Very unlikely. Here’s why.
Firstly, Bill Shatner is an incredibly charismatic and witty performer and Trek would have been much poorer without him. But the real reason is nothing really to do with Kirk versus Pike. It’s to do with Spock.
Spock was Trek’s killer app. Spockmania was what turned this show into a cultural juggernaut. This cool, aloof, emotionally detached alien was like nothing audiences had seen before and they couldn’t get enough. Now, go and watch Spock in the original unaired pilot, The Cage.
What the &*%$? He’s SMILING?!
See, Leonard Nimoy knew almost from the jump what Spock should be. But, when acting against Jeffrey Hunter’s dour, sullen Pike, he felt he had to give a lighter, more upbeat performance as Spock just to draw a contrast. The Spock we know wouldn’t have worked with this captain. It’s all a matter of chemistry between the actors. It’d be too cold, too inert, too depressing. It’d be like something written by Chekhov.
Not that Chekhov.
But add THIS guy into the mix:
NOW we’re cooking. Now, Spock can be the cool, emotionless straight man to Kirk’s pure Chad energy.
Without William Shatner, you don’t get true Spock.
Without true Spock, you don’t get True Star Trek.
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