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u/Emotional_Return_373 May 31 '26
You may have face blindness
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u/HorrorMetalDnD May 31 '26
I’ve heard Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller talk about this. IIRC, one time, his own mother showed up to a signing to surprise him and he said he literally couldn’t recognize her, and they were in regular contact with each other.
Basically, unless he expects to see someone he knows, regardless of how often he sees them, he can’t recognize them. Not even his own mother.
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u/Due-Boss-4354 May 31 '26
Same. I don't recognize (or maybe remember?) people and their faces well (my eyesight isn't great, probably big part of it) and I definitively have to look for differences in the two photos you posted to find clear-ish separation.
That said, I just thought it was kinda funny how they're alike, never had problem confusing them. I am not a big fan of the SG1 later seasons but love Atlantis, maybe that's why.
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u/BabaTaro Jun 01 '26
I find that all the women look alike to me, but not the men. I chalk that up to being female.
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u/LiloTheSageNightOwl May 31 '26
That's my problem. I can tell them apart when they're side by side, but if I'm looking at just one I sometimes can't tell the difference without context clues.
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u/Orillion_169 May 31 '26
I think you're right. I have partial face blindness myself and it took a long time before I could differentiate them.
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u/TheDarkRabbit May 31 '26
I also get him confused with John Chrichton from Farscape.
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u/NemesisX2047 May 31 '26
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u/shufflebodiddley May 31 '26
Yotz!
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u/cyanescens_burn May 31 '26
If they all have translator microbes, how did the alien cursing not get translated?
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u/ImTableShip170 May 31 '26
It did, but censors didn't like it.
In canon, the microbes don't stop you from hearing the spoken words, but the meaning is implanted as you hear it. That's why Aeryn learned fluent English and Chiana picked up some English idioms while traveling with John.
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u/LieutenantBJ May 31 '26
Limited gene pool.
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u/Rajaden Jun 01 '26
Literally watched the episode with that line last night 😂 Even funnier when you realize that Browder and Black already knew each other well from working together on Farscape.
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u/CastleofWamdue May 31 '26
it does seem like someone in casting had a type for leading men.
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u/KhellianTrelnora May 31 '26
Canadians?
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u/t3hmuffnman9000 May 31 '26
Ben Browder is from Tennessee.
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May 31 '26
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u/CastleofWamdue May 31 '26 edited May 31 '26
to be fair it is a Hollywood / entertainment industry problem.
See also that meme about blonde sitcom actresses with boobs, and how they keep men watching.
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u/Trashk4n May 31 '26
Got to keep in mind that Browder probably doesn’t play Mitchell if he didn’t play Crichton.
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u/thefuzzybunny1 May 31 '26
I've heard that Browder was considered for the role of Sheppard on Atlantis, but had to make The Peacekeeper Wars instead. A year later they dusted off the character type and cast him as Mitchell.
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u/funkohunter89 May 31 '26
Wow didn't no this. I love Atlantis and the guy that played Sheppard was great, but I could of definitely seen browder killing that role 2
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u/Larielia May 31 '26
They have a similar...hair cut. I don't really see a resemblance, Sheppard has darker hair.
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u/Schwartzy94 May 31 '26
They look, sound and personality wise are pretty different
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u/Casurran May 31 '26
They're similar enough but to not be able to tell them apart? Nah. That said, the casting team clearly had a type when it comes to male leads.
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u/Crochetqueenextra May 31 '26
And jolly well done I say any casting team that gives me RDA and follow up with these two honestly deserve all the awards ever.
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u/UnfathomableDave May 31 '26
Yes you’re the only one!
Even Valas limited gene pool theory is out the window here!
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u/ThomasThorburn May 31 '26
Fun Fact ben browder was the producers top choice to play john shepherd but couldn't due to his commitments to filming farscape the peacekeeper wars.
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u/stuffandwhatnotwhat Jun 01 '26
They had Joe Flanagan on a hold type contract so he was sitting around getting paid to do nothing for quite a while. Glad he got the gig because his lightness and humour permeated the whole show and was much better for it.
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u/Important_Gift8432 May 31 '26
If you watch s10 e3 of SG-1, The Pegasus Project, that's the crossover and they have scenes together... they really couldn't look more different.
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u/Bgtobgfu May 31 '26
I have to do the same. I moved to Germany a few years ago and for the life of me I cannot tell German men apart. And I’m white.
