How Would You Fix Neelix?

[clearspira]

Buffoons just don't come across well in modern, non-comedic fiction, not unless it's a very well-written work or you're dealing with a very minor character. Comic relief can be tricky under any circumstance, but it usually seems to come across much better if the character is competent.

With Neelix, the idea of an alien guide across the Delta Squadron is a pretty good one, especially if you're intent on bringing an alien or two on board as part of the permanent cast. It's fine to have the character be unaware of Starfleet procedure or how to run a starship, but I don't think such a character should be the go-to for comic relief. Make him warm and affable- Janeway and the rest of the crew are most concerned with getting themselves home, so I would put Neelix in the position of being the voice of the Delta Quadrant and bringing their perspective to the table.

Thing is though, Neelix wasn't a buffoon in season 1. He was a dark, vindictive, manipulative, confrontational, and rather two-faced character. And whilst they handwaved it later on as some phobia, watch the way he acts in the Cloud: my best description of him here would neither be comic relief or buffoon.
IMO, it was the last episode of season 1 with the cheese that really saw him ascend to comic relief levels, and even then, the main part of his jealous streak would persist until he attacks Tom Paris.

Maybe if they stuck with THIS Neelix, or as I like to put it ''kept him a bit Rygel'', he would have been far more interesting. But Voyager did to him what they did to the Maquis very quickly.

[nebagram]

Two words: hardened survivor. He's meant to have survived by himself on his crappy spaceship ever since his homeworld got Jetrelled. Give him that sort of character and don't let him get so 'domesticated' (fleas notwithstanding) too quickly. The character of Dureena from the Babylon 5 spin-off is a good example to look at here. And as heretical as it may sound, on the topic of 'domesticated', ditch Kes.

[Karha of Honor]

Two words: hardened survivor. He's meant to have survived by himself on his crappy spaceship ever since his homeworld got Jetrelled. Give him that sort of character and don't let him get so 'domesticated' (fleas notwithstanding) too quickly. The character of Dureena from the Babylon 5 spin-off is a good example to look at here. And as heretical as it may sound, on the topic of 'domesticated', ditch Kes.

So you need to replace the actor?

[Madner Kami]

Two words: hardened survivor. He's meant to have survived by himself on his crappy spaceship ever since his homeworld got Jetrelled. Give him that sort of character and don't let him get so 'domesticated' (fleas notwithstanding) too quickly. The character of Dureena from the Babylon 5 spin-off is a good example to look at here. And as heretical as it may sound, on the topic of 'domesticated', ditch Kes.

So you need to replace the actor?

Because?

[Karha of Honor]

Two words: hardened survivor. He's meant to have survived by himself on his crappy spaceship ever since his homeworld got Jetrelled. Give him that sort of character and don't let him get so 'domesticated' (fleas notwithstanding) too quickly. The character of Dureena from the Babylon 5 spin-off is a good example to look at here. And as heretical as it may sound, on the topic of 'domesticated', ditch Kes.

So you need to replace the actor?

Because?

I am open minded, could that guy play tough and grizzled? I only saw him on VOY.

[Madner Kami]

Two words: hardened survivor. He's meant to have survived by himself on his crappy spaceship ever since his homeworld got Jetrelled. Give him that sort of character and don't let him get so 'domesticated' (fleas notwithstanding) too quickly. The character of Dureena from the Babylon 5 spin-off is a good example to look at here. And as heretical as it may sound, on the topic of 'domesticated', ditch Kes.

So you need to replace the actor?

Because?

I am open minded, could that guy play tough and grizzled? I only saw him on VOY.

It's Ethan Phillips. An accomplished actor and in the business since 1977. Give him material to work with and he will work the hell out of it.

[nebagram]

Two words: hardened survivor. He's meant to have survived by himself on his crappy spaceship ever since his homeworld got Jetrelled. Give him that sort of character and don't let him get so 'domesticated' (fleas notwithstanding) too quickly. The character of Dureena from the Babylon 5 spin-off is a good example to look at here. And as heretical as it may sound, on the topic of 'domesticated', ditch Kes.

So you need to replace the actor?

Because?

I am open minded, could that guy play tough and grizzled? I only saw him on VOY.

It's Ethan Phillips. An accomplished actor and in the business since 1977. Give him material to work with and he will work the hell out of it.

And if the goofy dad from Malcolm in the Middle can play one of the biggest and darkest badasses in TV history, why not?

[CmdrKing]

In general, like most things in Voyager, their original concept was perfectly sound and they just lacked the conviction to follow through. Neelix as a small-time con and scrounger is a good third angle to add to the original Maquis/Star Fleet clash concept. That version of Neelix could be pragmatic in a way that appeals to the scrappy resistance group mentality that the Maquis should hold, but his first tactic in most situations would be to negotiate (to learn how to exploit the mark of course), which will unruffle some feathers among the Star Fleet crew. Sure, nobody exactly trusts him, but he'd be a living example of the sort of "speak softly and carry a daring escape plan" mentality that the combined crew would eventually gravitate towards.

[ChiggyvonRichthofen]

Making Neelix a vindictive, two-faced character or small time con could be interesting, but my one reservation is that Voyager would need some pretty good reasons to not boot him off the ship.

The same problem cropped up with Dr. Smith in Lost in Space, a guy who murders someone in the very first episode and is constantly allowed to cause mischief and endanger their lives throughout the show. The new Lost in Space is Maybe this is part of the reason why both characters were recast as comic relief pretty early on- to provide justification for not getting rid of them.

[Nealithi]

Follow both his introduction in the pilot. A scrappy scavenger and businessman. Knows people though they may not like him. And shrewd in a ruthless way. Need to distract the kazon? Shoot the water tank. They will scramble to save the resource and you can escape. Guess what it worked. It goes against the Federation. But it worked. So he is brought on board for his knowledge of the region. Fine, have them hear his hard bitten comments. And ignore them because it is not the utopian Federation way. But let him be right. "Oh those guys adrift there? Yeah just leave them. More trouble than they are worth if you pick them up." Everyone looks on him with horror. Then they pickup the poor wrecked survivors. They are so nice and polite while the main characters are around. And trying to steal anything not nailed down when they are not looking. IE let Neelix be right. You can break this up with some of his attitude is prejudice he needs to get over. And he himself tends to hoard things in secret compartments on his ship should they ever kick him off. Let that come up in an attack where an enemy has mostly taken Voyager. Some of the cast hide on Neelix's salvage ship and he happens to have useful supplies scattered about. And when they ask about it and feel indignant that he thinks it might be necessary. He could point out. If he hadn't been hiding such things away they would not have them now. Little bits where he comes of as a more believable survivor.