Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[ChopinGal]

I would like to give Astro my congratulations. The only fanfic I’ve read yet was her story Overtime. I read it months before I joined here, and didn’t know it was hers until much later. When I started reading it I was just going to have a look and see what this ‘fanfic’ stuff was all about. I soon found myself reading the next section, and the next. I was wondering if I should print it off and read it offline, but I couldn’t be bothered reconnecting on the computer with the printer, so I just kept reading. Hours later, I was still reading online. The story went for a lot longer than I expected, or else I would never have read it while connected to the net. While I may not have read any other stories by other fanfic writers to compare with, I really feel that astro captured the personality and characters of SG1. She wrote them so that you could definitely believe that these were the same people that you watch on tv. I really enjoyed this story, and it truly could have been an episode. So I think that it is great news that she got an award for this story, and I’m adamant that ‘What will it take’ deserved one too.
I also admire astro as a person. Someone else earlier said something about astro being the heart and soul of this thread. I definitely agree with this. Not only is she the organised one who keeps everyone’s comments and pictures filed together, but she creates her own fabulous screenshots, and she posts thoughtful and interesting discussion on all things sam. It would seem that she has an absolutely fascinating job (teaching geology?), which I would still love to know more about, and she’s obviously done some amazing things in her life, a certain photo of a cliff being proof. I don’t want to make astro feel uncomfortable, but I have grown to respect her as a really inspiring person, and I count her as a friend who is always encouraging and positive and friendly. She certainly keeps the samandan flame burning brightly. So thankyou, keeper.

Hear, hear ... lovely tribute! And richly deserved ...

[ForeverSg1]

I’m 183cm tall (?in feet?) and have always hated my height. It causes me to stick out above everyone else, and it’s invariably the first thing anyone comments on when they meet me.

I was born with blonde hair and blue eyes
I'm 5'9" tall and
I'm a Virgo (born Sept 2nd, 1967)

This unfortunately is where the similarities between Amanda and myself end.


Oh wait, I forgot we are both a mommy and extremely intelligent women!! *Cackles to herself*

[tsaxlady]

I have to keep telling myself that issues regarding RDA's work schedule has been the decline of the storylines and character/team cohesion over the past few years. This is not to knock RDA in any way, but it's had to have been a nightmare trying to keep things going, trying to keep RDA in every single episode, filming episodes sporatically over periods of weeks/months instead of days (Grace supposedly took over a month of shooting), not being able to have the team together during filming of an episode( AT was filming scenes of Grace while everyone else was doing Death Knell ), staying in character for a particular scene when you are filming episodes out of order or filming two or three different episodes a day.

I'm not saying these things are excuses for what has happened to Sam's character, but I do believe that the writers, producers, and actors have all had some really unusual circumstances to overcome since season six and they have worked very hard to provide us with a quality show. I know some have thought it best if they had just ended the show after season six, but I for one would have truly missed it.

I know there are many things I would have changed in the scripts. I also have read that AT was quite verbal about certain scenes she found to be out of character for Sam, but for some reason they chose not to heed her warnings. I don't think it has been the writer's intention to hurt Sam's character. I just think that the past two years has been a producer's nightmare and unfortunately Sam became the most prominent victim on the casualty list. However, I do not feel she has been the only character who has been negatively affected. I have felt the same concerns about Jack over the past few years as well, though perhaps to a lesser degree. It's really bothered me how they took a laid-back, witty, and competent leader and slowly turned him into someone who is moody, sarcastic (leaning towards cantankeous), and often dimwitted. I know Jack has never come across as the most intelligent member of the SGC, but his IQ seems to have taken a drastic nosedive in the past few years. It was amusing at first, but after awhile the fish out of water bit really began to wear on me and I found myself truly beginning to miss the old Jack.

One can only hope that with all the new changes in season nine, when we finally see these characters again, it will be in a much more positive light and we can get back to storylines that really made Stargate not just good, but great.

