of Captain James T. Kirk (WIlliam Shatner), Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and Dr, Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley). Walter Koenig had moments to shine as Chekov, but as he would often lament, much of his role was reduced to saying, "Aye aye, keptain" in many Star Trek episodes. Koenig also felt the lack of attention to the supporting characters continued into the Star Trek movies. Walter has long noted that he desired to do more in Star Trek, and have the "dignity of participation," as he phrased it on The 7th Rule.

 

Our Take On Walter Koenig Leaving Star Trek During Season 3

Chekov & Star Trek's Supporting Cast Deserved More

Walter Koenig and his fellow Star Trek supporting actors deserved more screen time and character development than they received in the 1960s TV series and the Star Trek movies. Rewatching Star Trek: The Original Series can be frustrating because of the lack of attention paid to Scotty, Sulu (George Takei), Uhura, and Chekov, and this is an issue the actors have voiced for decades. It's especially glaring compared to the current Star Trek series like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which develops its entire cast of characters.

Now there's an explanation for the absence of Ensign Chekov midway through Star Trek: The Original Series season 3.

 

For Walter Koenig, Star Trek was just a job he was thankful to have in the 1960s, although he looked for creative fulfillment elsewhere. At the time, no one expected Star Trek to evolve into a pop culture phenomenon that has lasted for 60 years, and that Star Trek would become a defining part of the original cast's lives. When rewatching classic Star Trek, now there's an explanation for the absence of Ensign Chekov midway through Star Trek: The Original Series season 3, thanks to Walter Koenig on The 7th Rule.