Cameron Mitchell (Stargate)
Cameron Mitchell | |
---|---|
Human | |
Occupation | United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Colonel |
Family | Frank Mitchell (father) Wendy Mitchell (mother) Unnamed brother |
Nationality | American |
Colonel Cameron "Cam" Mitchell,
The first episodes of season 9 show Mitchell's struggle to reunite the former SG-1 members under his command. With the aid of Lt. Col. Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, the Jaffa Teal'c, and the alien thief Vala Mal Doran, Mitchell attempts to stop the Ori threat to the Milky Way galaxy during the series' run. Mitchell is an experienced fighter pilot and is often involved in close combat.
Despite Browder's popularity as former lead in the sci-fi TV series
Role in Stargate SG-1
Character arc
Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell is the son of Frank and Wendy Mitchell, long-time residents of Auburn, Kansas.[1] Mitchell occasionally mentions his Bible-thumping grandmother in comparison and contrast to the Ori religion.[2][3] As shown in Stargate: Continuum, Mitchell's grandfather was the captain of the ship that transported the Alpha Gate from Egypt to the United States in the late 1930s.
Two episodes flash back to Mitchell's past. As revealed in "
In his first appearance in the season 9 premiere "Avalon", Mitchell has fully recovered and opts to join SG-1. When he learns that the original team has moved on to new assignments, he becomes the new SG-1 leader but fails to assemble a new team. After the alien Vala Mal Doran arrives on Earth, Dr. Daniel Jackson and the alien Teal'c assist Mitchell for a treasure hunt on Earth that eventually sets off the Ori arc.[5] Mitchell takes his place at the head of this provisional team rather reluctantly.[7] Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter temporarily joins Mitchell's team in season 9's sixth episode, "Beachhead", which ends with Vala's disappearance.[8] Mitchell officially reunites the former SG-1 team one episode later in "Ex Deus Machina".[9] Vala reappears in late season 9 and officially joins SG-1 under Mitchell's command in season 10's "Memento Mori".[10] Mitchell continues to lead SG-1 in Stargate: The Ark of Truth and is promoted to colonel before his appearance in Stargate: Continuum (where the credits mistakenly[11] list him as "Lieutenant Colonel").
Characterization
At the beginning of season 9, Mitchell's main motivation is to get the SG-1 team back together.[12] Producer Robert C. Cooper wanted Cameron Mitchell to mirror the Stargate fandom and be a "super fan" of SG-1 and a "Stargate geek",[12] who is enthusiastic about exploring the galaxy.[13] Nevertheless, Browder described Mitchell as a "stoic" character who "actually follows military protocol";[14] the character has "a certain naïvety and innocence, even though he is neither particularly naïve or innocent".[15] Mitchell's personality and attitude depends on his location (on-base and off-world) and the people around him.[16] With Mitchell's team demeanor becoming subtler in season 10, Browder felt that the writers "finally figured out Mitchell's only superpower is getting beat up and bleeding".[17]
Browder considered Mitchell to be more restrained than his former
Relationships
Mitchell maintains a level of decorum around General Landry (Beau Bridges), but is more laid-back around the SG-1 members.[16] Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson) and Browder did not want to repeat the "cliché[d]" original O'Neill-Daniel dynamic where views on military and diplomacy clash. The actors tried to find some commonality between the characters while trying to develop an entertaining rapport between them.[20] By mid-season 9, their interaction had become playful, without being decidedly positive or antagonistic.[21] Although Mitchell and Teal'c (Christopher Judge) are both warriors and leaders, Teal'c is taken aback by Mitchell's enthusiasm at first, as he is more used to O'Neill's reserved attitude.[22] Teal'c is unsure if he likes Mitchell, but Mitchell forces Teal'c to interact with him. By not letting Teal'c step back and observe, Mitchell makes Teal'c an active part of the scene.[23]
Because Ben Browder and Claudia Black (Vala Mal Doran) were well known for formerly starring as star-crossed lovers in Farscape, the Stargate producers refrained from emphasizing the pairing of Mitchell and Vala beyond in-jokes.[24][25] The producers instead opted to further the comedic chemistry between Claudia Black and Michael Shanks.[21] When Vala's relationship with the SG-1 team members evolved in season 10, the producers grew comfortable with pairing Browder's and Black's characters more often, and even teased (and misled) viewers about them "end[ing] up in a motel room bed together" in the episode "Memento Mori", involving underwear, "handcuffs as well as creamy Twinkies".[26] A scene in the milestone episode "200" also parodied the show's connection to Farscape.[25]
Amanda Tapping (Samantha Carter) found that the introduction of the Ori threat inhibited major character and relationship development in season 9.[27] The characters are of equal rank, and regard each other with respect according to producer Joseph Mallozzi. They give each other fair weight in decision-making, and Mitchell defers to Carter on all science-related issues.[28] Tapping's favorite Mitchell-Carter scenes were some "neat sibling-type moments" in "Arthur's Mantle",[27] and moments showing their history and friendship in "Line in the Sand", "The Road Not Taken", and Stargate: The Ark of Truth.[29] Browder regretted after season 10 that he had not worked enough with the cast besides Tapping, and that "the fans probably feel that way as well".[30]
Several episodes hint at Mitchell's love life. The early episodes of season 9 suggest a relationship between Mitchell and Landry's daughter, Dr.
