I don't see how they can explain this in ENT's timeframe, since the TNG episode "Rightful Heir" established Kahless as a "current" Klingon with ridges, long hair, and the works.
They really need to leave it alone, at least in ENT's timeframe.
LLaP
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Kira: Well, now that you have another pip on your collar, does that mean I can't disagree with you anymore?
Sisko: No. It just means I'm never wrong.
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David-Gerrold-rip-off-of-Heinlein-fuzz-balls
Tribbles are actaully Martian females?! I must grok this!
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As for Worf not having had to be "there at all", come on, Jadzia, Michael Dorn was part of the frickin' cast.
We've had several episodes throughout the franchise, where one or two cast members are missing. Quark is a main character and he had a 5-second non-speaking role in that episode. Jadzia is just pointing out that the same could have been done for Worf then we wouldn't have the problem.
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TREKMAN: The MAN Who Knows His TREK
Sit down, shut up, and just watch the show!
"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."
-General George S. Patton Jr.
While I commend Enterprise for tackling this issue I think a few major things are being overlooked.
The difference in the 'old' and 'new' klingons isn't just a few bumps on the forehead, the whole look changed, it's a completely different species. As well as forehead ridges, their noses are bigger and flatter with a few bumps as well, their mouths and pointed teeth, hair, dark skin colour, warrior dress, height, build, the gruff tone of their voices their language, every thing is different.
To say that the only prosthetic effect used to make an actor into a Klingon is a few bumps on the forehead is an insult to Michael Dorn and any other poor sod that had to sit in Michael Westmore's make-up chair for seven hours a day.
... and ballsy. 
There is a good-sized segment of the fandom who are Klingon fans. These are folks who are fluent in the language that has been developed, participate in Klingon-language email lists and forums (which do exist), dress the part at special events, participate in RPGs, etc. I don't know how many of that part of the fandom post on boards like this (the majority of the general Trek fandom doesn't post on forums), but it'll be interesting if they get wind of this. LOL There have been so many neglected segments of the fandom sitting on the sidelines twiddling their thumbs. ;-)
As a side note with respect to addressing the forehead issue - the fact that a conscious decision was made by the showrunners in DS9 "Trials and Tribble-ations" to NOT have Worf off on some mission or still on the station while the rest of the crew are back in time, which they could have easily done, is on them. The comment by Worf may have been in jest, but he damn sure didn't have to be there at all.
Instead they allowed him to interact in that era and permitted his collegues to see obviously different-looking Klingons then himself. This of course, sets up the scene actually acknowledging the differences and fleshing some things out from the Klingon perspective regarding what the rest of the crew were seeing and the deal with Tribbles, where suddenly, Tribbles have a "homeworld", and are not just simple animals who are merely "born pregnant", but are some more intelligent species. ;-)
My thing is this - Here is Arne Darvin. He IS a Klingon:

And the acceptance of the ability to do manipulation and altering enough to produce this guy, who for all intents and purposes appeared Human inside and out (except for the litmus test that was a tribble), indicates that it's obviously do-able. And I think the virus issue is one that could be plausible in that it would be a temporary thing and once a vaccine is found, could allow a reversion back, as was noted by Kor, Kang, and Koloth in DS9 "Blood Oath", where all 3 have ridges. Of course that ep delved into genetic viruses that were released by "The Albino" against their first born during TOS times, and the trio plus Jadzia (with the memories of Curzon), had sworn a Blood Oath against him.
If what is done is entertaining, why the hell not?
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"I think the show talked to people through the characters. They're stories that speak to the heart. They talk about love, they talk about friendship, they talk about loyalty, they talk about patriotism, exploration, curiosity, reaching out... And I think all those things still touch people. Even when you look at a 30-year old show, it still has something to say." - D.C. Fontana, Sci Fi Channel Special Edition TOS 1998
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"If the season finale involves the re-built USS Reliant coming back in time to the 21st Century crewed by Moogie, Dr. Selar, Morn, Transporter Chief Kyle, and the Salt Vampire, then we'll know that Coto has gone too far." - tomba1701
Didn't Dax have a friend who was IN the TOS stories... who was in DS9 as an old klingon and HAD RIDGES IN DS9... this is just wrong.. baaaaaaaaaaaaad go away dumb story go away!... unless its done in just jest and fun...
Is this the explanation?? That Coto left it as a simple disease? Or, will he connect it to "The Augments" arc...showing that the Klingons were impressed with Genetic engineering and attempted it themselves. Because, if it's just a simple disease, I really don't think it's a very original thought...
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"Being A Jackass Is Not A Talent, It's A Science"
...Quoted By Me While Passed Out Drunk
"Live Hard, Die Young, And Leave A Good Looking Corpse!"
--Kindred: The Embraced
Well, there's no doubt this is a contentious issue. I read the posts below.
HOWEVER, there's also no doubt everyone will tune in to watch it. It'll get good ratings. Now slap a preview for the following week's ep after it, and you've got a win-win scenario for Coto et al.
With this idea, they really can't go wrong (unless the episode is another "Spock's Brain.")
There were some hooded aliens in "Journey to Babel". Anyone think they have decided those were Rigelians?
