Best and Worst Looking

[sbk1234]

I know, this has probably been discussed a couple dozen times, but what the Hell...
Some of Trek's aliens have looked like crap. Some have looked damn good.
What aliens do you think looked fantastic, and what do you think looked like excriment? Use any criteria you wish, but please explain. Pictures are a plus.
Even the same aliens in different eras looked different, so the same alien can be in both caregories.

Me? I'll say the best would be the TOS Vulcans. AFAIC, they looked real. Not like makeup at all.

Another high point would be the Cardassians. Damn good aliens.

The worst? I'll say the TNG era Vulcans. It just looked like a complete mask. After all those years, the makeup should have gotten better, not worse.

Anyone else?

 

[DevilEyes]

Best: Cardassian (I love the Vulcan look, too, but their makeup is not very extensive)

Worst: TNG/DS9/VOY Romulan

I don't agree about modern Vulcans. Yes, it did look better in TOS, but the change was not that big. And I thought Selar, Sakonna and Tuvok looked great, although I'm not sure about some of the others.

But Romulans? Ugh, I hate their new look. The ridges made no sense since 1) they didn't have them in TOS and 2) they're supposed to look identical to Vulcans (and nobody even tried to explain them - as if the Klingon ridges were the only ones that needed an explanation); and their makeup really looked fake and made them look like wax figures.

I wrote about this in more detail - and with lots of pictures - in my Most attractive Trek alien races? thread/poll.

 

[Shazam!]

Yeah, the Romulan make-up is terrible, not to mention every single one having the same haircut.

 

[Pemmer Harge]

Best: Cardassians, Jem'Hadar

Worst: the Baneans from VOY Ex Post Facto. They looked absurd.

 

[sbk1234]

Yeah, the Romulan make-up is terrible, not to mention every single one having the same haircut.

I will agree there. I can't believe I missed the TNG Romulans!

And that haircut! The same with the Vulcans, there (except Tuvok, God love him!).
I think Westmore must have been the biggest Three Stooges fan who ever lived!

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Best for me.... i think i'd say Voyager's Viidians. I thought they were sooo creepy cool.

Worst? Gonna have to think on that one for a bit...

 

[Anji]

The award for best looking goes to the Vulcans, especially during the TNG period. The fabric they used to dress those actors were high quality and pretty damn expensive. Not to mention the tailoring was expert. Those outfits fit Mark Leonard like a fine Italian suit.

Anybody know who did the jewelry for the Vulcans? I'm talking about the pieces that were worn by Mark in the episode where they discover Sarek has Bendi's Syndrome. That piece he wore of an opal encrested in gold was magnificent.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

Yeah, the Romulan make-up is terrible, not to mention every single one having the same haircut.

I will agree there. I can't believe I missed the TNG Romulans!

And that haircut! The same with the Vulcans, there (except Tuvok, God love him!).
I think Westmore must have been the biggest Three Stooges fan who ever lived!

Plus, those goofy Super Shoulder Pads... *oy*

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[The Wormhole]

Romulan ridges aren't that bad, think of it as a racial thing. It's the only way to explain the inconsistencies that go along with them.

Previously, it had been established that Romulans did not get ridges until the 24th century. You'll note that even though Trek V and Trek VI were both made after ridges were introduced in TNG, the Romulans in those two movies did not have ridges. Because Romulans of the 23rd century are not supposed to have ridges. But then, Enterprise comes along and shows us Romulans with ridges in the 22nd century. And to really cause havoc, Trek XI presents us Romulans from the 24th century without ridges.

Though there are things we need to consider:
-90% of the Romulans seen in TOS wore helmets. Some of them could very well have had ridges.
-Spock walked around Romulus without anyone caring that he didn't have ridges, imlying there could still be Romulans in the 24th century without ridges. Indeed, this easily explains why Nero and gang lacked ridges.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Worst: Skreeans.

 

[sbk1234]

Weren't those the guys from that episode of DS9 who had that really bad skin rash look? As I recall, wasn't Walter Keonig's son one of them?

 

[SilentP]

Those would be the ones. Didn't know about Keonig's son though.

