How to be Satisfied with a Balanced Diet of Characters

[Prax]

In a world of extremes, we must hunt for the good stuff.

Every character has their role in a story, a series, etc. Some begin at a certain place in life, so that they might grow into something else. Others have reached their growth before the story began.

Each character has needs that are different from one another, and those needs will necessitate how much of a presence they're given. Since we (humans) are 10x more prone to voice our dissatisfaction than contentment, this will be a difficult thread.

Which characters do you feel were given a "just right" amount of screentime, development, growth, appearances, etc? They could be mains, recurring, guest stars, or even characters from other Trek series.

 

[Horta]

I thought Seven was an interesting character. She evolved from a drone into a thoughtful human being with many facets. She was given a good amount of screen time which gave her the opportunity to develop fully.

I also thought the Hallodoc was a great character who evolved form a program with a one dimensional personality to a fun, interesting, fully realized character. he also was given a good amount of screen time, enough to allow him to develop.

 

[Refuge]

Which characters do you feel were given a "just right" amount of screentime, development, growth, appearances, etc? They could be mains, recurring, guest stars, or even characters from other Trek series.

I think Janeway owned her place and Kate Mulgrew. It almost goes without saying. (As a woman I am proud of the character development of the character). Even with the integration of other characters, example Seven and the development of say the Doctor, Janeway remained the lead. The Captain in Star Trek needs to have presence and to be fair each one in every version has done that.

Voyager of all the franchise versions had to make the most of its cast. There was no Alpha Quadrant Star Fleet to poach new characters and that aspect of Voyager is what makes these characters gain their worth. I know this is not popular but Neelix truly developed from an odd alien with this young moth girlfriend, to an expert in the Delta Quadrant, a cook, a mentor, and this underrated presence that held his own when he was needed. It has also always been one of my most favourite aspects of any Trek, the odd couple relationships. Neelix and Tuvok fit that bill.

Dare I even mention how Harry Kim rode his role right to Endgame where he was a feature player that gave Admiral Janeway her way back. So much is made of Harry being just an ensign but his rank actually didn't define his contribution to the story. Since I've posted on these boards I wonder if there is a set definition of various characters we are supposed to just accept. Harry is a loser, Seven is just a body, Chakotay wasn't rebellious enough. Yet watching without that 'filter' I never saw it that way. Paris, Tuvok, B'Elanna, and Chakotay made for a true ensemble.

Outside of Voyager there are standouts. Spock, Bones, (obviously Kirk), Picard, Riker, Data.

Got to say here that if I were to pick one 'background' character in the franchise that took a smaller role and made it iconic... it would be 'Q'. If I were to pick an alien that did the same. Then it is the Borg.

 

[MacLeod]

Which characters do you feel were given a "just right" amount of screentime, development, growth, appearances, etc? They could be mains, recurring, guest stars, or even characters from other Trek series.

In terms of the "just right" amount of screen time, in terms of the principal characters on VOY none of them, some had too much others not enough. That isn't to say that use of screen time was all bad. Some characters such as the EMH and Seven certainly had some character growth, whilst others such as Chakotay and Kim had very little growth.

 

[cosmic mouse]

I agree with Refuge on Janeway. She was the first VOY character that came to mind when I read your OP, Prax. For other main characters on VOY I'd add Tom and B'Elanna to the mix. Tom is actually pretty high on screen-time, all things considered anyway, at least when you look at line counts as an indicator. But he and B'Elanna were given decent enough time as far as quality goes for their individual developments as well as that of their relationship.

 

[Prax]

I was satisfied with:

B'elanna- I think she was given just the right amount of precedence, and I love her episodes, particularly in season 6.

Barclay- Not enough Barclay would be no fun, and too much Barclay would be... Too much Barclay. I am satisfied with his appearances, and character arc.

Sudor- I'm glad Sudor found some reconciliation in his life, and some redemption. I don't feel like I needed to see the "ongoing adventures of Sudor." I like how his path to redemption involved carrying out the acts that messed him up in the first place. It's a good story. If they just kept him as "that guy locked up on the ship, that we occasionally see" he would basically be what L'Rell became.

I have more, but I'll stop at 3 for now.

