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    Originally posted by jckfan55
    I read the blurb on Browder throwing himself into his work. I like him and I'm glad he's fitting in ... If AT needs to scale back her working hours a bit, I just hope they can work it so we the audience don't feel it.
    From all accounts, Browder has an incredible work ethic (and he can write), so I'm sure that if there's a void his instinct will be to fill it. If you go to docu.watchfarscape.com you should find three extensive video segments of him discussing Farscape. I found myself completely won over by his humility & thoughtfulness, not to mention his statement that the audience is the most important element of any story.
    Somebody else referred to the early episodes as featuring the "second team." I really take exception to that. I don't subdivide SG-1 into "first" and "second" strings. I just think of them as the team (or, better yet, the Fab Four), each of whom brings something special to the table.
    What concerns me about the first 1/2 of S9 is that they won't be operating as a team until S9 is well underway, so the jury will be out on the chemistry of the new foursome until early next year, most likely.
    Jaffa politics don't stir my blood & I wonder if that storyline is the best way to advance the Teal'c mythos, but Mr. T gets short shrift under the best of circumstances, so anything that expands his character is fine by me. Anyway, since he's a man of few words & much action, I suspect he'll soon grow weary of Jaffa jawboning & hotfoot it back to the Tau'ri. I wouldn't mind some non-Ascended Daniel storylines, although having him playing footsie with Vala again wouldn't be first choice.
    Ah, well. Nobody ever said TPTB shared Mr. Browder's conviction about the importance of the audience. To them we're just consumers.

    P.S.: So what's all this about an album? It's taken about a week to get my e-mail digests back in business.


    Jr. Member, Gateworld Curmudgeon Club

    Comment


      Originally posted by astrogeologist
      And I updated the Collection one more time before heading to bed this evening...

      http://home.comcast.net/~1annex/SaGCCollectionforAT.pdf

      It now includes UberSG-1Fan's post and pics for "Sam - A Hero For All Seasons" great post, Uber!
      The PDF is such an improvement over Word – downloads fast, navigates fast, hyperlnks are fast, looks great and is a smaller file! Love the addition of Uber’s “A Hero for All Seasons”. It’s an outstanding post.

      Thanks again for all your very fine work Astro!

      Comment


        Originally posted by Agent_Dark
        Crap. If thats the case, looks like I'll be going straight to hell
        In that case, you'll be in good company b/c I'll be there too. (My definition of Heaven would be an endless tape loop of AT's '10 Sharp' spot from Showtime.) And ... AT in leather pants? *Thud!*
        Coley, consider me in your corner in the great Chimera debate: this was yet another inglorious moment in the S7 Dumbassification of Sam (and there mere thought of Pete causes me to squirm; what an @$$!). After the mighty Gemini throwdown I'm pretty knackered, but I'm sure you'll emerge victorious in the fray.
        I confess to understand nothing about what 'rep' points are or how they're awarded, so I just wanted to thank the folks who've bestowed some on me—much to my surprise. In lieu of points would it be okay for me to send you love & positive vibes instead?


        Jr. Member, Gateworld Curmudgeon Club

        Comment


          Okay...brace yourselves as I am in quite the mood.

          I just read some material on a thread that will remain nameless (as I don't want to give it any publicity) that made my hair stand on end.

          The basic idea was that Sam is somehow less of a character than she was a few years ago. Several adjectives were used to describe her and I will not post them because I find them not obscene, but offensive to me personally. Now I thought that the focus was to be about the dislike for Sam/Jack...which I can understand. Many people here don't go for that either (but I love ya anyway and will of course continue to work my EEEVILLL wiles on you until you SEE THE LIGHT!!! but I digress... ) but NONE of you resort to the kind of degradation of Sam like that particular thread.

          The two episodes being discussed...ZERO HOUR and GEMINI.

