If we were contacted by aliens tomorrow...

[Morrus]

... which fictional alien race would you most want it to be? Vulcans? Gallifreyans? Wookies? Whatever ET was? Something else?

Caveat: the aliens do possess the ability to visit us. FTL travel or something.

 

[megamania]

Vulcans would be peaceful but shake their heads at how illogical we are. "E.T." would leave after collecting a few plants and discover the phone service here is iffy. Wookies..... they are hiding in the NW in the mts already.

Hard to decide

 

[MechaPilot]

I'd have to say Vulcans. I think they'd be the most courteous about trying not to destroy our culture.

 

[Ryujin]

Gort and the police robots of the interplanetary federation ("The Day the Earth Stood Still" - 1951). We need someone to tell us to stop killing each other, or to at least keep us from poisoning the rest of the galaxy.

 

[MechaPilot]

I have to confess that my first thought was actually the "To Serve Man" aliens. Sure, they ate a bunch of people. Sure, we'd have to turn on them when we found out what they were really up to. In the mean time, we get sources of unlimited power, energy shields that cover entire continents, super-fertilizers that can end world hunger. And hey, if they wanted to pay for me to get liposuction so they can have some human fat to grease their pans with, why not.

 

[Cristian Andreu]

The Mondoshawan from 5th Element seemed pretty nice, going about with their whole "Protectors of the Universe" thing without having to be insufferable like most "Protector of the Universe"-type aliens.

Plus they walk really slow, so they are easy to run away from in case they get angry.

 

[Tonguez]

Antareans the luminescent humanoids that cocooned themselves for 10000 years when they were stranded by the sinking of Atlantis. Their ability to restore youthful vigour to humans and apparently stimulate the libido are just too good to pass up, especially given that they are peaceful and benevolent

 

[delericho]

The aliens from "Independence Day" - hostile, and tough enough to force humanity to unite against them, yet weak enough to be brought down by one guy with a Mac.

 

[Joker]

The Asari from Mass Effect. Hot blue aliens. What's not to love?

I'm also speaking on behalf of William Shatner.

 

[Eltab]

Are we sure that Puppeteers (Larry Niven's "Known Space" series) haven't already discovered us?
And are they trying to toughen up Humanity enough to handle the Kzinti for them?