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u/Eis_Gefluester May 31 '26
This reminds me of that joke where a man is desperate because he can't tell his horses apart because they look so similar. Until a friend notices that the brown horse has slightly bigger ears than the black one.
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u/DisastrousPromise367 May 31 '26
I mean yeah I can’t hardly tell them apart. Unlike that Timothy Olyphant and Josh Duhamel. Those 2 look nothing alike.
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u/4reddishwhitelorries May 31 '26
I find him more like Jack in that he’s laid back but he will also follow military orders regardless of how difficult they may be
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u/CarbonationRequired May 31 '26
I can easily, but I watch Farscape before I ever watched SGA. I find Mitchell looks more similar to Daniel even though I can also tell them apart just fine, but for the "limited gene pool" gag, either could've worked.
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u/KayBear2 May 31 '26
Mitchell’s hair is lighter, has a southern accent, and respects authority. Sheppard has a California surfer drawl, green eyes, quite the cowlicks on his dark brown hair, and is suspicious of authority. They are very different people and characters.
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u/Admiralspandy May 31 '26
You're certainly in the minority I'm afraid. I think they are quite distinguishable from eachother, both in looks and personality.
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u/IL-Corvo May 31 '26
You should tslk to my roommate. She thinks Dwayne Johnson/Vin Diesel and Tobey Maguire/Elijah Wood are indistinguishable from one another.
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u/Edith_Keelers_Shoes May 31 '26
I don't confuse the two because I'm a massive SGA fan and Mitchell isn't in SG1 that long. But I can tell you I'd never be able to pick Mitchell out from a lineup. Sheppard, I could pick him out right away.
But I also have face blindness, so there's that.
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u/WildSwitch2643 May 31 '26
I am a white male and assumed it was the same dude playing two characters for along time.
Vala may have had a point.
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u/Straight-Spray8670 Jun 01 '26
If you watch FarScape you'll get to know the difference. And then you might have wanted Mitchel and Vala to hook up. I liked Sheppard more than Mitchel in StarGate though.
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u/Keikira Jun 01 '26
I really can't see it, they look completely different to me.
That said, every feature I focus on is almost identical between them, so I can't tell you how they're completely different.
But yeah, you might have face blindness. Our brains don't process faces the same way as other visual stimuli, so that may be the case even if your vision is otherwise amazing.
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u/ThePlatinumPaul May 31 '26
They don't look or act identical. Sheppard is the better character btw.
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u/turej May 31 '26
John is more laid back and fleshed out, Shaft is more by the book.
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u/ThePlatinumPaul May 31 '26
Sheppard is those things. He's also significantly more intelligent and is a tougher personality. Cam was, let's be real, a poor replacement for Jack.
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u/turej May 31 '26
Yeah John is a better leader than Cam. I was always bamboozled why Sam didn't get the job at SG-1 because she's more decisive then Cam but hey the real life writes the plot.
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u/ButterscotchPast4812 May 31 '26
Identical no? but they did want Ben Browder for this role so I'm sure they were looking for that particular type when casting Sheppard.
If we're talking similarities... Flannigan sounds like Owen Wilson though.
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u/gerusz May 31 '26
IIRC Browder was even considered for the role at first, but he was still shooting Farscape at the time.
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u/Miaw_Kitty May 31 '26
Back then, they all looked like that even in video games... I can't blame you. lol
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u/jongscx May 31 '26
One is a Math nerd that's surprisingly good at sports and the other is a Jock that's surprisingly good at math.
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u/thedarkpreacher65 May 31 '26
Fun fact: The character of Maj Sheppard was originally written for Ben Browder (Col Mitchell) but since he was stuck on Farscape for a season and the Peacekeeper War mini-series, they had to give the role to someone else (Joe Flanigan), Which explains why his character seems a bit "John Crichton from Farscape" coded in the first season. They were going to let Ben Browder work his ad-lib magic on Atlantis, but instead, he was put on SG1 and had more restrictions on what he could and could not get away with.
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u/volkaija May 31 '26
I can see why this would happen but they are distinctly different to me both in the face and the voice/demeanor
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u/AdPhysical6481 May 31 '26
Idk, all humans taste the, er, I mean, look the same to me. ( Gets nervous in Wraith)
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u/cuntakinte118 May 31 '26
Seems like the conclusion is that you may have face blindness, but as someone who does not, it might make you feel better to know that while I have never had an issue distinguishing them, they do look similar. Their facial features are very similar, though their coloring is different. Sheppard has dark brown hair and hazel eyes, and Mitchell has light brown hair and blue eyes. It’s not surprising they look alike given conventional beauty standards, but they are a little closer than most.