          In ZERO HOUR, apparently the view of these individuals is that Sam was too insecure about how General O'Neill regarded her leadership skills (more than likely they mean the scene at the beginning where he makes SG-1 wait until Reynolds' team was available for backup); and that Sam made a mistake in ordering her backup to guard the gate. Further, that she was somehow weak for questioning her actions and again wondering aloud to the General if she made the right move.


          It gets worse.

          Apparently, it is their opinion that Daniel and Teal'c covered for Sam's errant decision and gave her a glowing review which insults Daniel, Teal'c, Jack AND Sam.


          Now, let's put this episode into perspective, shall we? This was Sam's first REAL outing as the official head of SG-1. OF COURSE she felt a little insecure...she had never really had the opportunity to be the team leader before this.


          What's so wrong in her wondering if General O'Neill was fully confident in her leadership skills? Plus there's the fact that Jack questioned his own ability to lead the SGC...and I don't hear anyone whining that he's a weak character for temporarily doubting himself. Now, if Sam questioned her abilities like that ALL THE TIME, that would be one thing. But I found it perfectly in character for her to second-guess herself the first time out of the box.


          Plus, Jack (obviously) has a very special connection with SG-1...so I think he wanted to do everything he could to protect his team...but I can understand how Sam might wonder if he fully had confidence in her as a leader...since again this WAS her first time out.


          They mocked how Jack dismissed her concerns with his "pshaw"...basically saying that Sam made a huge mistake...that she was doing the noble thing by taking responsibility for her ghastly error in judgment but that T and Daniel covered for her monumental mistake and Jack was playing it down. But I didn't see it that way at all. Jack was being his typically irreverant self.


          He has great confidence in Sam as a scientist and soldier. Did he maybe coddle her a little at first? Sure. Perhaps a little because of his feelings for her personally, but I think more because of his closeness to the team. But to suggest that he gave her a pass for making a mistake BECAUSE he had feelings for her is just insulting.


          Now about that MISTAKE...it was a standard recon mission for crying out loud. How many times had Jack ordered his backup to cover their six at the gate? How was this a blinding mistake on Sam's part? She had no way of knowing that Ba'al took advantage of them being missing...and most importantly, she got her team home in one piece.


          She MOMENTARILY wondered if she had done the right thing and Jack basically assured her he would have done the same thing in her place...thus cementing the fact that he, Teal'c and Daniel all had confidence in her leadership skills.


          Now about GEMINI...I don't know why people have such a problem with this episode as I felt this was one of the best Sam eps out there. It showed that, as BRILLIANT as she is, she was BRILLIANTLY MANIPULATED by the one person in the universe that could do it almost effortlessly...RepliCarter. She set her up from the start...from the false plea to be destroyed to her own reasoning for leaving Fifth..."What Fifth didn't realize was the things that drew him to you were inseparable from the things that made you reject him and the life he was offering."


          I watched it again the other day and I think it's rapidly becoming a favorite of mine. Why? AT said it best...sometimes heroes have to lose. Sometimes heroes have to get it wrong. It makes them more interesting as characters when they misread things and make monumental screwups.


          But the mistakes Sam made were all based on how she originally betrayed Fifth on Jack's order. RepliCarter knew how Sam felt about that and twisted it around...how many times? "Now you're lying to me the way you lied to Fifth." She used the way Sam was tortured to establish a stronger connection to her...Sam: "You're not like him...I can see that." RepliCarter: "You don't understand. You don't know what he did to me." Sam: "Show me." And later... Sam: "Teal'c doesn't know what you've been through. I do." Replicarter: "It wasn't just what I showed you, was it? You experienced it yourself." Sam: "Yeah. That's how I know there's no way you could be working with Fifth."


          She used Sam's humanity against her the same way Sam was ordered to and inevitably used Fifth's humanity against him. Sam believed that Fifth could be redeemed because of his "humanity"...that was clear by the end of Unnatural Selection. So why wouldn't she think that of all replicators in existence...the one that looked like her, sounded like her and had her memories could also be redeemed? The people on that thread scorn the decisions she made and completely dismiss her reasoning....which was that Sam felt that either RepliCarter could be redeemed or she would be destroyed. Therefore, any and all actions Sam took would, in her opinion be validated one way or the other. The Sam of ENTITY who made the effort to communicate with the being in the computer because it was the right thing to do regardless of the consequences is the SAME Sam of GEMINI who wanted to believe that RepliCarter could be redeemed.