 

[Refuge]

^ I get what you're saying with Suder and it's a good distinction between volume of presence and what is actually the most impacting amount of time for the story. There was pathos to Suder because he came so far and really only needed three episodes to do that. A sociopath and a Betazoid to boot. Then the rewiring of his brain with the meld just changed his worth. I can't say enough about the portrayal though, Brad Dourif with those dead looking eyes and composure. He went from this detached killer to someone still in many ways an observer, but an observer of his own behaviour. I never felt he became this big softie but that he was able to see emotion and frailty. The tragedy was that he had to kill again and feel the loss to himself for doing it. His death gave him the chance to sacrifice and that was actually more than a satisfactory use of the character but a powerful use of it.

I agree about L'Rell just fizzing out and as a parallel to another flawed character from 'Trek' - Discovery's Lorca. To any who knows of his original presentation many of us thought him to be a damaged, compelling version of a Starfleet Captain. Unlike Suder though, his death totally betrayed that earlier interpretation of the character and in my opinion was not good story telling.

 

[Refuge]

I agree with Refuge on Janeway. She was the first VOY character that came to mind when I read your OP, Prax. For other main characters on VOY I'd add Tom and B'Elanna to the mix. Tom is actually pretty high on screen-time, all things considered anyway, at least when you look at line counts as an indicator. But he and B'Elanna were given decent enough time as far as quality goes for their individual developments as well as that of their relationship.

You know I think with Tom and B'Elanna it was having a couple develop a relationship which Voyager needed to do and probably more than they did. Options were terribly restricted and the crew was basically their whole society for years of uncertainty. It was a natural progression there would be couples and children to be born. I was actually glad the writers went with having Tom and B'Elanna settle as a couple and start a family.

 

[cosmic mouse]

You know I think with Tom and B'Elanna it was having a couple develop a relationship which Voyager needed to do and probably more than they did. Options were terribly restricted and the crew was basically their whole society for years of uncertainty. It was a natural progression there would be couples and children to be born. I was actually glad the writers went with having Tom and B'Elanna settle as a couple and start a family.

Yes, and I think this was a discussion point in one of the season threads I started a few months ago. Maybe it's deserving of its own topic. I don wish there had been maybe one or two additional developments in the areas of inter-personal relationships for the very reason you state. They were stranded on the ship with the same peeps for 7 years after all... anyway, T&B was handled quite well imho.

 

[Timewalker]

Yes, and I think this was a discussion point in one of the season threads I started a few months ago. Maybe it's deserving of its own topic. I don wish there had been maybe one or two additional developments in the areas of inter-personal relationships for the very reason you state. They were stranded on the ship with the same peeps for 7 years after all... anyway, T&B was handled quite well imho.

I think it does merit a separate thread. It's ludicrous that one of Janeway's earliest decisions was not that the rules regarding fraternization, dating, marriage, and children should be relaxed. Who did Janeway expect to be running the ship in another 70 years? Just because McCoy was still around and lucid at age 137, that doesn't mean everyone is.

Eventually the ship would have ended up being run by Tuvok, Naomi, and Icheb if nobody else had started pairing up and having kids.


To answer the OP: We didn't get enough of Naomi interacting with the Borg kids, and I wish Mezoti had remained on the ship. I can't think of any other regular or secondary characters who didn't get enough time. Of the tertiary characters, it would have been nice if Joe Carey and Vorik had been given more time.

 

[Refuge]

I wish Mezoti had remained on the ship. I can't think of any other regular or secondary characters who didn't get enough time. Of the tertiary characters, it would have been nice if Joe Carey and Vorik had been given more time.

It's funny but I often find kids on shows that didn't socialise around children as their premise, turn the kid into an annoyance or dumbs down the adults. Yet the Voyager 'kids' were okay. Naomi wasn't a drama queen like a lot of child characters become. That episode where Neelix didn't tell her that her Mother was missing, I was pretty impressed with how understanding she was with Neelix.

Was it official Captain 'Janeway' policy to avoid fraternisation in one's spare time? I know it was a personal choice for the likes of Janeway. I kind of assumed it was unknown how many single crew there were, I assumed many had partners they still expected to go home to. At the very beginning of the journey the prospect of a seventy year journey was the elephant in the room but it wasn't that long before their progress home seemed more a reality than a dream, othewise I agree, people would've paired off and started to breed, lol.