This is from a recent interview with AT

Every year I say this: the coming together of the team…more. More stories based on their interactions as a team and how they deal with what they're dealing with. As opposed to individual stories so much. And she is now a Colonel -- she's a Lt. Colonel. And we've seen her in command and I'd like to see more of that. I'd like to see her expand on that. You know, see her plan a mission; see her follow them through. That kind of thing.

It has been over the last couple of years since they have gotten away from team center episodes and done more individual stories that the character of Sam has lost some of her strength to me. I know the focus on individual characters has been in part to the crazy shooting schedules they have had to deal with due in part to RDA.

This being said there have been a few good episode along the way. I agree with the running theme here that it has been Sam that has taken the worst hit in character development over the last few seasons.

Maybe it is because I deal with middle school kids everyday but it has been like she has been going thru puberty. Jack-Pete-Jack; Replicarter - Lets face it like teenage girls let her heart rule instead of her head. Hopefully when she returns in Season 9 we will have the confidant, smart, kick-butt when needed Sam back - yet retaining of few of them lighter elements of humor we've seen recently.

[jckfan55]

Not only was this Sam's first relationship in over eight years, but it was obviously her first time with Pete: I just think Sam deserved something with a bit more class.

Yes, *class* may be the word I was looking for.

That said, I truly believe that her little adventurer on the Prometheus left her with much bigger issues than a concussion and hallucinations. I don't know if it was a mid-life crisis or just a chemical imbalance, but Sam really started to change a great deal after this episode: increased insecurities, judgement call issues, ect. It's almost as if wasn't the same Sam who came back from the Prometheus. Hmm...maybe those unnamed aliens did something with our Sam?

Ah, yes. RC was a copy of a (damaged) copy. Our real Sam is still out there somewhere...
Or perhaps, given as many times as she's been conked on the head, zatted etc, maybe this last blow to the head finally left her with a little (temporary, we hope) brain damage.

[NearlyCircular]

That said, I truly believe that her little adventurer on the Prometheus left her with much bigger issues than a concussion and hallucinations. I don't know if it was a mid-life crisis or just a chemical imbalance, but Sam really started to change a great deal after this episode: increased insecurities, judgement call issues, ect. It's almost as if wasn't the same Sam who came back from the Prometheus. Hmm...maybe those unnamed aliens did something with our Sam?

I think you're onto something here, Kat. We can blame the aliens for the last season and a half. Maybe next season, Sam will come back ala Pam Ewing in Dallas, and discover it was all part of the same concussion-induced dream.

NC

[jckfan55]

[
Maybe it is because I deal with middle school kids everyday....

You're made of stronger stuff than I am! Thanks for the link.

[jckfan55]

I think you're onto something here, Kat. We can blame the aliens for the last season and a half. Maybe next season, Sam will come back ala Pam Ewing in Dallas, and discover it was all part of the same concussion-induced dream.

NC

Well *I've* been thinking of those bad spots on a bad dream...no more spicy food late at night...yeah, that's it...

[dipsofjazz]

Yeah, I have to admit I was a bit shocked with the up-against-the-wall scene in Chimera as well. Normally I wouldn't really be bothered by it as I've seen worse on other television shows. But here in Dallas, Stargate is shown at 7PM which is a prime-time family spot. Both of my kids, now 4yr girl and 14yr old boy, normally watch the show with me and I can tell you when that scene came on both my 14yr old and I were extremely shocked and a bit embarrassed.

More than anything I would have preferred a little advance warning with my kid. Maybe if I had read spoilers beforehand and been prepared for what to expect it wouldn't have seemed so inappropriate, but I've never had to worry about such a thing with Stargate before. The only thing that's even come close to it since is Prometheus Unbound ( and I didn't care for that episode either ). It's one of the reasons I haven't gotten too involved with BG this season as the episodes I have seen have all had strong sexual overtones.