 

[Agent Richard07]

Romulan ridges aren't that bad, think of it as a racial thing. It's the only way to explain the inconsistencies that go along with them.

Previously, it had been established that Romulans did not get ridges until the 24th century. You'll note that even though Trek V and Trek VI were both made after ridges were introduced in TNG, the Romulans in those two movies did not have ridges. Because Romulans of the 23rd century are not supposed to have ridges. But then, Enterprise comes along and shows us Romulans with ridges in the 22nd century. And to really cause havoc, Trek XI presents us Romulans from the 24th century without ridges.

Though there are things we need to consider:
-90% of the Romulans seen in TOS wore helmets. Some of them could very well have had ridges.
-Spock walked around Romulus without anyone caring that he didn't have ridges, imlying there could still be Romulans in the 24th century without ridges. Indeed, this easily explains why Nero and gang lacked ridges.

Interbreeding with Klingons could be another reason for the ridges in some Romulans.

 

[Pemmer Harge]

The Romulans are my favourite Trek race and though I do think that giving them ridges was a mistake, it wasn't half as big a mistake as those shoulder pad uniforms they had in TNG. Thankfully they got to wear some cooler looking gear in DS9.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

But Romulans? Ugh, I hate their new look. The ridges made no sense since 1) they didn't have them in TOS and 2) they're supposed to look identical to Vulcans (and nobody even tried to explain them - as if the Klingon ridges were the only ones that needed an explanation); and their makeup really looked fake and made them look like wax figures.

I'm of the theory that the Romulans altered their own genetic code to better conform to the new world they were colonizing. In my own head, anyway, the ridges are a regional/ethnic trait on Vulcan, seen only in the polar areas where people may also have shorter, stockier builds that are less likely to lose heat. Perhaps, in trying to get their own physiology to conform more to that model (and I HAVE noticed that Romulans tend to be shorter and stockier than their Vulcan counterparts), they also caused that trait to become more widespread. Maybe not ALL Romulans have it, but a majority does because of the genetic tinkering.



Anyway, to answer the question, the Cardassians are definitely the high point of Trek makeup.

Some low points include the Skreeans and the Rakhari.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Particularly Good makeups: Cardassians, Bolians, Benzites, Voth, Xindi-Reptilians and Xindi-Arboreals, Enterprise Tellarites and Andorians, Ferengi, Anticans, Selay, Bynars, Suliban, Lissepians: all convincing "heavy" make-ups that give us interestingly "alien" humanoids rather than simple bumps and ridges. Saurians, Kasheeta and Caitians from the films (in the background) were also very good "heavy" makeups.

Perfectly fine makeup but nothing special: Vulcans, Klingons and Romulans (all eras), Bajorans, Trills, Efrosians, Denobulans, Vorta, Farians, Talaxians, Orions, etc. (in fact most of the Trek humanoids).

PS: The stand out "non-heavy" makeup for me was the modern Tiburonian, as seen in DS9: "The Ship". The Miradorn were striking, too.

Bad makeup: I never liked the Nausicaans, they were too "lets stick on random tusks and spikes" for me. Markalians suffered the same problem, despite being a sound design on the whole. I didn't like the Letheans. Kazon hairstyles were pretty poor.

Worst. Makeup. Ever: The guy Liam Bilby and pals shoot in "Honour Among Thieves", the alien with the odd "handle" joining his scalp to his chin. It's almost embarrassing looking at this guy

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

Best; Cardassians

Worst: Bomar

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Wow, DJ. I never thought I'd see headgear more aesthetically offensive than what the Cardassians wore in "The Wounded"! But that sure has it beat by a mile!

 

[SFRabid]

Best - Xindi Insectoids
Worst - Romulans with ridges.

 

[Myasishchev]

Romulan ridges aren't that bad, think of it as a racial thing. It's the only way to explain the inconsistencies that go along with them.

I like to think of them as rickets, due to lack of adequate sunlight, maybe purposefully cultivated as a political statement (tanning beds are decadent!). This also kinda explains the Remans' appearance, who really need some Vitamin D.

I agree with whoever said the Ex Post Facto birdheads are the silliest looking. Egads.