          I also think that in some way, she believed RepliCarter's redemption would bring about her own for the guilt she continued to harbor over Fifth...that she could "get it right" this time. Like Sam said, "she learned betrayal from Fifth. And he learned it from me." But IMHO, there would have been no RepliCarter if JACK hadn't made the mistake in ordering Sam to betray Fifth in the first place...so blame is a funny thing...


          Sam is an incredibly strong character, full of compassion and strength and yes, flaws. And I have no problem discussing any and all of the above. But I am thoroughly disgusted with the notion that she is a whiny and weak hussy who, apparently to the people on that unmentioned thread, prove that women should not be in leadership positions in the military.

          Here's my personal opinion of this kind of Sam-bashing...take it however you like:


          *growl*
          Last edited by Uber; 17 May 2005, 11:24 AM.

          ...You're ALWAYS Welcome in Samanda: Amanda's Community of New Fans and Old Friends...

          Comment


            Originally posted by ForeverSg1
            Add a Caption:
            D: "Last night, Janet said I was almost as good as you. What does that mean, Sam?"
            S: "Wouldn't you like to know, Space Monkey."
            D: "Wipe that smirk off your face, you shameless hussy."


            Jr. Member, Gateworld Curmudgeon Club

            Comment


              Originally posted by ÜberSG-1Fan
              The basic idea was that Sam is somehow less of a character than she was a few years ago.
              In Zero Hour, apparently the view of these individuals is that Sam was too insecure about how General O'Neill regarded her leadership skills (more than likely they mean the scene at the beginning where he makes SG-1 wait until Reynolds' team was available for backup); and that Sam made a mistake in ordering her backup to guard the gate. Further, that she was somehow weak for questioning her actions and again wondering aloud to the General if she made the right move.

              Now about GEMINI...I don't know why people have such a problem with this episode as I felt this was one of the best Sam eps out there.
              I also think that in some way, she believed RepliCarter's redemption would bring about her own for the guilt she continued to harbor over Fifth...that she could "get it right" this time.

              Sam is an incredibly strong character, full of compassion and strength and yes, flaws.
              Forgive the length of the quote box. Even with copious snippage there's still a lot left. Firstly, Über, if there's one thing I've learnt it's that—for a sizeable chunk of the fandom—Sam can't so much as tie her shoes right. For these folk, everything wrong with the show is somehow her fault. Oy! Whatcha gonna do? Best to shake one's head at such follies & move on.
              From S1, Carter was written as being headstrong & impulsive (see Emancipation or The First Commandment) so it's not out of character for her to let her emotions get the better of her in S8. The examples you cite, though, are ones where the writers make her not so much impulsive as recklessly foolish. In Zero Hour she is depicted as dividing her force in the face of an unknown adversary. She's deliberately written as showing poor judgment in the field (although, yes, O'Neill always left a detachment to guard the gate, it's true). That's the point being made, for whatever dumb-ass reason. So you really ought to blame the writers for skeeving Carter once again. Thankfully her exercise of command in Icon & subsequent episodes is largely past reproach.
              As for the insecurity, I miss the confident, wisecracking Sam of S1-4. She seems to spend so much time apologizing for herself lately that it makes me want to throw things at my TV set. She's lost her swagger and, again, I blame crappy writing. Just b/c Carter is one of my two favorite characters on the show (no prizes for guessing who the other is) doesn't mean I have to rationalize everything she does. I just mentally divorce the good scripts from the stupid scripts. The resourceful, intrepid Carter of Foothold or Tangent is not the Carter of Heroes, much to the latter's detriment. But the current writing staff has no Jonathan Glassner or Heather Ash in its ranks.
              As for not understanding why some people don't like Gemini, look at the pro/con debate the raged (quite pleasantly) between Strix & ChopinGal contra yours truly. Or read the two reviews of the episode on GateWorld. I don't ask you to change your mind, but you'll find several lengthy attempts to explain precisely why Gemini had some of us banging our heads in frustration at what Siskel & Ebert used to call the 'Idiot Plot Syndrome' (whereby all of the characters in a story must be afflicted with Sudden Stupidity in order for the plot to function).
              For my part, I don't agree with Strix & CG, but I certainly understand and respect their point of view. I'd even make so bold as to say we all profited from a vigorous & collegial exchange of views on Gemini.
              (Incidentally, your point about atonement vis-a-vis Fifth is an excellent one—and it goes straight to why some fans [myself included] think Carter's judgment was fatally compromised & that O'Neill let his respect for Sam override his instincts, with calamitous results. Not even Carter can defeat bad writing!)
              Sam can crook me around her little finger anytime she likes. I'm head over heels in love with the compassion, strength and even the flaws you cite. But the character arcs—for almost everybody—became wobbly & often wildly inconsistent, starting in S4 (Sam's Meg Ryan 'do & Teal'c's chin whiskers were auguries of bad things to come, IMO) and at least some of us who rail & kvetch & rend our garments over the occasional degeneration of Super!Sam into Stumblebum!Sam are doing so out of dismay over what's become of a character who enthralled & subjugated & charmed us back in the golden era of Solitudes and Hathor.
              With love & respect,
              C.S.


