What Makes A Character Your Favorite?

[Stephen of Borg 2]

What is it that makes your favorite Trek characters your favorite? Spock, Data, Trip and so on have been named favorites among others. What is it about these characters that make them so likable in your opinion? Who are your favorite characters and why? What separates them from the rest? What makes your least favorite character your least favorite?

Edited August 9, 2006 by Gamera

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

For me, an obvious combination of decent to stellar writing, character development and superb portrayal by the actor. The latter is particularly critical in what makes Q my favorite Trek character.

[trekz 7]

For me, an obvious combination of decent to stellar writing, character development and superb portrayal by the actor. The latter is particularly critical in what makes Q my favorite Trek character.

I agree youbroughtheryouRiker! I too enjoy Q immensely. I also want to see something unique or different about a character, such as the Vulcan/human elements of Spock, my favorite character, the android Data who continues to try to discover his humanity, or Worf, trying to balance his Klingon heritage and Starfleet career while maintaining his sense of honor. I also gravitate toward characters that show qualitiies that I admire, such as loyalty as with Spock and McCoy toward Kirk and Scotty's loyalty and devotion to the Enterprise. I also like characters with quirks, such as Scotty with his wonderful accent, McCoy's Southern drawl and his fear of having his atoms scattered when he transported (also shared by the practical no- nonsense Dr. Pulaski), and the wonderfully nervous and insecure Barclay. I also appreciate bravery and skill in the face of danger, whether it's Spock, Picard, Kirk, Data or any of the others who share their universe. Whenever the writers give a character sufficient character development, it's going to give me the opportunity to either identify with that character or appreciate his/her uniqueness.

 

As far as least favorite characters, it's probably more about their character development, and the writing than the actors. Kes I found too nice and one note, and Wesley's HE'S saved the ship again! episodes got really old and predictable.

Edited August 13, 2006 by trekz

[Guest Voyager]

My favourite character is Janeway - humourous, relaxed but authoritive and stern when she needs be. My answer might be a little biased seeing as Kate Mulgrew is my favourite actor.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

It's hard to say - while good development and acting are important there are many well written and well acted characters who may not be my favorite - Capt Picard for example. I liked Picard but he wasn't my favorite. I fon't think it is really a conscious decision to pick a favorite - it just happens. I do think physical attractiveness helps (but it didn't make Kirk my favorite) and those characters that resonate with something important to us also appeal to us.

 

Connor Trinneer made Trip funny, as did Spiner with Data and humor always makes a character more appealing to me - by humor I mean true humor - not slapstick or stupid or annoying (like Neelix). But then Trinneer and Spiner are also excellent actors.

 

Spock would be my number one all time favorite. Data, Trip, Kira & Paris were each series favorite

 

I can say I don't like characters that are annoying - Wesley comes to mind. I wasn't crazy about Worf or Neelix or Hoshi. I strongly disliked T'Pol - partly because I didn't feel they developed the character true to what Vulcans should be but also because Blalock was IMO a terrible actress (she gave an equally monotone performance on Stargate)

 

I had problems with Jadzia because I just couldn't warm up to the concept of joining - I'm such an individualist it just bothers me (feel the same about the Tok'ra)

 

Some characters just get more screen time or they get better scripts. Trip got some good scripts at first - Bashir and Garak got some great scripts. There is nothing about Garak that appeals to me on a personal level but he was an intriguing character and I think he made each ep he was in more interesting.