Sherman Cottle

2006-03-14T04:51:02Z

Colonel Worf:

{{Character Data|
|photo= [[Image:bsg-cottle-1.jpg|200px]]
|age= Mid 60's
|colony= Unknown
|birthname=
|callsign=
|death=
|parents=
|siblings=
|children=
|marital status=
|role= Physician on New Caprica, former Chief Medical Officer, ''[[Battlestar]] [[Galactica]]''
|rank= Major
|actor= [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Donnelly+Rhodes Donnelly Rhodes]
|cylon=
|name=
}}

'''Doctor Cottle''' is [[Original Battlestar (RDM)|Battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]'s'' irascible Chief Medical Officer ([[CMO]]). Because the ship is operating with a minimal crew compliment leading up to its expected decommissioning, Cottle is the only real physician/surgeon aboard ''Galactica'' (perhaps in the entire [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]]), supported by a handful of medics such as [[Layne Ishay]] and [[Howard Kim]]. Cottle is somewhat eccentric -- a heavy smoker, despite knowing the risks, and one not overly impressed by positions of power.

== Biography ==

Cottle is the third person in the Fleet to learn about President [[Laura Roslin]]'s fight with cancer ([[Act of Contrition]]), after [[Lee Adama]] ([[Bastille Day]]) and [[Billy Keikeya]] ([[Miniseries]]). He agrees to treat her condition, without revealing it to anyone else, and further agrees to support more unorthodox treatments such as [[Chamalla]] extract. Knowing the extent of her illness and Roslin's reluctance to undergo [[diloxin]] therapy, the doctor also recommends prayer.

Cottle takes a personal interest in [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck's]] recovery after she breaks her leg during a mission ([[You Can't Go Home Again]]). The doctor works with Lee Adama to get her out of sickbay ([[Six Degrees of Separation]]) without initial success.

Grumpy of attitude, yet always professional, Cottle instantly inspires trust, despite his attitude.

After the [[assassination|assassination attempt]] on [[William Adama]], ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]) Cottle is unavailable to stabilize the Commander as he is aboard another ship in the Fleet. Matters worsen after ''Galactica'''s emergency [[FTL|Jump]] separates Cottle and the battlestar. [[Saul Tigh|Colonel Tigh]] orders Cottle's medics to stop Adama's internal bleeding ([[Scattered]]). However, while the medics stabilize the Commander's condition, they are unable to fully stop his bleeding. Cottle finally arrives and is able to operate on Commander Adama. After much risky work, the doctor saves Adama's life ([[Fragged]]).

Cottle speaks rather contemptuously of Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]'s authority. When Tigh asks of Adama's condition as Cottle begins surgery to save the Commander's life, he tells the XO, "How should I know? I'm not a psychic. Now get the hell out of here" ([[Fragged]]). Later, after Tigh orders an ill-advised attempt to restore supply runs to ''Galactica'' on the ''[[Gideon]]'', resulting in four civilian deaths, Cottle is anything but sympathetic when Tigh asks what happened: "What'd you expect, genius? You put a pilot in charge of crowd control" ([[Resistance]]).

At the request of President Roslin, despite her straight-to-the-point warning about its illegality and danger (Cottle: "You're a lousy salesman."), he assists Roslin in escaping ''Galactica'' by filing a request for a [[Raptor]] flight away from the battlestar, to care for patients on other ships. Roslin leaves ''Galactica'' on this "appropriated" Raptor with [[Lee Adama]] at the helm ([[Resistance]]).

Major Cottle performs a series of medical scans on [[Gaius Baltar]]'s head at Baltar's request. Unknown to Cottle, Baltar is looking to see if there is a Cylon computer chip implanted into his brain. The scans show absolutely nothing unusual, and Cottle dismisses Baltar as a hypochondriac ([[Home, Part II]]).

Even Cottle's stony exterior gives way to the pain he sees on Laura Roslin's face when he gives her a new prognosis on her fight with cancer. Her cancer has spread aggressively, and the good doctor gives Roslin, on the outside, one month to live ([[Flight of the Phoenix]]). His concern for Cylon Sharon Valerii and her unborn hybrid child is remarkable, especially in the face of the rest of the crew's distrust and even hatred of her. He described her attempted rape by Lt. Thorne as "unforgivable," and voiced his opposition to Baltar using Sharon's baby's blood as a cure for Roslin's cancer ("[[Resurrection Ship, Part I]]," "[[Epiphanies]]").

