sometimes i remember that chekov was added for sex appeal and i laugh my ass off

they wanted to add a pretty younger man to the mix for the benefit of teen and young twenties female viewers so they put him in the world’s worst beatles wig and sent him on his way

“they’re gonna love this lil bastard” and we did

Oh, it gets better.  Another key part of the story is that The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’s Illya Kuryakin was a surprise heartthrob.  (The title is “Man” and not “Men” because he was supposed to be a minor character--he ascended to costar in the middle of the first season thanks to the epic thirst of the female audience.)  Hoping to cash in on the trend and casting about for some sort of explanation for his appeal, the Trek showrunners scratched their heads for a while and finally were, like, “Well...he’s Russian.”  

(Apparently nobody thought to ask Nichelle Nichols.  Or George Takei, for that matter.  I have no information on whether Illya was either of their type, but they’d doubtless have had some idea.)

As I recall they wanted to cash in on the Monkees’ popularity (too, not discounting the above), hence the wig. 

Originally posted by peterpercivalpatterson

Finally when Walter Koenig realized what the producers wanted he let his hair grow out.

Self care is drinking vodka, eating hot pockets and painting your fingernails command gold.