Why have Tellarites been so ignored in Trek

[TrekTrucker]

The Federation has 4 founding members: Humans, Vulcans, Andorians and Tellarites.

Vulcans: We’ll they have been fleshed out pretty damn well over the years
Andorians: While not as fleshed out as I’s personally like (they are my favorite species), we got to learn quite a bit about them during ENT’s run. And AFAIC, Commander Shran is one of the best recurring characters in the entire damn franchise.
Tellarites: The only thing we know, they like to argue. That’s it.

So why does the franchise continue to ignore this particular founding member?

this is not say there aren’t other established species both federation and non, that I’d like to see more of. Deltans and Tholians just to name one of each.

But the Tellarites are founding members of the Federation and for all intents and purposes we know nothing about them. So you’d think they’d be a priority, but apparently not. So why is that do you think?

 

[fireproof78]

They are not that interesting.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

On TOS, probably because the makeup made it tough for the creators to revisit them. Or they just didn't have any story where they came in handy. AFAIK, we don't see a Tellarite again until "Whom Gods Destroy" in the third season, and there it was probably just because they had the mask handy and wanted a few more aliens in the insane asylum.

The Andorians didn't really get any development until ENT, over 30 years after they were introduced. And I don't think the Tellarites were officially established as one of the Federation's founders until ENT, either.

 

[TrekTrucker]

On TOS, probably because the makeup made it tough for the creators to revisit them. Or they just didn't have any story where they came in handy. AFAIK, we don't see a Tellarite again until "Whom Gods Destroy" in the third season, and there it was probably just because they had the mask handy and wanted a few more aliens in the insane asylum.

The Andorians didn't really get any any development until ENT, over 30 years after they were introduced. And I don't think the Tellarites were officially established as one of the Federation's founders until ENT, either.

Maybe not officially in Alpha canon till ENT, I’m not sure TBH. But in Beta canon absolutely. And IIFC in Beta canon there were 5 founding members. The one that got dumped in Alpha were the Alpha Centurians.

 

[Farscape One]

We also know that trading is what they are well known for.

 

[Sci]

Maybe not officially in Alpha canon till ENT, I’m not sure TBH. But in Beta canon absolutely. And IIFC in Beta canon there were 5 founding members. The one that got dumped in Alpha were the Alpha Centurians.

1) There is no such thing as "beta canon" in Star Trek. There are non-canonical media tie-ins.

2) It is true that it has been very common for media tie-ins to depict the Federation as having five founding members including Alpha Centauri. But whether Alpha Centauri is an alien world or not has varied from tie-in work to tie-in work. The older tie-ins depicted Alpha Centauri as an alien culture. Newer tie-ins, such as the Rise of the Federation novels, have depicted the Alpha Centauri Concordium as a Human colony that had declared independence from United Earth before the Federation was founded.

3) ENT didn't refer to the founding worlds, only founding species. If Alpha Centauri was an independent Human state, ENT's line about Humans, Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites co-founding the Federation is consistent with Alpha Centauri still being there. But there have been a number of occasions when the United Earth, Vulcan, Andorian, and Tellarite logos have appeared representing the Federation as a group without a corresponding Alpha Centauri logo, so that implies Alpha Centauri has been excluded from the canonical list of founders without explicitly stating it.

 

[fireproof78]

Maybe not officially in Alpha canon till ENT, I’m not sure TBH.

That's all that counts. The Tellarites, regardless of tie in material or fan wishes, have minimal development, probably because there isn't a lot there to begin with. They were just a foil against Sarek as part of "The Journey to Babel." Not sure what else is to be done there save to acknowledge that Trek writers have just not found them that interesting.

 

[Sci]

That's all that counts. The Tellarites, regardless of tie in material or fan wishes, have minimal development, probably because there isn't a lot there to begin with. They were just a foil against Sarek as part of "The Journey to Babel." Not sure what else is to be done there save to acknowledge that Trek writers have just not found them that interesting.

