Anyone have thoughts on why the showrunners decided to put Sam Kirk in this show? Was it all just for the fake out in the pilot episode (which was kind of spoiled by the leak/announcement that James would be appearing in season 2).
They don't seem to have any focus for him in season 1. He could have just been any old Lieutenant. Outside of Sam giving some info on James in "A Quality of Mercy", he doesn't do anything that needs him to be Kirk. And even then, they could have had any of the other non-Spock/non-Uhura characters serve with Kirk on an earlier ship to give the same "briefing" to Pike. And wouldn't you think that James's brother is going to give you a less-objective readout than practically anyone else - for good or for bad?
I guess it was just all for that one gag in episode 1...
Mostly for the gag but also maybe a signal to the audience that Captain Kirk will come on the show at some point.