SG-1 leadership
Mitchell was conceived as the leader of SG-1 who brings the team back together.[32] Following negative fan reactions to Carter's cancelled leadership within the team (she commanded SG-1 throughout season 8),[33] Browder noted the production difficulties that came with Amanda Tapping's maternity leave, and claimed that new leaders are brought in routinely into units in military reality.[33] Tapping admitted to also have been "kind of put off" upon learning that someone else would lead SG-1,[32] and hoped that the producers would make SG-1 more of an ensemble team in season 10 by removing the patriarchal line of command.[27] The writers decided after an animated discussion after the initial season 9 episodes that Mitchell and Carter should co-command the team,[34] although they left Mitchell in the official leadership position.
Whereas Mitchell can hardly cope with leading the team in season 9, Mitchell is more comfortable with his leadership position in Stargate: The Ark of Truth.[13] Browder described Mitchell's early leadership difficulties as "dealing with what are essentially legendary characters within the mythology of the show"; ordering them around would ring false or as hubris from both an audience- and storytelling perspective.[13] Tapping eventually considered the question of leadership irrelevant; Mitchell cannot give orders to his team since he and Carter hold the same military rank, and Daniel and Teal'c are not members of the United States military.[32] Mitchell thus plays more to the strength of the team,[16] choosing a leadership style that is comparable to elite teams like Delta units, where everyone participates to the fullest of their abilities and defers to the specialist quickly when needed.[15]
Conceptual history
Conception
The producers had discussed casting Ben Browder as a possible Major John Sheppard[35] and Colonel Dillon Everett[36] for the first season of Stargate Atlantis. Browder was still filming Farscape at that time, but had met several Stargate producers on sci-fi conventions. With Richard Dean Anderson's (Jack O'Neill) departure from Stargate SG-1 after season 8 (2005), Ben Browder and the Stargate producers got together as soon as the introduction of new main characters was discussed.[37] Browder's character was codenamed "M.M."[38] until the producers settled on the name "Cameron 'Cam' Mitchell", with the aviator call sign "Shaft", a pun on camshaft.[39]
Also joining the main cast in season 9 was Beau Bridges as General Hank Landry. The alien Vala Mal Doran (played by Browder's former Farscape co-star Claudia Black) was re-introduced for a six-episode story arc to cover for the maternity leave of SG-1 regular Amanda Tapping (Lieutenant-Colonel Samantha Carter).[40] Since the producers had not realized the physical resemblance between Browder and Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson) when Browder was cast, Shanks grew a beard that he would sport in the first six episodes of season 9; the characters would also often wear differently-colored Battle Dress Uniforms.[31] Vala's line in "Avalon" that Earth seems to have a "limited gene pool"[5] refers to the actors' similar looks.[36]
Having sporadically watched episodes of SG-1 over the years, Browder watched the first previous seasons of SG-1 in two and a half weeks to catch up with the show,[41] which the writers would turn into a recurring in-joke that Mitchell had read every SG-1 mission report before joining the SG-1 team.[12] Browder relocated to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where Stargate SG-1 was being filmed. His family, who had been with him in Australia during his Farscape years, stayed in Los Angeles,[19][33] although Browder's children would appear as background characters in "The Ties That Bind" during their set visit.[31]
Development
Browder put the character's direction into the hands of the writers[38] but thought that the audience would define Mitchell through the character's actions and words and not by his backstory in the end.[19] He wanted to humanize the character without letting him be entirely dictated by military terms, while turning him slowly into as much a hero as the other SG-1 team members already are.[37] Producer Robert C. Cooper, who wrote Mitchell's introduction in the first three episodes of season 9, wanted Mitchell to be enthusiastic about exploring the galaxy from the beginning.[13] Mitchell should be a "super fan" of SG-1 and a "Stargate geek", mirroring the Stargate fandom.[12] Browder did not want the character's first on-screen reaction to be enthusiasm, so the character was written to be stoic and guarded around General Landry in the first scenes. Cooper incorporated Mitchell into a flashback to a memorable SG-1 scene from season 7's "Lost City" to avoid a contrived heroic action by Mitchell in the season 9 opener.[12]
Although Mitchell was the leading man, most episodes in the first half of season 9 do not particularly focus on Mitchell.
