On X, William Shatner replied to a post from Anson Mount about Captain Pike's replacement on Star Trek. Mount started the exchange by sharing a funny meme of Jeffrey Hunter's Captain Pike in "The Cage" telling Spock, "Next episode I'm being replaced by a dude whose overacting could probably make even you laugh out loud." Anson tagged Shatner, joking "Not sure who this one is aimed at." Bill cheekily replied, "I'm sure it's about you." Check it out below:
Who Really Replaced Captain Pike In Star Trek?
There Are Two Ways To Look At It
Both William Shatner and Anson Mount can claim to be Jeffrey Hunter's replacement in Star Trek. Shatner succeeded Hunter as the series lead of Star Trek, replacing Captain Pike with his character, Captain James T. Kirk. In Star Trek canon, Kirk took over the Starship Enterprise from Pike. Star Trek: The Original Series' two-parter, "The Menagerie," repurposed footage of "The Cage," and revealed that Fleet Captain Pike was seriously injured by delta-rays and confined to a wheelchair.
Technically, actor Sean Kenney also has claim to be Jeffrey Hunter's replacement since he played Fleet Captain Pike in Star Trek's "The Menagerie."
Captain Pike wasn't seen again in Star Trek canon until Star Trek: Discovery season 2, when Anson Mount began playing the original Captain of the Enterprise. Mount's version of Pike was so popular, fans clamored for him to lead a spinoff, which became Star Trek: Strange New Worlds in 2022. Anson likes to joke that Strange New Worlds is the longest pilot-to-series pick up in TV history since it's essentially the continuation of Star Trek's "The Cage," taking place years before Star Trek: The Original Series.
Our Take On William Shatner & Anson Mount As Captain Pike's Replacement
The Two Captains Have Each Other's Backs
![Captain Pike from Star Trek TOS and Strange New Worlds]()
William Shatner's Captain Kirk replacing Jeffrey Hunter's Captain Pike was one of the pivotal decisions that allowed Star Trek to flourish, and eventually become a franchise that has endured for 60 years, spanning multiple TV series, movies, and ancillary media. Shatner's charm, wit, and occasionally bombastic performances turned Captain Kirk into a pop culture icon. Today, Anson Mount leads arguably the most popular incarnation of Star Trek, Strange New Worlds.
Source: William Shatner on X