              Jr. Member, Gateworld Curmudgeon Club

              Comment


                Originally posted by ChopinGal
                Dear Royal Guard aka 1s4S,

                We eagerly await your version of Saturday Night Live with the Royal Accountant and COTG.

                Methinks you will have a slightly different spin on what happened ... although, ahem, the woman talks about "taking showers" and "using restraints". Whatever happened to the more simple pleasures while watching the telly, such as popcorn and ale? I am so relieved to see that your knobblies were not muddy, lest I think there was some wrestling going on.

                Let us pray that the new Vicar is quickly installed as there will be some need for confession and repentance amongst us. Oh yea, what say ....

                A Concerned Citizen,

                Jester
                Saturday Night (Almost) Live – an alternative view

                The day got off to a slightly inauspicious start when I suffered a “senior moment”, and drove straight past the Royal Accountant’s humble abode (fortunately unobserved by the RA, or her Sarcasm Chip would have gone into overdrive). Having regained my bearings, I eventually managed to arrive at the right house, to be greeted by the large and spirited dog in his usual exuberant manner.

                It was during this greeting that I suffered a major facial injury, when the aforementioned beast bit me on the nose. Fortunately, after a few minutes with a paper towel and an antiseptic spray, the bleeding had stopped and I was able to pronounce myself off the critical list. Even more fortunately, no lasting damage appears to have been done to my rugged good looks, so on this occasion I will not be suing the RA for every bean she’s got.

                We then headed over to the far east reaches of Lancashire where we enjoyed a bracing 20.78 mile mountain bike ride, during which we observed several interesting activities, including a kestrel doing what kestrels do best, and a group of local farmers partaking in sheep trials – as far as we are aware, none of the sheep were found guilty. The RA also had another opportunity to demonstrate her “combat roll”, but luckily fell to the left where a grassy bank stopped her momentum, rather than to the right where she would have plummeted down a ravine into a raging torrent.

                The RA has already mentioned the embarrassing incident which then occurred at our afternoon tea spot. I would like to take this opportunity to assure all citizens of Samanda that I do not regularly partake in, nor visit any, erm, *specialist* websites which cater for, this kind of activity. It was a genuine accident, he just walked in front of me at the wrong moment, honest. Or maybe it was divine retribution for his earlier unprovoked attack? At least I was decent enough to tell the RA before she patted him on the head...

                Having arrived back at the RA’s and freshened up, the RA prepared another splendid feast (carrot curry and cous-cous), after which I took my place on the Stargate Viewing Settee (tm) and settled down to watch COTG. Regrettably I was unable to stand and salute our Queen when she appeared on screen – as this was wholly due to the Grip-O-Matic restraints, I trust I will not be charged with treason?