 

[Gul Sengosts]

I think EMH and Janeway were given about the right amount of time. Seven too much, Tuvok and Chakotay too little.

 

[Timewalker]

It's funny but I often find kids on shows that didn't socialise around children as their premise, turn the kid into an annoyance or dumbs down the adults. Yet the Voyager 'kids' were okay. Naomi wasn't a drama queen like a lot of child characters become. That episode where Neelix didn't tell her that her Mother was missing, I was pretty impressed with how understanding she was with Neelix.

Was it official Captain 'Janeway' policy to avoid fraternisation in one's spare time? I know it was a personal choice for the likes of Janeway. I kind of assumed it was unknown how many single crew there were, I assumed many had partners they still expected to go home to. At the very beginning of the journey the prospect of a seventy year journey was the elephant in the room but it wasn't that long before their progress home seemed more a reality than a dream, othewise I agree, people would've paired off and started to breed, lol.

Consider the episode when Sam Wildman tells Janeway she's pregnant (makes it clear that her Ktarian husband is the father and she didn't know of her pregnancy before boarding Voyager).

Janeway congratulates her, makes it clear that she's not angry, and of course there's no suggestion whatsoever that she would expect Samantha to get an abortion. That is her wakeup call that some of the crew will pair up and some will want to have children - and it wouldn't be fair to deny them.

Her views of fraternization aren't that it's 100% prohibited. She feels it's prohibited for her, and I would expect that Starfleet probably has the same rules that some 21st century outfits do - no fraternization (ie. relationships) between people who are in a situation where one has authority over the other. So if Voyager hadn't lost their organic medical staff, for example, it would have been wrong for the CMO to be in a relationship with a subordinate member of the medical staff.

There is also the expectation that relationships would be conducted discreetly. Torres and Paris were reprimanded for some very public PDAs and ordered to conduct themselves in a more dignified and discreet way.

 

[Horta]

Of the tertiary characters, it would have been nice if Joe Carey and Vorik had been given more time.

I completely agree. I think Vorik could have been an iconic character, on par with Spock. He was the PERFECT Vulcan in my view. In terms of temperament, he could have been Spock's son. I think if he had been a regular , he would have been one of the most popular characters. I lament they did not include him.

 

[MacLeod]

It's funny but I often find kids on shows that didn't socialise around children as their premise, turn the kid into an annoyance or dumbs down the adults. Yet the Voyager 'kids' were okay. Naomi wasn't a drama queen like a lot of child characters become. That episode where Neelix didn't tell her that her Mother was missing, I was pretty impressed with how understanding she was with Neelix.

Was it official Captain 'Janeway' policy to avoid fraternisation in one's spare time? I know it was a personal choice for the likes of Janeway. I kind of assumed it was unknown how many single crew there were, I assumed many had partners they still expected to go home to. At the very beginning of the journey the prospect of a seventy year journey was the elephant in the room but it wasn't that long before their progress home seemed more a reality than a dream, othewise I agree, people would've paired off and started to breed, lol.

But realistically speaking just as progress could progress well there might be times when it would slow down.

 

[MacLeod]

Of the tertiary characters, it would have been nice if Joe Carey and Vorik had been given more time.

I suspect the writers thought they had already killed Carey off and when they realised they hadn't they had to correct that grave oversight.

 

[miccaferoc]

I think the Doctor is the stand out character in the whole series and much of that is due to the fine acting of Robert Picardo.... and he was fabulous as Coach Cutlip in the Wonder Years too! He was probably given more than enough screen time but for me I was always left wanting more.

 

[cosmic mouse]

I think it does merit a separate thread.

...maybe when I have time over the weekend then.

 

[Timewalker]

...maybe when I have time over the weekend then.

Sounds good.

And I forgot to mention Vorik as one of the people who would be running the ship if nobody other than Sam Wildman had had kids. I don't remember if the show said how old he is, but he must be at least several decades younger than Tuvok.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Paris I would say was just about right, the others are all a little too skewed one way or the other.