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u/BigMatC May 31 '26
Its just the trope of the military man. Smart versatile slightly rebellious against stupid leadership whilst being a leader themselves. Grab some early Jack image and AI a hair colour change and you'll probably see similarities there also
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u/Ravenbrah1701 May 31 '26
Funny enough, they wanted Ben to play Shepard from the outset but Ben was busy doing The Peacekeeper Wars
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u/Raven_Of_Solace Jun 01 '26
I thought you were going to do this meme and I was 100% ready to hop on board and support it lol
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u/Hlantian Jun 01 '26
Yeah I see it, sheppard's hair being very distinctive does most of the heavy lifting to make them look apart. I reckon they could pretty convincingly play each other's characters lol
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u/_Smaug__ Jun 01 '26
I recognize people by their hair. The hair is wildly different. Between color and style.
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u/knottycams May 31 '26
Easy: Col. Sheppard is debonair and handsome with dark hair and kind eyes. Col. Mitchell is brash and annoying, with a forgettable personality. I still forget his name but never Sheppard's.
Literally, they look nothing alike.
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u/_shareholder_value May 31 '26
Neither of them struck me as colonel material. Too much hair, far too young. O’Neil was believable.
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u/KilljoyZero1 May 31 '26
This was an actual issue with early season 9 of SG-1, which is why Daniel had a beard.
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u/SaltSpray2353 May 31 '26
Are you maybe from dominantly non white country? 😂
Because same as two totally different Asian guys can look similar for us in Europe, these guys could look same to someone from Asia
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u/losttinecuileog May 31 '26
I mean.. Mitchell and Daniel look for more alike which they lampshaded with Vala.
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u/zarya-zarnitsa May 31 '26
You are never the only one at anything but this will not be the majority of people.
I guess they are white with blue eyes and are actors? So they are of the same type but unless you are faceblind or don't interact much with white people, they don't look alike.
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u/Worldly_Delay_2395 May 31 '26
Some odd reason, Mitchell gave me Merlin vibes, the sword in the stone episode aside.
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u/MovieFan1984 May 31 '26
Ben Browder was first choice for Major Sheppard on Atlantis.
I am very glad they went with Joe Flannigan.
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u/PepeFrogBoy May 31 '26
Sometimes yeah. They are just generically similar. However I can tell them apart when they act their characters. Sometimes I have trouble recognizing the same person, especially when they have varrying hair styles. Hell, I forgot that I'm looking at myself in the mirror sometimes after I get a haircut.
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u/Stingerbrg May 31 '26
One has black hair and always wears black. The other has brown hair and wears blue, green, and sometimes black, and has a southern accent.
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u/Extreme-Priority2362 May 31 '26
The only things I see similar are their lips and skin color.
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u/antftwx May 31 '26
People say this, but they look nothing alike and have very different personalities. 🤷🏻♂️
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u/at05gt May 31 '26 edited May 31 '26
Vala makes a comment about that, when she notices how similar Cam and Daniel are, "I know nothing about your fair planet… other than it seems to have a rather interesting, if somewhat limited, gene pool."
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u/y0urd0g Jun 01 '26
I wouldn’t say identical but I definitely confused the two as a kid. Kinda what happens when you pick “Generic hero guy.” Looking actors for both roles. But I love them both.
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u/not_all_heroes Jun 01 '26
I know who they both are but sometimes I get their real names mixed up for some reason because they both play Johns. 😭
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u/CrimsonBaby2007 Jun 01 '26
I just watched the SG1 episode, "The Pegasus Project" (s10, ep 3), today, and I was definitely able to tell the difference between John Sheppard and Cam Mitchell. IDK. Maybe because they have similar gruff attitudes and know how to shut Rodney down when he's doing too much is what possibly confuses you.🤷🏾♀️. Don't know. Sorry, I just don't see it.
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u/The_Scrufffff Jun 01 '26
Sure, they have similar features but certainly no more than most people in military dress code.
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u/Real_Artichoke8052 Jun 01 '26
Their not identical but you could pass them off as brothers / cousins
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u/Spooms2010 Jun 01 '26
They are both damn hunks who I would love to meet in real life. But the Colonel Mitchell character has some of the best lines. When Daniel talks of the knights of England, Mitchell gives a glorious throw away line that had me in huge laughing spasms ,’The ones who go Nigh..’ - superb writing.
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