Once critics had a chance to see the pilot of "Star Trek: Voyager" last month, a good number of them instantly tabbed Neelix, the alien played by Ethan Phillips, as a "break-out character."
Meaning, of course, that Neelix could well become an instant favorite among viewers.But Phillips said he wasn't quite sure how to interpret the comments as to his break-out potential.
"My answer to that was they're referring to the make-up removal that's caused me to break out all over my face," he recently told critics.
Through the first handful of episodes, however, the predictions about Phillips' character have held true. The odd-looking alien Neelix has not only provided humor, but he's become an integral part of the Voyager crew - so intergral that the plot of the third regular episode revolved around him.
"I think he's a pretty lovable guy," Phillips said. "It's an amazing role because there are so many wondeful colors to the man and it may be one of the best roles I've ever hand an opportunity to play. . . . There's really something deep and heightened about him and it's just an incredible challenge and fun to think about him and do him."
When referring to those "wonderful colors," Phillips didn't mean the strange skin shades he takes on under the heavy makeup - makeup that takes at least 2 1/2 hours to apply and another 1 1/2 hours to remove.
And being buried under all that latex doesn't worry the actor.
"People recognize my voice," he said. "And I also think this makeup is so organic - it takes so much of my face and expands on it - it's really hard to tell where I end and the makeup begins.
"A lot of people have said to me, `I see you through it so easily. I know it's you.' So I wouldn't be surprised if I am recognized."
If Phillips had known a little bit more about "Star Trek," he might have known what he was getting himself into. But he didn't.
"I did not even know when I auditioned for it that it was a makeup part," he said. "I had read the term `humanoid' in the breakdown and I thought that meant he was human.
"It wasn't until the final test, just when I was about to walk in, (that) the lady sitting next to me said, `By the way, I've seen sketches of your character . . .,' and I said, `What?'
"She said, `Yeah, you look like a groundhog.'
"And I walked right into the room to do my audition. . . . So I didn't even have time to think about it."
A PLEASANT SURPRISE: Rick Berman, Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor and Co. sure know how to make "Star Trek" series.
Their experience on both "Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine" clearly shows on the new "Voyager." The creators/executive producers of the fourth "Trek" series are putting on a great show this time around.
"Voyager" has all the best elements of "Next Generation," and has avoided the mistakes of "Deep Space Nine."
Whereas both of the previous "Trek" series struggled somewhat out of the gate - even "Next Generation" didn't really get good until the third season - "Voyager" has been a winner from the first episode. Good writing, great casting and the requisite special effects have combined to create a wonderful series.
Thus far, each episode has been up there with the best of "Next Generation." Even a pair of episodes with echoes from the past - plots involving time travel and the theft of an organ from a major character - were fresh, inventive and great fun to watch.
And the chemistry among the cast members has been excellent.
There's no sign of the "Star Trek" franchise burning out any time soon.
SHE'S A WOMAN: Happily, "Voyager" has not made a big deal out of the fact that the captain of the ship is a woman - Capt. Kathryn Janeway, played by Kate Mulgrew. It's simply a fact that no one questions.
But, according to Mulgrew, the fact that she's female hasn't been forgotten. And the audience will note difference between Kathryn Janeway and her predecessors, Capt. Kirk, Capt. Picard and Commander Sisko.
"I am allegedly a woman," Mulgrew said. "And that's lends itself to maternity, to compassion, to warmth. To a lot of qualities that our culture has encouraged in women.
"So, I then will take this character into greater dimensions, I think, emotionally as a woman than perhaps a male captain would feel as free to do. I think that's the best way to put it."
Those differences in gender have already been felt in the episode that aired last week.
"There is one line that Neelix says . . . that has never been said to a captain before, and that is, `You have a lovely shade of lipstick on today, Captain,' " said executive producer Rick Berman.
LONGEVITY: Some members of the original "Star Trek" cast spent years bemoaning the fact that they'd been type-cast and couldn't find other roles.
The cast of "Voyager" hasn't been at it for long yet, but they don't seem overly concerned about type-casting. As a matter of fact, they're currently grateful to have their work seen by a few million people every week.
"As an actor, sometimes you do work and then it's forgotten," said Robert Duncan McNeill, who stars as Lt. Tom Paris. "You do a play and 50 people see it. Or you do a TV show and it airs once.
"That's one thing that's great about this. . . . For the rest of our lives people will know this part of our work. And that's great, to have that sort of longevity."
BASED ON ANOTHER CHARACTER: "Voyager" is not McNeill's first "Trek" experience - he played a very similar character on "Next Generation" a few years back.
In a 1992 episode titled "The First Duty," McNeill guest starred as Cadet First Class Nicholas Locarno. Like Tom Paris, that character was a hotshot pilot who caused the death of a Starfleet comrade through his recklessness and had his career ruined when he tried to cover the incident up.
"I have no problem telling you that that episode inspired us to look at that character and also to bring this actor into the fold," said executive producer Michael Piller. "But there were certain things about that character that we did not like. And so we went back to ground zero and started rebuilding him, but with a similar backstory that we could mold into our own use for this pilot."
However, the producers initially resisted bringing McNeill back to play this very similar character.
"It was the old joke," said executive producer Rick Berman. "I casting the role we kept saying we wanted someone who looks a little bit like Robert Duncan McNeill and we kept seeing people and kept saying, `No, we want somebody who looks a little bit like Robert Duncan McNeill.' And then we finally went for it."
And the producers aren't worried about confusing Trekkers.
"I have no problems with the recognition factor," Piller said. "If it helps certain viewers who are fans of `The Next Generation' understand this character more, that's fine. I don't think there's any conflict to be had there."
LIVE LONG AND PROSPER: Another nice thing about "Voyager" is the return of a Vulcan character - Tuvok, played by Tim Russ.
(And it's also great that the fact that Tuvok is a black Vulcan has also not been part of the plot.)
Unlike Leonard Nimoy's Mr. Spock in classic "Trek," who has half human, Tuvok is a full-blooded Vulcan. And he promises we'll see some other differences between the two characters.
"(Tuvok) will be similar to his predecessor. . . . Because of the fans, because of the history of the character that preceded me, there is a certain consistency with the Vulcan principles and philosophy that we will uphold," Russ said. "But there will be exploration of my character as on individual in terms of the intricacies of his personality and what his intentions may be and this kind of thing.
"As a matter of fact, I can guarantee you you will see some of that coming up very shortly. So there will be some differences."