 Originally the show was not going to include  Nichelle Nichols (qv), George Takei (qv), and  Walter Koenig (I) (qv) due to budget considerations. However, when  Leonard Nimoy (qv) learned about this, he refused to join the cast  unless his friends were included. Rather than lose the most popular  cast member, Filmation agreed to sign on Nichols and Takei. While  Koenig could not be included because of the budget, he wrote one  episode, "The Infinite Vulcan."