Are certain aliens too difficult to take seriously?

[LobsterAfternoon]

Do you guys think that there are certain Trek species that the powers that be think can't be regulars? Andorians and Tellarites are founders of the Federation, yet we've never had a regular series cast member from either species, and never had a single recurring Tellarite. We're told that the Federation is this wonderfully diverse society, yet we only ever see humans, a few vulcans, and the occasional Bolian. What do you guys attribute that too?

 

[Mr_Homn]

Do you guys think that there are certain Trek species that the powers that be think can't be regulars? Andorians and Tellarites are founders of the Federation, yet we've never had a regular series cast member from either species, and never had a single recurring Tellarite. We're told that the Federation is this wonderfully diverse society, yet we only ever see humans, a few vulcans, and the occasional Bolian. What do you guys attribute that too?

we did have andorian regulars in Enterprise, actually.

I recall reading on this forum before that berman thought andorians were silly looking because they reminded him of 50's b movie aliens with their antennae. That was during TNG era, but once the technology and makeup advanced, he was okay with it for enterprise.

 

[R. Star]

No recurring Pakleds?!

 

[scotpens]

I recall reading on this forum before that berman thought andorians were silly looking because they reminded him of 50's b movie aliens with their antennae.

This man would disagree.

You want silly? What about those stupid-looking Ferengi? (And they were regulars.) Frankly, I found the pig-faced Tellarites more believable.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Do you guys think that there are certain Trek species that the powers that be think can't be regulars? Andorians and Tellarites are founders of the Federation, yet we've never had a regular series cast member from either species, and never had a single recurring Tellarite. We're told that the Federation is this wonderfully diverse society, yet we only ever see humans, a few vulcans, and the occasional Bolian. What do you guys attribute that too?

And Klingons, Bajorans, Cardassians, Ferengi, Trills, Talaxians, Denobulans,Founders, Vortas, Jem'hadar...

 

[-Brett-]

The cast of characters is not meant to be a statistical random sample of the demographics of this fictional society.

 

[Sector 7]

You want silly? What about those stupid-looking Ferengi? (And they were regulars.) Frankly, I found the pig-faced Tellarites more believable.

Why does everyone pick on the kids... er... aliens with big ears?!

 

[sbk1234]

The Tak Tak?

 

[LobsterAfternoon]

We never had a regular Andorian. Shran was a recurring.

 

[LobsterAfternoon]

My apologies if my initial post was vague. I was trying to question if the designs of certain species are 'too alien' to be more than just a guest spot. Vulcans look like humans with pointy ears and lame haircuts, which is a lot simpler than blue skin, blue tinged teeth, antennae, etc.

 

[Nerys Myk]

DS9 had the Ferengi.

 

[Dream]

VOY had the Kazon.

 

[LobsterAfternoon]

Maybe it's the skin color? Kaazon and Ferengi, while more alien looking than the average "Slap a weird forehead on a white guy" routine that Trek usually does, still have human skin tones. Whereas dudes like Andorians and Bolians are very brightly colored.

 

[R. Star]

You want silly? What about those stupid-looking Ferengi? (And they were regulars.) Frankly, I found the pig-faced Tellarites more believable.

Why does everyone pick on the kids... er... aliens with big ears?!

They're just earophobes.

 

[T'Girl]

Whereas dudes like Andorians and Bolians are very brightly colored.

Brent Spiner had yellow skin make-up applied in all but a very few of his appearances on the show.

 

[Melakon]

What do you guys attribute that too?

Budget. It's much cheaper to apply Bajoran makeup to 10 extras than something more sophisticated like Cardassians or Andorians on 10 extras.

 

[BillJ]

I always thought the Kazon just looked like Jamaican Klingons...

 

[Gary7]

I always thought the Kazon just looked like Jamaican Klingons...

+1 This. Their head protrusions could almost pass for a form of dreadlocks. I always thought they looked more like bonsai shrubberies, though. Hard to take someone seriously with plants sprouting from their heads.

 

[SchwEnt]

I always wanted more Tellarites, maybe even more than Andorians. After seeing the improved makeup in TVH and ENT, really sad we never saw more Tellarites. No love for the fighting pig-men

 

[R. Star]

It does come down to budget and not content.

You have Klingons around often enough, so excessive violence isn't an issue.
You have the Cardassians around often enough, so oppressive tyranny and concentration camps isn't an issue.
You have the Ferengi around often enough, so the vices of avarice and using women as tools isn't an issue.