Tuvok/Tim Russ is indeed awesome! Spock was a science officer, and Tuvok is a security guy, so it's perfectly logical for him to have a slightly peevish attitude, surely. Wouldn't it be boring if all Vulcans acted alike? I didn't really grow up with
TOS, either, so for me, Tuvok has always been Vulcan #1.
I also agree that
Voyager had a super charismatic cast, unlike the mostly sleepy and bland crew that followed them. Well,
half sleepy, maybe - Bakula, Blalock, Trineer, and Billingsley were solid enough, but Park, Keating, and Montgomery were pretty weak sauce.