Stunt work and on-screen violence
Mitchell is often at the center of the action and fight sequences.
Reception
Although TV Zone's Stephen Graves believed that Ben Browder and Claudia Black's first post-Farscape encounter in "Avalon" was "somewhat underplayed", he considered Mitchell's introduction entertaining, with Mitchell's "excruciating" interviews with potential new recruits as "a particular highlight". However, Graves was disappointed that Mitchell did not contribute much to the story after the knight fight, and that Mitchell's "frantic" efforts to get the old SG-1 team back together hinted too much at the production team's efforts to turn around the season 8 finale.[48] While some fans were upset that Carter did not resume command of the SG-1 team after her return,[33] Leonard Fischer of The Seattle Times considered Browder and Michael Shanks to have developed "some fun on-screen rapport" by the middle of season 9.[49]
By season 10's "
For his portrayal of Cameron Mitchell, Ben Browder was nominated for a
References
- ^ Bounty". Stargate SG-1. Season 10. Episode 15. Sci-Fi Channel.
- Poster: "Class of 1987"
- Mitchell: "You know, Colorado Springs, it's not that far away, so maybe someday soon, you might think about taking a little trip." / Amy Vanderberg: "Maybe."
- Origin". Stargate SG-1. Season 9. Episode 3. Sci-Fi Channel.
- Mitchell: "My grandma was a bit of a Bible-thumper. Weekends at grandma's meant long, long Sundays at St. Hilda's Church of the Grand Epiphany."
- Line in the Sand". Stargate SG-1. Season 10. Episode 12. Sci-Fi Channel.
- Mitchell: "My grandma used to say, 'God is like a prairie windstorm. If you look too hard, you get dust in your eyes, but there's still plenty of ways to know it's there.'"
- Collateral Damage". Stargate SG-1. Season 9. Episode 12. Sci-Fi Channel.
- Mitchell: "We're watching the launch of the first Space Shuttle. I can't be much more than ten years old."
- Mitchell: "Who was in the convoy, sir?" / Davidson: "As far as we know, it was a group of refugees. This wasn't your fault." / Mitchell: "That doesn't change the fact that I have to live with it for the rest of my life."
- ^ a b c Andy Mikita (director); Robert C. Cooper (writer). "Avalon". Stargate SG-1. Season 9. Episode 1&2. Sci-Fi Channel.
- Carter: "The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States of America. On behalf of the President..."
- O'Neill: "Get well soon. And when you do, you can do anything you want, and I mean professionally, anything you want. Well not... anything."
- Mitchell: "General, I'm here to join SG-1." / Landry: "Colonel, you're here to lead SG-1." / Landry: "Uh, what about Lieutenant Colonel Carter?" / Landry: "She's taken command of Stargate's R&D out of Area 51." [...] / Mitchell: "And Daniel Jackson?" / Landry: "Dr. Jackson put in for reassignment. Teal'c left the program over a month ago."
- Vala: "But I know nothing about your fair planet... other than it seems to have a rather interesting, if somewhat limited, gene pool."
- Arthur's Mantle". Stargate SG-1. Season 9. Episode 18. Sci-Fi Channel.
- Carter: "You really did read every report from every mission we ever went on, didn't you?" / Mitchell: "I was in that hospital a long time, and they were all riveting."
- ^ "Ben Browder - Taking The Lead". Official Stargate Magazine: 38–41. June 2006.
- Beachhead". Stargate SG-1. Season 9. Episode 6. Sci-Fi Channel.
- Ex Deus Machina". Stargate SG-1. Season 9. Episode 7. Sci-Fi Channel.
- Memento Mori". Stargate SG-1. Season 10. Episode 8. Sci-Fi Channel.
- ^ Mallozzi, Joseph (August 1, 2008). "August 1, 2008: My Top 5 July Reads". josephmallozzi.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
- ^ a b c d e f Cooper, Robert C. and Mikita, Andy (2006). Audio Commentary for "Avalon" (Part 1) (DVD - Stargate SG-1: Season 9). Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
- ^ a b c d e Perenson, Melissa (March 10, 2008). "Ben Browder and Michael Shanks find Truth in a new straight-to-DVD Stargate SG-1 movie". scifi.com. Retrieved 2010-10-01. [dead link]
- ^ Simpson, Michael (September 10, 2008). "Interview: Ben Browder - On 'Stargate', 'Farscape', writing a mini-series for SCI FI...and weed whackers". cinemaspy.ca. Archived from the original on September 25, 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-20.
- ^ a b "Ben Browder - Creating Cameron". Official Stargate Magazine: 6–8. February 2006.
