This iconic character in Star Trek: The Original Series was supposed to be red

Since the inception of Star Trek: The Original Series in 1966, the audience has been introduced to several planets and alien life from across the galaxy. But one character that brought much allure to the Star Trek universe is Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy).

Over the years we have come to love the half-human, half-Vulcan science officer on the USS Enterprise with distinct arched eyebrows and pointed ears. In the original draft however, creator Gene Roddenberry suggested Spock to appear red, which was then changed after much deliberation.

In the early concepts, Roddenberry played with many variables on how Spock would appear. One of it was Martian inspired red skin tone. The reason was to make him less human and more of an alien. But the NBC studio executives were vary to the idea because the drastic facial color would not be able to appear on screen, since Star Trek went on air during the time when the televisions were mostly black and white.

How has Spock’s appearance evolved in Star Trek?

Mr. Calm and collected Spock was known for his facial features as much as his personality. When the show The Original Series first started, Roddenberry and the studio executives were still figuring out how to create a relevant alien, something that did not invite the wrath of the audience.

Roddenberry’s earliest vision imagined the character from Mars, therefore the reddish skin tone. Upon doing the make-up test, the red hue ended up appearing black on the monochromatic the television screen in 1966. The studio then decided to try yellow - greenish tone. But eventually he ended up looking natural. Roddenberry gave Spock a new home in the form of Vulcan.

In the first unaired pilot episode, ‘The Cage’, Spock’s characteristics were still being developed. And that’s how we have a smirking Spock next to a toned-down Captain Pike (played by Jeffery Hunter). However, in the episode ‘Where No Man Has Gone Before’, the audience saw Spock in his emotionless avatar. His distinct appearance with raised eyebrows and elf-like ears added to his charm. While his grins remained, he no longer displayed the emotions as seen in the unaired pilot.

As the show progressed, Spock’s appearance got more sharper and made him the Vulcan that the Trekkies will come to love and admire.

Star Trek was created by Gene Roddenberry. The Original Series on NBC ran for three seasons between 1966 and 1969. The franchise expanded to comics, animated series, films, and spin-off shows.

ALSO READ: I had no idea that this OG Star Trek character’s name was banned from The Next Generation

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