Cottle has gained a reputation among the fleet for performing abortions. When [[Rya Kibby]], a young Gemenese girl, wanted to end her pregnancy, she stowed away to get aboard ''Galactica'' and see Cottle. Cottle explained the situation to Admiral Adama by acknowledging, "I get a note that a girl's on the way. She arrives. I do my work. And then she leaves. I don't ask a lot of questions." When Admiral Adama asked Rya to return to her parents, Cottle suggested that the girl instead request political asylum aboard ''Galactica'', earning a stare from Adama. ("[[The Captain's Hand]]")

Cottle's outspokenness could be attributed to the fact that, as one of the few remaining doctors left in the Fleet, he is far too important to the Fleet to penalize for acts of insubordination that anyone else would be punished for. It's also possible that Dr. Cottle's personality is a result of the stresses of the Cylon holocaust. Given his advanced age, Cottle was likely on the verge of retirement when he was forced to spend his twilight years in space, trying desperately to meet a far-too-high level of demand for his services.

After the election of President [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]] and the settlement of [[New Caprica]] Cottle, like most of ''Galactica'''s crew, retires from military duty. One year after the election he is still serving as a doctor on New Caprica in private practice ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]).

== Notes ==

*Cottle's counterpart in the [[TOS|Original Series]] is [[Salik]].
*In accordance with [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron D. Moore]]'s [[naturalistic science fiction]] principles used to form the [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|re-imagined series]], unlike [[MemoryAlpha:Leonard McCoy|another popular medical officer]] in television science fiction, Cottle's personality is grumpy, callous, and rude.
*In the DVD commentary for "[[Act of Contrition]]", RDM states that actor Donnelly Rhodes was one of the three finalists up for the role of Col. [[Saul Tigh]], though in the end the part was given to one of the other finalists, [[Michael Hogan]].

{{Characters}}

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User talk:Colonel Worf

2006-03-09T17:17:44Z

Colonel Worf:

I've seen every episode but [[Flight of the Phoenix]]

Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming

2006-03-09T15:38:55Z

Colonel Worf:

The ''Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming'' project was a proof-of-concept professionally-created mock movie-trailer created, produced, directed, and starred by Original Series star and ''Galactica'' spin-off author [[Richard Hatch]]. Under his production company, Su-Shann, Hatch leveraged the talent of many TOS stars, including the late [[John Colicos]], in an effort to convince [[Universal Studios]], the owners to the rights of the Battlestar Galactica franchise, to greenlight a new series or motion picture.

The highly-elaborate trailer features new concepts, impressive acting, and very exciting special effects. Hatch visited many science-fiction conventions to show the trailer and it proved to be a hit among fans that viewed it.

However, Hatch never succeeded in getting Universal's attention. The BSG project revival would be first given to [[Tom DeSanto]] and ''X-Men'' director [[Bryan Singer]] in coordination with Fox Studios and USA Television in 2001. After that project dissolved primarily due to the withdrawal of Fox Studios as well as Singer's committment to a second ''X-Men'' movie, USA Networks chose [[Ronald D. Moore]] and [[David Eick]] to create a new project, which would be a near-complete rewrite of the series, with familiar names, characters, and places, but with none of the original actors as their original characters, and with a much darker overtone.

Richard Hatch was happy to join the new ''Battlestar Galactica'' TV series cast as the recurring character of terrorist-now-politician [[Tom Zarek]].

==External Links==

[http://www.richardhatch.com/battlestar_galactica/bsgtsc.html About the ''Second Coming'' project, from Richard Hatch's official website]

[http://www.battlestargalactica.com/index.htm A Battlestar Galactica News site, also managed by Mr. Hatch]

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[[Category: Revival Efforts]]

Paul Campbell

2006-03-09T15:32:11Z

Colonel Worf:

[[Image:bsg-pc-1.jpg|thumb|Paul Campbell (credit:WireImage)]]

[http://us.imdb.com/name/nm1353748/ IMDB Entry]

Presidental Aide "[[Billy Keikeya]]"

Born June 22, 1979, in Vancouver and raised in nearby White Rock, Paul Campbell spent most of his younger life wanting to be a carpenter, most likely due to the influences of his handy father and grandfather. And, despite a lingering love of acting fostered by performing in a high-school play, Campbell eventually did become a carpenter, framing houses for four years. But "after one too many wood splinters," he enrolled in the Capilano College theater program.

During one of his last performances at the college, a small role in a production of Cinderella, Campbell was spotted and later signed on by a Vancouver talent manager. He has since been featured in several TV projects, including The Dead Zone for USA Network, John Doe, Black Sash and Andromeda (recurring as Lt. Bowlus). His films include The Perfect Score and a lead role in the recently wrapped Canadian independent feature Ill-Fated.

[[Category:A to Z|Campbell, Paul]]
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Battlestar Wiki - User contributions [en]

Sherman Cottle

User talk:Colonel Worf

Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming

Paul Campbell