leeta

I have been re-watching Star Trek: The Next Generation and some of the alien races have been completely altered from when they were first introduced. We all know about the radical difference from the Original Series Klingons and later incarnations. Also, the Ferengi at the beginning of ST:TNG are almost unrecognizable. Thankfully, they did away with the cringing, feral creatures of the first couple of seasons and brought some much needed humor and likablity to them.

However, one change that I didn't remember was how the Trill were originally introduced in the Beverly/Odan romance episode. They had bony foreheads (both male and female) and no spots.

Any changes (in any Star Trek series) to recurring alien races that anyone can think of?

Tracer Bullet

The Romulans got "beefed up" a little with the addition of brow ridges.

The stated reason for the change in the Trill look was due to the hotness of Terry Farrell.

Nick Martin

Cardassian makeup design and costumes underwent a refinement as well, adding more detailed scales and completely different suits.

The Borg, well, that's an obvious one.

Yes, it's New Year's. 12:23am EST and I'm on DVDtalk replying to a question about Star Trek alien design. Feel free to stamp a giant letter "L" on my (original, not redesigned in any way) forehead.

Do I seem a little bitter?

Jadzia

^^^

I guess I am a loser for reading it then.

The Trill were not just changed physically, in the original TNG episode, the symbiont was the main being while the body was "just a host". But in DS9 they changed this to more of a joined relationship, where the host and symbiont became more of a unique individual. Also in TNG, Odan immediately wanted to get back with Beverly when he was in the new host, and in DS9 it turns out that is strictly forbidden among the Trill.

BJacks

The Bolians got horizontal ridges as they progressed from TNG to DS9. Nerd up!

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bunkaroo

I'll add my nerdly patheticness on New Year's Eve.

I'm not the party type anyway and I'm not in a band at the moment that would require me to gig tonight, hence sitting at home, happy as a clam.

In fact I just finished watching the Star Wars prequel trilogy in HD!

On the Ferengi, I have to say I did not notice much of a change with them, but then again they are probably my least liked race in the Star Trek universe, so I probably didn't pay much attention.

Also, nothing was cooler than seeing Iggy Pop as a Cardassian.

Giantrobo

You may be right...

Tracer Bullet

I'm totally serious! She was the requisite hot chick on the show and they didn't want to cover her up with tons of makeup.

Jadzia

The spots were sexy as all hell.

Rockmjd23

Was never a huge fan of Terry Farrell.

Nick Martin

Iggy Pop wasn't a Cardassian, he was a Vorta:



I'm actually relieved to know I'm not the only one here tonight.



Jadzia, honestly aren't you a little biased given your name?



I've been watching the less-nerdy O.C. on DVD (complete series set) tonight, but it's 'coolness' is totally invalidated because I'm watching it alone.
I was gonna watch DS9 but despite this thread I'm not up for that.

Jadzia

Totally! I absolutely loved that character.

The funny thing is, my husband & I are talking about having another child and if we have a daughter I really do like the name Jadzia. Would it be weird to name my child after a Star Trek character? Would I have to change my DVD Talk user name?

Big time nerd alert, back when I was pregnant with our first child (a son) we actually had the name Audrid as #1 on our girl name list. I thought that would be a really cool obscure Trek reference since Audrid was mentioned as one of Dax's previous hosts but never shown. My husband liked the name because it's like a cross of Audrey and Astrid, two other names he likes.

I guess my son was lucky there were no male Trek names I liked. Although I guess he could have been Curzon or Joran.

Giantrobo

Woulda worked if ya'll were Black.

leeta

Jadzia was one of my favorite characters, too. Hated it when she was killed off and they replaced her character with Ezri :shudder:. And speaking of cool... Jadzia was the definition of it!

On the subject of celebrity guest stars, one of the weirdest has to go to Mick Fleetwood. He played an amphibian spy (an Antidian) that has to be about the ugliest creature to ever come out of Star Trek. Worf had the funniest line of the show and maybe of that whole season with the straight deadpan delivery of "What a noble race!"


Fleetwood is right behind Pulaski

And nothing wrong with us nerds being nerdy.

Count Dooku

No. But it will be weird when you keep calling her "Old Man" all the time.

Jadzia

I remember years ago telling a black girlfriend that I liked the name Jadzia and she thought it sounded "ghetto". I didn't know what she meant since it is actually a Polish name.

But then I was watching that American Juniors show and one of the contestants was a little black girl named Jadzia.

I was trying to figure out if she was old enough to have been named after DS9.

Giantrobo

That's funny! Yeah "Ghetto" names are often taken, then sometimes bastardized versions of foreign names. French names are popular.

NORML54601

"Been Caught Stealing" was pretty good.

bunkaroo

Gah, I knew I was going to be wrong on that. It's been like 4 years since I saw the episode.

Jon2

I'll admit that the moving antenna makeup effect of the current incarnation of Andorians looks neat, but I prefer their original series look. I'd like to see that look make a comeback.

In TOS the Andorians did not have ears because the antenna were hearing organs.

dstrauss

I'm sure, since Terry Farrell was a regular, they also wanted to tone down the makeup for production reasons. You already had the Ferengi and Bajoran characters taking time in makeup each morning.

About 8 years ago I ran into a little girl named "Kira" in the park playing with my daughter. I asked whether they were Star Trek fans. I got a look that basically said, "Who are you and if you don't take 8 steps back I'm calling the Police."

But yeah, naming a kid after a Sci-Fi character or actor? Totally ludicrous.

(Says the father of children named Mira and Xander.)

Tracer Bullet

I've always thought Delenn would be a pretty name for a girl.

Giantrobo

I'm probably giving away TMI here on the Net but I always perk up when I hear the name "Kira" because it is dangerously close to my real name.

tasha99

When I worked at Royal Caribbean, "Kira" was my phone name. We weren't allowed duplicate names, and there was already a Natasha, so I picked my favorite Star Trek woman . Actually, my favorite characters were Odo and Quark, but I didn't think "Thank you for calling Royal Caribbean, this is Quark. How can I help you?" sounded very good.

Jadzia

Actually, Kira was also on our girl's name list also.

I am such a nerd.