 After the popularity _"Monkees, The" (1966)_ (qv), the producers  decided to introduce Ensign Pavel Chekov in the second season in  order to attract more teenage viewers, especially girls, to the  show. Walter Koenig (I) (qv) was selected due to his resemblance  to Davy Jones (I) (qv) of The Monkees. Chekovs heritage was made  Russian to honor the fact that the Soviet Union was the first to  enter space.