I am very interested in what people think the Xindi were like in the TOS era, roughly a century after Archer prevented the launch of the Weapon and what the legacy of those events is like. I also wonder how the Reptilians, and Insectoids might have changed, and how they would have been like in the TOS era if they were on screen.

I am very interested in what people think the Xindi were like in the TOS era, roughly a century after Archer prevented the launch of the Weapon and what the legacy of those events is like. I also wonder how the Reptilians, and Insectoids might have changed, and how they would have been like in the TOS era if they were on screen.

They definitely made Xindi insectoid and reptilian makeups for Discovery and Starfleet Academy, I am not sure if any were used in the pretty-much-TOS-era Strange New Worlds too but it is quite likely.

If you are talking 1960's TOS era... rubber monkey masks, lizard man masks etc.

The guy with a flesh bridge over his entire mouth in Voyager was the silliest.

In practical terms, the insectoids might have appeared something like the Zanti in the original Outer Limits.

Kor

TOS didn't do full-fledged masks or really heavy prosthetics that much, and certainly not when the character had to speak or even nonverbally emote-- the Gorn in Arena, the Mugato in Private Little War, "Nancy" in the Man Trap are the ones that come to mind. The exception (Ambassador Gav) proves the rule-- he's in one scene (living at least), acts in an non-subtle, over-the-top manner largely relying upon his booming voice, and is mostly seen in medium or long shots. If the Xindi had been in TOS and had been anything but background attendees at a conference or something (i.e., were actually required to act to advance the plot and supply drama), they would look like humans with very slight makeup or wardrobe nuances to suggest insect, aquatic, reptile, etc.

TOS' general approach was likely dictated by cost/feasibility at the time, but personally I greatly prefer it. I immediately get bored watching a Berman era series with some guy barking exposition through latex and plastic fangs-- let alone CGI of that or later eras.

I assume the OP means in Universe and not in production

I can't remember now, but I think the Xindi, or some dark, murky, depressing, all-consuming "story arc" that ate the show, was why I gave up on ENT during its first run. I'd never done that before with a Trek series. Maybe it was the "temporal cold war" that did me in. It was so long ago, I can't say.

The guy with a flesh bridge over his entire mouth in Voyager was the silliest.

That guy looked like he had a handle on his appearance.

***

I'll show myself out.

I am very interested in what people think the Xindi were like in the TOS era, roughly a century after Archer prevented the launch of the Weapon and what the legacy of those events is like. I also wonder how the Reptilians, and Insectoids might have changed, and how they would have been like in the TOS era if they were on screen.

My thoughts: TOS existed in a timeline before the Time War changed the timeline in Enterprise (and recently again in SNW). The Xindi became extinct in the original TOS timeline. We have not seen the altered timeline for the new TOS period, yet (and probably never will). YMMV .

In practical terms, the insectoids might have appeared something like the Zanti in the original Outer Limits.

Kor

This episode scared the bejesus out of me when I was 7.

I can't remember now, but I think the Xindi, or some dark, murky, depressing, all-consuming "story arc" that ate the show, was why I gave up on ENT during its first run. I'd never done that before with a Trek series. Maybe it was the "temporal cold war" that did me in. It was so long ago, I can't say.

I prefer the "story arcs" to the episode by episode format. I like the dark, murkey, depressing all-consuming feeling of ENT. It feels more real, raw, and "human" to me.

"Episodic with some continuity" is what I find works best.