Now, this may be a slightly
radical view, but
Star Trek is just a
show. It is easier (and much better on one's
budget) to have
humanoid characters. It takes far less work, especially for a weekly show, to put people in relatively
simple makeup. The black guy in ears, he's a
Vulcan. You all know that. The girl with the wrinkly nose, she's a
Bajoran.
When you see
Leonard Nimoy in those
ears with blue shirt on, do you think "Boy,
why would Vulcans be so tall?" No, you wouldn't. You would think, "
Hey Spock, do that neck thing again." There is a healthy thing in
entertainment called:
Suspension of Disbelief
Who cares if
Tuvok is a
black actor. He is a
Vulcan, trapped on
Voyager. It's a
story. Now when you think too hard, and try to
extract too much meaning out of a show that wasn't meant to be read that
deeply, then you are stepping out of that
suspension. Voyager has a lot to live up to in the
television category, and perhaps it is their fault for not holding the
audience. Lots of other
Sci-Fi shows use humanoids as characters. It helps the watcher to
identify with them. I think that
Tuvok being black is a good thing. It gives the show a bit of
diversity for plot purposes.
So sit back and watch the show. Ask questions to yourself later. Follow the story line, and don't look at things that are not meant to be
picked on. So not every show in
prime time is extremely
meticulous. Sit back, and be
entertained. Save your level of
circumspection for your own life.