Rick Mitchell

Living… in Kentwood, Michigan, the father of Katie and Aaron. Despite his and Katie’s closeness when she was young, the two have since grown apart, as Katie became fascinated with the world of film, leaving Rick and his old-fashioned, rustic approach behind.

Interests… surviving. Not just his crazy family, but in general. Rick loves the outdoors and manual labor, and crafts wooden objects, toys, and even buildings for his family’s enjoyment. Rick has taught his family many survival tricks over the years and gives them screwdrivers as presents. So, his family’s love of technology often upsets him, like he implies one day when coming home: “after a long day of work it’s nice to see your faces bathed in ghoulish blue light.”

Relationship Status… married to Linda Mitchell, the parent Katie seems to tolerate. Linda tries to keep the peace between Katie and Rick, but their constant bickering has often tampered with the family dynamic.

Challenge… connecting with Katie again. In a final attempt to turn things around, Rick cancels Katie’s flight to film school, offering to drive the family there instead. Rick wants to reconnect with Katie, which means having to take an interest in what she does. The only possible conflict is...the end of the world. 

Personality… protective, realistic, and, although Katie might not see it, incredibly caring. Rick is a repairer, and, as good as he is as fixing physical objects, he hasn’t quite mended his relationship with his daughter. Don’t worry, though: a cross-country road trip in a hot car with a moody daughter will surely fix everything.