What "alien" race was given the most "development" in each series?

[Jedi_Master]

The question I had in mind is difficult to summarize into a single sentence.

Each series of Trek spent time examining and developing the history, culture, and personalities inherent in various "alien" species. For instance, TOS gave us a great deal of background on Vulcans.
So in each series - TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY, and ENT which alien race was given the most attention and development?

 

[MacLeod]

DSN, is a little harder to say as it developed several races, the Bajoran's, Cradassians, The Dominion, it further devloped the Klingons and Romulans and Ferengi. Out of all the shows it's static location allowed far more deveopled of some alien races.

TNG perhpas the Klingons and Romulans and to a lesser extend the Ferengi and Betazoids.

ENT perhaps the Vulcan's and Andorians

VOY perhpas the Vulcan's and Klingon's.

But most times seemed to be using the trope race of hats rather than really expeanding on what we already knew.

 

[F. King Daniel]

The novels blow the episodes and movies away when it comes to developing the races. Stuff from Spock's World and The Lost Years made it into Enterprise's Vulcan arc and Star Trek (2009).

 

[bbjeg]

TOS: Klingons
TNG: Klingons
DS9: Klingons
VOY: A Klingon and a Vulcan (Belanna and Tuvok were in the most episodes/Aliens)
Enterprise: Andorians... and Klingons

 

[Shat Happens]

easy:
TOS: Vulcans
TNG: Klingons
DS9: Ferengi
VOY: Borg
ENT: Beagles

 

[sbk1234]

ENT: Vulcans
TOS: Vulcans
TNG: Klingons
DS9: Cardassians
VOY: Borg

 

[Gotham Central]

Its hard to suggest that TOS really developed any of the races. TOS was almost an anthology show where nothing seems to carry over from one episode to the next. To suggest that it developed the Vulcans is not saying much since very little time is spent really developing them.

TNG does a reasonable job with the Klingons though it does introduce the Ferengi, Borg and Cardassians. We do get some limited background on the Romulans

DS9 is the Trek series that was most committed to developing all of the featured races. They developed the Klingons, Cardassians, Ferengi, Bajorans, Trill PLUS the central races of the Dominion.

The only race that Voyager actually fleshed out was the Borg. Though there is a Klingon and Vulcan on board, we don't really learn anything new about them that we did not already know.

Enterprise is the first series that really fleshed out the Vulcans. We actually learn a good bit about Vulcan society and culture for the first time on this show. It also fleshes out the Andorians fairly well.

 

[T'Girl]

The only race that Voyager actually fleshed out was the Borg. Though there is a Klingon and Vulcan on board, we don't really learn anything new about them that we did not already know.

We learn details of Tuvok family and Vulcan religion through his stories and correspondence from his wife.

 

[bbjeg]

The only race that Voyager actually fleshed out was the Borg. Though there is a Klingon and Vulcan on board, we don't really learn anything new about them that we did not already know.

We learn details of Tuvok family and Vulcan religion through his stories and correspondence from his wife.

And we learn the Klingon genes in Belanna is the dominant gene.

 

[C.E. Evans]

IMO:

TOS: Klingons
TNG: Klingons
DS9: Bajorans & Cardassians (dead-even tie)
VOY: Kazons
ENT: Vulcans & Xindi (dead-even tie)

 

[2takesfrakes]

I hated everything we found out about the Klingons in TNG, but yes, the Klingons were the most developed race on that series. In particular, I hated finding out about their goof-ass rituals, which were absolutely lame in concept and execution.

I also despised how "developed" Vulcans became on ENTERPRISE. They just became regular Human Beings, only they use the catchword "Logic" alot. And they looked like shit. They've all become bewigged in these nappy hair pieces and have putty smeared on the sides of their eyes to cover the actor's eyebrows, in a really obvious way. ... All of which is canon, now. But thank Providence for J.J. Abrams! Now, the next T.V. series carries with it the promise of righting every wrong!

 

[mythme]

TOS - Vulcans
TNG - Klingons
DS9 - three way tie Bajorans/Cardassians/Ferengi
VOY - Borg (for good or bad)
ENT - Vulcans

 

[Vandervecken]

VOY spent a fair amount of time on the Hirogen.

 

[Trekfan4387]

TOS - Vulcans
TNG - Klingons
DS9 - Bajorans and Cardassians
VOY - Borg
ENT - Vulcans

 

[BigJake]

I also despised how "developed" Vulcans became on ENTERPRISE. They just became regular Human Beings, only they use the catchword "Logic" alot. And they looked like shit . . . But thank Providence for J.J. Abrams! Now, the next T.V. series carries with it the promise of righting every wrong!

I don't understand? All the things you despise about ENT's Vulcans are also true of Abrams' Vulcans.

At any rate, I liked some of the development of the Klingons on TNG but there was certainly a point at which it got both excessive and excessively goofy. ("Alien rituals" in general are a major source of goof-arsery in Trek. The Vulcan ritual in "Amok Time" suffered from similar silliness... though like a lot of the Klingon Klaptrap in TNG it's possible to look back on it fondly in retrospect.)

 

[SFRabid]

TNG - Klingons. I agree they went a bit too far.
DS9 - Cardassians.
VOY - Borg. I don't like that they turned the Borg from the stuff of nightmares to easily defeated.
ENT - Vulcans. I really like what they did with the Vulcans.

 

[Runetouch]

TOS-Vulcans
TOS Movies and TNG-Klingons and Romulans
DS9-Cardassians and Bajorans

Not yet started seeing Voyager or Enterprise.

 

[Clark Terrell]

TOS: Hard to say because every race was new, but I'd give to the Vulcan because Spock alone gave us so much in terms of character development.

TNG: I don't have a great answer for this series because even though the Klingons would seem to be the obvious choice, I don't think they really developed that much.

DS9: The Cardassians are the best choice from a series full of great character development across multiple races. Why? They went from brutal overseers to oppressed and beaten people in the span of only seven years.

VOY: This is going to seem like a strange answer, but I'd say holograms developed the most. The Doctor's exploits opened a lot of doors for his people.

ENT: Andorians win this one easily. After having only sporadic appearances previously, they were fleshed out much more extensively than they had been and helped pave the way for several interesting novels and individual characters.