Mexicans.
There are the calibans in C.J. Cherryh’s Forty Thousand in Gehenna. They are lizard-like creatures, initially classified as animals by human colonists, and not particularly intelligent animals at that.
But it becomes gradually apparent that they have a different kind of intelligence, if it can even be defined as intelligence in human terms. At any rate, they are more complex and more different than it may be possible for humans to fully understand.
The book covers several generations of humans stranded on the planet, some of them forming a semi-symbiotic relationship with the calibans, and in the process becoming less intelligible to normal humans. There is never any clear or simple resolution to the nature of caliban intelligence, though eventually they are classified as intelligent beings by the human race in general, and their world protected.
Actually, Cherryh’s books have a number of interesting alien species. e.g. The dangerous and complex social-insect-like Majat in Serpent’s Reach, and the various different species in the Chanur novels, of which the Kif are the most interesting.
And the Atevi in the Foreigner series, who have no concept of affection or love. “Atevi aren’t friends. Atevi can’t be friends. They don’t like you. They’re not capable of liking you. The wiring isn’t there. Never forget it. Never expect it. Start building that construct to satisfy your needs and you’re dead.” On the other hand they have highly complex notions of loyalty and obligation, and fourteen different words for betrayal.
For me, it’s any alien race sufficiently thought out. Just slapping on some plastic prosthetics (ears, scalloped forehead) and acting like better or worse humans doesn’t do it for me. Actually it’s become a pet peeve.
But aliens dreamed up by some of authors already mentioned here, such as Niven’s Puppeteers or Brin’s Traeki, now these have promise. An alien race’s behavior should be informed by their physiology, right? In a deep, mechanical way. Chemicals flowing from one waxy torus to another should indicate slow, deliberate thinking, as seen in the Traeki. Having cloven hoofs, eyestalks and a herd instinct make you awkward and perhaps ungainly, which may lead to caution…and a strong desire to promote group safety. The Puppeteers’ creations all spring from this: direct control over their planets’ trajectory through space (away from disaster), “fun” and safe cities, super-safe starships they sell, like Volvos, to customers throughout the galaxy.
To contrast, how do pointy ears indicate superior intelligence? It doesn’t work for me organically. On the other hand, they’re a lot easier to handle in a makeup department, and people in prosthetics are easy to film, standing right next to “regular” humans.
The Yip Yips(or the Martians) from Sesame Street are a sentimental favorite of mine. Known for saying , “Yip-yip-yip-yip… Uh-huh. Uh-huh”.
Henson’s Puppeteers!
Whatever species Shahna was. Rowr.
On the other hand, I kind of have respect for Hal Clement’s approach: His aliens are different in the ways dictated by their environment, but otherwise similar to humans, because why wouldn’t they be? Like, the alien main character in Mission of Gravity is shaped like a centipede, has an extreme fear of heights, breathes pure hydrogen, drinks liquid methane, and considers water a fine structural material for transparent objects, because those are all perfectly reasonable traits for a living thing on its planet. And it’s also resourceful, adventurous, and always willing to make a good deal, not because of its species, but because it’s the captain of a spice-trading ship, and those are all perfectly reasonable traits for a spice-ship captain.
With a sample size of one, it’s equally justified to assume that humans are basically typical, or that aliens are so different from us as to be beyond any hope of comprehension.
Whichever species is in Explorers would be fun to be around, when they’re old enough to not have to rely on stealing their dad’s spaceship.
Klaatu. I could never figure out why Patricia Neal didn’t just grab her kid, dump that loser boyfriend, and walk right up into K’s flying saucer.
ALF (Alien Life Form). Not sure what the name of the main ALF character was, but that guy cracked me up. He loved his cats.
Heavily influenced as I am by my childhood interests, I have to go with Superman.
Or Kamala, a Kriosian, in The Perfect Mate STTNG Se 5: E 21. She’s a hot empath trained to fulfill her mates every desire.
It was Gordon Shumway; I actually remembered that and only had to look it up to confirm it.
Ha! That’s it!
The Valkyries from Battle Beyond the Stars.
Sadly, we only get to see one of them and the actress wasn’t that good. But cool concepts and all that.
Magnificent.
I don’t know if ALF’s name was ever given in the live-action TV show, or if he was only called Gordon Shumway on the Alf Tales cartoon (set on his home planet).
Actress NOT THAT GOOD!!!
That was the immortal Sybil Danning
Show her some respect!
By the way – there are two different versions of the film. In one of them, Danning’s Valkyrie costume is a LOT skimpier.
She’ll show you how a Valkyrie can go sown.
I am pretty sure it was during the original series. IMDb has some quotes supporting that.
Brian
He called himself Gordon at the end of the first episode. Shumway was revealed in 1x07.
Farscape’s Dominars. I love Rigel. (And there’s D’Argo and Chiana, too.)