Which is too bad, because I think there are ways to make a culture based on argumentation interesting. One idea that immediately occurs to me -- what if when the Tellarites developed their version of social media, a really strong taboo emerged against arguing online, and as a result social media had the opposite impact on Tellar that it's had in real life? What if the Tellarite commitment to the idea of argument also means that Tellarite culture is deeply, deeply democratic and anti-hierarchical, in a way that Humans have trouble imagining or following? What if the Tellarites incorporate the idea of uncertainty and disagreement into things like their liturgy, meaning that they didn't have religious wars on the scale of Humans? There are a lot of ideas that "Tellarites argue" could lend itself to.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Because they can't be made to look hot, and if they're not hot then they won't generate any money.

 

[fireproof78]

Which is too bad, because I think there are ways to make a culture based on argumentation interesting. One idea that immediately occurs to me -- what if when the Tellarites developed their version of social media, a really strong taboo emerged against arguing online, and as a result social media had the opposite impact on Tellar that it's had in real life? What if the Tellarite commitment to the idea of argument also means that Tellarite culture is deeply, deeply democratic and anti-hierarchical, in a way that Humans have trouble imagining or following? What if the Tellarites incorporate the idea of uncertainty and disagreement into things like their liturgy, meaning that they didn't have religious wars on the scale of Humans? There are a lot of ideas that "Tellarites argue" could lend itself to.

I 100% agree, having worked to construct such a culture myself in science fiction. But, again, that doesn't make it canonical.

Because they can't be made to look hot, and if they're not hot then they won't generate any money.

Which is why we have the Gorn and the Tholians. Those babies are HOT!

 

[Jedi Marso]

As a species they are depicted as porcine and argumentative- generally unattractive qualities all around. You aren't going to sex up Suzy Plakson in a pig mask and make her look good no matter how hard you try.

When you have a species that is unpleasant to look at and unpleasant to talk to, I'd hazard a guess that they are going to remain undeveloped.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

When you have a species that is unpleasant to look at and unpleasant to talk to, I'd hazard a guess that they are going to remain undeveloped.

I dunno. They did all right with Ferengis.

 

[fireproof78]

I dunno. They did all right with Ferengis.

And the Jem'Hadar.

And the Hirogen.

And the Borg. Ok, debatable.

I just don't see very much to grab on to in the Tellarites in canon.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Tellarites are just very hairy Humans with bad attitudes. All I need to do is leave my house to see that...

 

[TrekTrucker]

Because they can't be made to look hot, and if they're not hot then they won't generate any money.

OTOH, they’re kinda like the dwarves of the Trek universe so like dwarves we’ve just never seen a female Tellarite on screen. Though I know you can play one on STO.

 

[TrekTrucker]

As a species they are depicted as porcine and argumentative- generally unattractive qualities all around. You aren't going to sex up Suzy Plakson in a pig mask and make her look good no matter how hard you try.

When you have a species that is unpleasant to look at and unpleasant to talk to, I'd hazard a guess that they are going to remain undeveloped.

See I don’t find their argumentative nature to be all that unpleasant. They just enjoy a rigorous debate. Like they said in ENT, I bet they some fantastic politicians…

 

[Jedi Marso]

See I don’t find their argumentative nature to be all that unpleasant. They just enjoy a rigorous debate. Like they said in ENT, I bet they some fantastic politicians…

Can you imagine how utterly tiresome it would be to have to deal with someone (especially a superior officer) who wanted to argue about everything, all the time, as a matter of everyday cultural interaction? Well, let me restate that- for me it would be exhausting. Some people (the contrarian type) would absolutely thrive on it. Those 'can't be wrong' types.

 

[Jedi Marso]

I dunno. They did all right with Ferengis.

Quark looked like an alien, not a pig-man, and like many bartenders, he could be very pleasant to talk to. I never had any issues with Quark.

 

[Farscape One]

Bacon makes everything better. I love bacon.

I think I would love the Tellarites. Give us more bac... Tellarites.

 

[scotpens]

Because they can't be made to look hot, and if they're not hot then they won't generate any money.

I always thought the Tellarites were rather silly looking. I mean, Planet of the Pig People?

Can you imagine how utterly tiresome it would be to have to deal with someone (especially a superior officer) who wanted to argue about everything, all the time, as a matter of everyday cultural interaction?

Sounds pretty much like the Persian Jews I work with.