- ^ a b c d Eramo, Steven (December 2005). "Ben Browder - Hero In The Making". TV Zone (Special 67): 24–28.
- ^ "Ben Browder: The ice storm". Total Sci-Fi Online. February 13, 2008. Archived from the original on December 23, 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-29.
- ^ GateWorld. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
- ^ a b c d Bassom, David (February 2006). "Lights... Cameron... Action!". Dreamwatch (138): 52–55.
- ^ Eramo, Steven (December 2005). "Michael Shanks - Team Player". TV Zone (Special 67): 38–40.
- ^ a b Eramo, Steven (July 2005). "Michael Shanks - Curious Mind". TV Zone (Special 64): 40–42.
- ^ Eramo, Steven (December 2005). "Christopher Judge - Loyal Warrior". TV Zone (Special 67): 34–36.
- GateWorld. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
- ^ "Black, Browder Talk New SG-1". scifi.com. May 6, 2005. Archived from the original on July 9, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
- ^ a b Upon meeting Mitchell for the first time in the Season 9 premiere "Avalon", Vala remarks "I know we haven't met. That I'm sure I would remember." The episode "200" features a short parody segment where Vala imagines the SG-1 members playing various Farscape characters. Vala plays Black's old role of Aeryn Sun, while Mitchell (Browder) plays the Farscape character Stark. Daniel (Shanks) plays Browder's old role of John Crichton.
- ^ Eramo, Steven (July 2006). "Preview Season 10". TV Zone (Special 74): 40–52.
- ^ a b c Eramo, Steven (December 2005). "Amanda Tapping - Coming Home". TV Zone (Special 67): 30–33.
- ^ Cooper, Robert C. (July 27, 2008). "July 27, 2008: Writer/Director/Executive Producer Robert C. Cooper Answers Your Ark of Truth Questions - And Then Some!". josephmallozzi.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
- ^ "Actress Amanda Tapping". TV Zone (Special 79): 48. November 2007.
- ^ Eramo, Steven (November 2007). "Actor Ben Browder - Candid Cameron". TV Zone (Special 79): 42–45. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
- ^ a b c d Waring, Will, Mallozzi, Joseph and Gero, Martin (2006). Audio Commentary for "The Ties That Bind" (DVD - Stargate SG-1: Season 9). Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
- ^ GateWorld.
- ^ GateWorld. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
- ^ Mallozzi, Joseph (February 25, 2007). "February 25, 2007". josephmallozzi.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
- ^ Mallozzi, Joseph (February 2006). "Joseph Mallozzi - The Write Direction". Official Stargate Magazine: 28–29.
- ^ GateWorld. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
- ^ a b Eramo, Steven (July 2005). "Ben Browder - Work in progress". TV Zone (Special 64): 12–16.
- ^ GateWorld. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
- Beachhead". Stargate SG-1. Season 9. Episode 6. Sci-Fi Channel.
- Pendergast: "Shaft... Welcome back to the Prometheus." / Mitchell: "Thank you, Colonel." / Carter: "Shaft?" / Mitchell: "My call sign. Cam. Shaft."
- GateWorld. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
- ^ Spragg, Paul (September 2005). "Taking a Browder". Cult Times (35).
- ^ a b Mallozzi, Joseph (March 14, 2007). "March 14, 2007". josephmallozzi.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
- ^ "Ben Browder". Official Stargate Magazine: 48–55. July 2007.
- ^ GateWorld. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
- ^ Eramo, Steven (January 2007). "Actor Ben Browder - Character Building". TV Zone (Special 74): 23–26.
- ^ Cooper, Robert C. and Mikita, Andy (2006). Audio Commentary for "Avalon" (Part 2) (DVD - Stargate SG-1: Season 9). Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
- ^ Eramo, Steven (December 2005). "Producer's Choice - Collateral Damage". TV Zone (Special 67): 19.
- ^ Graves, Steven (December 2005). "Season Nine episodes 1-10 Reviews". TV Zone (Special 67): 20–22.
- ^ Fischer, Leonard (January 6, 2006). "Get ready for some great out-of-this-world television". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
- ^ Brown, Anthony (January 2007). "Stargate SG-1 Season 10 Reviews On the Air...". TV Zone (Special 74): 18–20.
- ^ Ryan, Maureen (June 21, 2007). "Time's not on the side of 'Stargate SG-1,' which ends Friday". The Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2009-05-24. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
- GateWorld. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
- ^ "Stargate SG-1 Series 3 Cameron Mitchell Figure". diamondselecttoys.com. Retrieved 2008-05-10.[permanent dead link]
External links
- Cameron Mitchell Archived 2015-05-30 at the Wayback Machine at Syfy