The Klingons

[lstyer]

I prefer the TOS Klingons in pretty much every way. The TOS characterization is more interesting to me than the space samurai angle that TNG adopted, and while I like the TNG makeup, I would have preferred it to have been used for a different species. I have no problem at all with the TOS Klingon makeup, though I'll admit that I prefer when they at least went to the trouble of adding bushy eyebrows.

The "look" and characterization of TNG Klingons is different enough from those of TOS Klingons that that but for the cultural cache of the term "Klingon," they might as well have been separate species.

The TOS movie appearances kind of splits the difference, with the new look but characterization that fits in fine with the series. Well, kinda the new look. Mark Lenard's Klingon commander at the beginning of TMP doesn't really look like either makeup scheme, and there are a few Klingons here and there throughout the film series that look more like Lenard's character than they do the TNG-style.

 

[jayrath]

It's what's inside that counts.

(Of course, what's inside changed a whoooole lot between TOS and TNG. I have more problems with that, than with foreheads.)

 

[Jerikka Dawn]

I should say that I never really cared about the change in Klingon appearance. To me it was obviously what it was -- a change in makeup.

It wasn't an issue until Worf had to get all meta in Trials and Tribblations and explicitly acknowledge the change as something in-universe.

At that point, it was begging for an in-universe explanation.

I disagree. I think it was handled BRILLIANTLY in the episode. "We do not speak of it" (exact quote escapes me at the moment). They had to acknowledged it, as it was almost painfully obvious with both Klingon versions in the same scene. But I absolutely loved how they acknowledged and side-stepped it in almost the same sentence, while leaving every fan's theory still in-play. That was where they should have left it.

That's a fair point.

It wasn't an issue until Worf had to get all meta in Trials and Tribblations and explicitly acknowledge the change as something in-universe.

I think that an interesting way to have handled the difference during Trials And Tribblations in the appearance between Klingons in the 23rd century and Klingons in the 24th century would have been for in the beginning of the episode (in the 24th century) have Worf look the way he always does, but then when the Defiant crew is in the 23rd century Worf looks just like all the other 23rd century Klingons, and no one think this is unusual or comments on it.

Then when the Defiant return to the 24th century Worf is back to his standard appearance. Again no one on the show notices.

I actually think this would have been the best way to do it.

 

[MacLeod]

I don't really think that there was an issue with how "Trials and Tribble-ations" glossed over the difference. "We do not disucss it with outsiders."

It was ENT that decided that the reason had to be shown.

 

[throwback]

In the episode "The Day of the Dove", it was revealed that the Klingons had a "...dueling tradition.". Dueling was governed by a code of honor. Furthermore, Klingons were revealed to be adept at sword fighting.

 

[Mr_Homn]

I don't really think that there was an issue with how "Trials and Tribble-ations" glossed over the difference. "We do not disucss it with outsiders."

It was ENT that decided that the reason had to be shown.

yeah but ds9 set the precedent that there was an in-universe acknowledgement of the visual difference between TOS klingons and TNG klingons..

i think it would have been better if they didn't. I've long felt that what T'Girl proposed would have been the best route to go.

 

[Anduril]

It wasn't an issue until Worf had to get all meta in Trials and Tribblations and explicitly acknowledge the change as something in-universe.

I think that an interesting way to have handled the difference during Trials And Tribblations in the appearance between Klingons in the 23rd century and Klingons in the 24th century would have been for in the beginning of the episode (in the 24th century) have Worf look the way he always does, but then when the Defiant crew is in the 23rd century Worf looks just like all the other 23rd century Klingons, and no one think this is unusual or comments on it.

Then when the Defiant return to the 24th century Worf is back to his standard appearance. Again no one on the show notices.

But then don't you think that fans would want to know why Worf magically transformed? Wouldn't fans want to know how our heroes somehow didn't notice such a radical transformation? While your idea is original, I think it would open up more questions. Remember the fanbase you're dealing with here.

It would've been simpler to have Worf not even go aboard the space station in the first place. I can understand that it probably to good of an opportunity for the writers to pass up. Enterprise maybe wouldn't have had to address the issue if DS9 didn't bring it up..