Not only was this Sam's first relationship in over eight years, but it was obviously her first time with Pete: I just think Sam deserved something with a bit more class.

That said, I truly believe that her little adventurer on the Prometheus left her with much bigger issues than a concussion and hallucinations. I don't know if it was a mid-life crisis or just a chemical imbalance, but Sam really started to change a great deal after this episode: increased insecurities, judgement call issues, ect. It's almost as if wasn't the same Sam who came back from the Prometheus. Hmm...maybe those unnamed aliens did something with our Sam?

I have to agree with you all about this scene. I'm not a prude by any means, and there are no children in the house to worry about, but I just hated that scene. I think it jarred as it was so un-Stargate. Anytime we've had anything to do with relationships with the guys, there were never any scenes like that. I agree with the poster that suggested stopping the scene as Pete left the car to go into the house, as it all went downhill for me once we got to the mad kissing against the wall. Goodness only knows what TPTB were thinking about with the morning after scene. I know they wanted to have the angst of Sam not being able to talk about her work, but surely there was a better way of doing that?
I could rant for Scotland about that whole episode, as I thought it sucked big time. I think that these writers just can't do romance, and should just stick to the blowing stuff up episodes!

[tsaxlady]

Name that episode

or add a caption!

Raising head very slowly to give the answer

Spoiler:

Rules of Engagement

Carter: If tsaxlady keeps answering the name the epsiodes without
giving others a chance she may have to be banished to a Goa'uld naquadah mine.
Teal'c: Indeed

[the dancer of spaz]

Raising head very slowly to give the answer

Spoiler:

Rules of Engagement

Carter: If tsaxlady keeps answering the name the epsiodes without
giving others a chance she may have to be banished to a Goa'uld naquadah mine.
Teal'c: Indeed

You rock! That is awesome. If I could give all of the photoshopped blue jello in the world to you, I really would!

[the dancer of spaz]

Dude... I know I'm an idiot, but why the HECK can't I post a pic? I mean, I don't plan on posting ALL of these pics EVERY DAY or anything, but I can't even post one!

[SamFan31]

majorsal--
Tok’ra hostess (Gracie)--
skydiver (Denise)--
tara 3583--November 9, 1954
dipsofjazz--August 20, 1959
sam fan--May 20, 1988
astrogeologist--
Chopingal--March 15
coley--
Agent Dark--October 18
Uber (Mary Beth House)--June 19, 1973 (soon to be 32 )
Forever (Kat)--September 2
NC--December 18
Strix--February 17
majorsam--january 4
the dancer of spaz--January 4
(our lurker extroidinaire and our president share a birthday!)

You can add SamFan31 as August 31 -- another Virgo.

[ForeverSg1]

Raising head very slowly to give the answer

Spoiler:

Rules of Engagement

Carter: If tsaxlady keeps answering the name the epsiodes without
giving others a chance she may have to be banished to a Goa'uld naquadah mine.
Teal'c: Indeed

Woohoo!! Sweeet!!
Don't worry... as long as you put your answers in spoilers everyone else still has a chance to play.

Kat

[astrogeologist]

Hmm. Methinks the Citizenry of our fair Samanda are specifically picking Sam-Lite episodes with which to challenge me....

Yes, yesterday I almost sent you 'Citizen Joe' as a challenge, but then I decided that a clips show wasn't fair

[astrogeologist]

majorsal--
Tok’ra hostess (Gracie)--
skydiver (Denise)--
tara 3583--November 9, 1954
dipsofjazz--August 20, 1959
sam fan--May 20, 1988
astrogeologist--
Chopingal--March 15
coley--
Agent Dark--October 18
Uber (Mary Beth House)--June 19, 1973 (soon to be 32 )
Forever (Kat)--September 2
NC--December 18
Strix--February 17
majorsam--january 4
the dancer of spaz--January 4
(our lurker extroidinaire and our president share a birthday!)

Astrog will admit to Feb 14 19?2