I think Neelix was a good character. He was someone who initially seemed like an annoying goofball, but once you got to know him, you discovered there was a very sensitive, earnest, good-hearted guy who'd been hurt badly by life and was very insecure and lonely as a result. And so he could be a flawed character, capable of intense jealousy and cowardice and bad judgment in his eagerness to please, but he could also be very heartfelt, poignant, and heroic. Which makes him a lot more complex and nuanced than most of the VGR cast.
And full credit should go to Ethan Phillips, who did a fine job portraying Neelix's sensitive inner core. I've just been rewatching season 3, and some of my favorite moments have been his. "Fair Trade" is mostly a lame episode, but that final scene where Neelix confesses his fear of being useless to Janeway and is so touched and thrilled when she "punishes" him in a way that guarantees he'll be kept aboard is just beautiful. He also does some fine acting in "Rise."