This could be another plus for ENT and the franchise as a whole! Honestly, I can't help but wonder how many people have ever noticed the so-called continuity issues with the Vulcans, hence I doubt they will recognise the current Vulcan arc as being something that is trying to explain anything. But people will surely notice an attempt to explain the human-looking Klingons! If "Affliction" turns out to be a believable story that doesn't introduce new and glaring problems, I think it will be well received.
Man oh MAN do I HATE this!! The change in Klingon makeup
should NEVER NEVER NEVER be mentioned of acknowledged on screen!!
No good explaination can ever be given and anything they come up with
will be convoluted and dumb. There WAS NO CHANGE in appearance for
the Klingons!!!! They have ALWAYS looked the SAME to the characters
on the screen. It is only the AUDIENCE who ever noticed a change!
The change in makeup is simular to a change in animation style on an
animated series. No "canon" reason was ever given by the Loony Tunes
writers as the why Elmer Fudd's appearance changed from the early
episodes to the later episodes. No reason should be given on STAR
TREK either!
DS9's "Trials and Tribblations" handled the subject perfectly with
Worf dismissing the changes by refusing to talk about it. They took
something that had no explaination and simply had Worf refuse to
explain it. It was funny, and a million times better then anything
the writers could have come up with.
This is the first terrible idea that Manny COtto has come up with.
The Rigellian was created as a violet/purple skin reptilian alien with bulbous yellow eyes. At least one Rigellian is in the rec room prominently and the design was used in Milton Bradley puzzles, Topps Cards and a Mego 3 3/4 "Rigellian" action figure was released. So in effect, the Rigellians have been established already by STTMP, approved of course by G. Roddenberry.
Well, this looks cool!!!
I've been waiting for some kind of reason for the difference. Someone commented that this isn't about being a history lesson, but this move will undoubtedly answer the subject of many debates over the years. Some people just don't seem to understand the need for cohesiveness in the STAR TREK mythos. I for one support this plot point. After the previous years of anorexic ENT, this series is finally putting on a little weight. Those who oppose this answer to the Klingon ridges mystery just don't get it yet, but they will.
Ratings will increase, things will make sense in the STAR TREK universe, and the franchise will live on.
I wonder if the green fluid is extract of tribble?
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"Beam me up Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here."
This may in fact be a comedy episode like The Trouble With Tribbles.
If that is the ailment that inflicted TOS era Klingons, then they must have found the cure around the TOS movie era to explain why Kang, Kor and Koloth got their ridges back (In Flashback Kang had his ridges back set circa Trek VI) and of course in DS9 they all had ridges.
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"Men don't use sex to get what they want. Sex IS what they want" - Frasier
Ha!
This issue has already been addressed in DS9's Tribble episode. Worf's statement, "It's not something we discuss with outsiders," is humorous, clever, and leaves the literal answer to the imagination. It made me laugh. And of course the real answer is that the show just had not developed the makeup in the 1960s.
By taking the time to explore that literal answer, we're seeing another example of Enterprise grasping at straws to come up with stories. I don't think Ent has to be such a slave to what's been already established. If preserving continutity negates a quality episode, then ignore the continuity.
This is supposed to be television that's fun to watch, not a history class.
Wow. Honestly, we all joked about it, but I never thought they would actually touch the ridgeless TOS Klingons with a 10 par-sec pole! You know, it could be a really cool story. It could also be really stupid, but I think the past 7 weeks have shown that the writers are much more adept at producing the former than the latter.
I did, however, expect to see the NX-02 again. So much for Hernandez being another "Captain's old girlfriend that we only see for one episode." I just hope they don't make her too much like the Kirk/Picard maidens-of-the-ep... again, with all the work they've been doing to "improve" or "legitimize" T'Pol, not something I see the writers doing.
I'm so glad that they're pushing the envelope here a little. Trying to explain why the Klingons didn't have bumps on their heads in the TOS time frame is a very far out and I bet difficult concept to tackle. If they avoid enough clichés, it just may be one of the most original storylines the show has produced.
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"You work eighteen hours
And what do ya get?
Your parents sell ya to
Paris Hilton..."
-Butters Stodge; South Park, "Stupid Spoiled Wh*re Video Playset"
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"The Andorian Mining Consortium runs from no one!" -Shran (ENT "Proving Ground")
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"The only voices in my head are asking the same thing 'Why does a man call himself a "Gerbil King"?'" -Scorned
For those who remember, when the DS9 crew winds up back in time with Kirk and the tribbles Sisko comments on the lack of forehead ridges. Worf's reply is that is something Klingons don't like to talk about. If, as is implied in this article, it is a result of biological testing/manipulation by Klingons on Klingons I can understand why.
Coto's becoming the Larry Flynt of 'continuity-porn'. ;)
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"The autumn days swung soft around me, like cotton on my skin, but as the embers of the summer lost their breath and disappeared...my heart went cold and only hollow rhythms resounded from within."
WOW! Coto is just jumping from one water pot to the next.
Anyone find it strange that this storyiline is approved after the wide acceptance of "The Forge"?
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"I can't be President. I mean, I've abused cocaine and I've been arrested. Besides, its completely stupid to believe somebody can be President just because his father was."
--Charlie Sheen (Saturday Night Live 2000)
well, I guess this answers all our questions as to why klingons in TOS have no head ridges.
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Picard-
“Captains Log. We’re heading toward Federation space at maximum warp. The crew has responded with the dedication I’ve come to expect from them. And like a thousand other commanders on a thousand other battlefields, I wait for the dawn”