Does anybody else think that Tuvok was underused in the series? He is one of my favorite characters in the show and it bothers me that he didn't have a big enough role, or at least I think so. Early on in the series he was more of a prominent character and then later on he was reduced to a sort of secondary character often having maybe three lines an episode it seems. Not to mention overall throughout the whole series there are very few episodes that are "Tuvok" episodes. All of this kind of bothers me especially because Tuvok is one of the better characters on the show and Tim Russ is one of the better actors.
Tuvok...Underused?
- Thread starter DS9
- Start date
I honestly don't believe a character needs a whole ep. to themselves to develope them. However due to the fact that Tuvok wasn't as prominate, it actually made me appreciate the character & his dry wit humor that much more. By that same token, underusing him IMO made what he said when he did speak all that much more interesting. IMO his speech of comfort to Ensign Wildmen about Niomi's survival if she were to loose her mother is one of the best moments in Voyager/Trek, as well as the touching Janeway's shoulder in "Twisted" or their embrace in "YOH". It was those small subtle moments that made Tuvok great.
That is an interesting perspective, exodus.
I try.
I think the one thing I learned from Voyager was to appreciate subtlity in certain characters as opposed to in your face ones. Some characters like Seven or Be'Lanna are bold and up front but other like Neelix & Tuvok are subtle in their development. Tuvok's is one who's body language speaks just as much as his actual words.
Cut Chakotay, he wad a waste of time and space on Voyager. Tuvok as XO and security chief would have worked great.
...except he wouldn't have been a Maquis. Hmmm... maybe Tuvok the Romulan?
...except he wouldn't have been a Maquis. Hmmm... maybe Tuvok the Romulan?
^ That would have been different.
My favorite Tuvok moment is him shaving in YoH II. Without even saying a word he said everything he had to about his pride and determination.
And yes, he was underused.
My favorite Tuvok moment is him shaving in YoH II. Without even saying a word he said everything he had to about his pride and determination.
And yes, he was underused.
Yes. And yet no. Viewing series as whole, Russ/Tuvok proved the adage of: less is more. I don't care whether others liked him or not; I thought he was great. Not overused or underused. And his and Janeway's moments in Endgame I think are still some of best in Trek...
Agree with this -- but just keep him as a Vulcan.
The Voyager crew my day-dreaming has produced:
Janeway -- as a little less erratic and more balanced
Tuvok -- as XO
Doctor -- as-is
Neelix -- toned down and more deviously insightful ala Garak
Kes -- as-is...don't leave
Seven -- as-is...delayed introduction and all
Change:
Torres --> Cardassian Female
Paris --> Bajoran Male
* Think Kira/Dukat with the genders reversed and neither being a sadistic murderer
Drop:
Chakotay
Harry
Sorry....
Add:
Asian American Federation Ambassador -- gets whisked away with VOY on her maiden voyage...ends up overseeing the Hydroponics gardens...elderly and wise, crew seeks out his advice ala Guinan
no more or less so than the rest of the non-Seven/Holodoc/Janeway characters were when the show became all about those three in the later seasons. It was sad to see Janeway and Tuvok's friendship pushed aside though as the series went on, as I really liked that element in the early seasons.(and look at "endgame" to see how well it worked when they went to it)
I will say he was underused just because as one of my favourite characters on Voyager I'd have loved to see more of him. But even though he wasn't the centerpiece of many episodes, he always stood out when he spoke because of how well he played the character. As someone else said, he was a character of subtlety, as all the good Vulcans probably are. It's often not about what he says or what he does, but how he does it, and Tim Russ was a master of making that work for his character.
Agree with this -- but just keep him as a Vulcan.
The Voyager crew my day-dreaming has produced:
Janeway -- as a little less erratic and more balanced
Tuvok -- as XO
Doctor -- as-is
Neelix -- toned down and more deviously insightful ala Garak
Kes -- as-is...don't leave
Seven -- as-is...delayed introduction and all
Change:
Torres --> Cardassian Female
Paris --> Bajoran Male
* Think Kira/Dukat with the genders reversed and neither being a sadistic murderer
Drop:
Chakotay
Harry
Sorry....
Add:
Asian American Federation Ambassador -- gets whisked away with VOY on her maiden voyage...ends up overseeing the Hydroponics gardens...elderly and wise, crew seeks out his advice ala Guinan
I'd have been all for this crew. Klingons were overdone by Voyager and Voyager always felt like it had too many main characters.
...or we could just re-watch DS9 since it's just rehashing all the same types of species & character traits from it.
Agree with this -- but just keep him as a Vulcan.
The Voyager crew my day-dreaming has produced:
Janeway -- as a little less erratic and more balanced
Tuvok -- as XO
Doctor -- as-is
Neelix -- toned down and more deviously insightful ala Garak
Kes -- as-is...don't leave
Seven -- as-is...delayed introduction and all
Change:
Torres --> Cardassian Female
Paris --> Bajoran Male
* Think Kira/Dukat with the genders reversed and neither being a sadistic murderer
Drop:
Chakotay
Harry
Sorry....
Add:
Asian American Federation Ambassador -- gets whisked away with VOY on her maiden voyage...ends up overseeing the Hydroponics gardens...elderly and wise, crew seeks out his advice ala Guinan
I'd have been all for this crew. Klingons were overdone by Voyager and Voyager always felt like it had too many main characters.
No, that's Chuck Norris or Bruce Willis.
Totally agree. Tuvok is a great example of how to develop a character for the audience and not have it handed to them on a plate but through time.
Ok. Here's my little problem with this little statement: is she any less balanced than Mr I'm-Going-to-Blow-a-Planet-Up-Because-I'm-Not-Getting-My-Way?
She had one, two if you count the beginning but without that decision there would have been no show, that was really questionable, but not to the degree of some of Sisko's actions.