                My views on COTG? Thoroughly enjoyed it, I did. Having never actually sat down and watched a whole Stargate episode before, I can see the appeal. I’m not going to ramble on about tight ensemble acting, or the great musical score, or the overall classy look and feel of the production, but I’m definitely looking forward to continuing my adventures with SG-1.

                I would also like to apologise to those of a sensitive disposition for their being subjected to the sight of my knobblies – hopefully, should it ever happen again they will be rather more tanned and less goose-pimply (er, the knobblies that is, not those of a sensitive disposition). And thanks to all those who’ve been really complimentary. Aw, shucks, you guys…. *big hugs all round*

                Finally, as Jester seems to worry about these things, I would like to assure her that during the viewing the RA and I maintained a respectable distance between us (separate settees in fact). No confessions needed round here, I’m afraid. And believe me when I say that if one were needed, I would be shouting it from the rooftops - after all, it's not everybody who gets to spend quality time with a Royal Doppelganger...

                1s4S
                Last edited by 1speed4Sam; 17 May 2005, 02:24 AM.

                Comment


                  Originally posted by Agent_Dark
                  Crap. If thats the case, looks like I'll be going straight to hell
                  What a lovely bit of synchronicity. Your rotating sig pic at the bottom of this message as I read it was Sam... kneeling at the feet of Seth...

                  My LJ

                  Comment


                    Originally posted by ÜberSG-1Fan
                    Okay...brace yourselves as I am in quite the mood.

                    I just read some material on a thread that will remain nameless (as I don't want to give it any publicity) that made my hair stand on end.

                    The basic idea was that Sam is somehow less of a character than she was a few years ago. Several adjectives were used to describe her and I will not post them because I find them not obscene, but offensive to me personally. Now I thought that the focus was to be about the dislike for Sam/Jack...which I can understand. Many people here don't go for that either (but I love ya anyway and will of course continue to work my EEEVILLL wiles on you until you SEE THE LIGHT!!! but I digress... ) but NONE of you resort to the kind of degradation of Sam like that particular thread.

                    *growl*
                    Yeah, I know how you feel. The last time I visited that thread was at the end of the season. God, the Sam bashing that was going on was unbelievable. I didn't realize that sitting outside someones house, debating about whether to go in or not was considered stalking.
                    Odo's last wishes: cremate me, put me in my bucket, then shoot me through the wormhole.


                    Rogue

                    Comment


                      Originally posted by jckfan55
                      That's ok, I don't have a royal name either. No ideas come to mind. I'm open to suggestions...
                      Dear Loyal Samandans ... jckfan55 and Lida ... we will soon be posting a list of yet-to-be-filled royal positions for the kingdom ... a Samandan job list, so to speak.

                      So, take heart, and also, you lurkers extraordinaire such as Tok'ra Hostess and others ... there will be some positions to be rightfully claimed when the list appears.

                      We want all citizens to feel needed and productive in Samanda.

                      There are two current positions listed in the most recent edition of Oh Yea Times: backup musician/singer (part-time), and Vicar (full-time). More to come!

                      Court Jester

                      Comment


                        various housecleaning things

                        first of all, we can start a new thread whenever you want to

                        one advantage to starting new every once in a while, when the server crashed a couple of times ago, a lot of posts were lost in teh big threads, the sam and jack and the jack drool i think

                        if we close this one and start fresh, then these posts will be archived and should always be preserved (bearing in mind that always is a relative term)

                        i can do it whenever folks want

                        second of all

                        guys, there are folks out there that, if sam were killed off and written out would complain that she got too much time and died in a bad way and moan that she got too much air time dying when it would have been better spent showing how her dying effected her teammates

                        there are people who hate sam adn will complain no matter what she does.

                        she saves the day, she's a mary sue and should be off the show

                        she doesn't know the answer, she's a waste of space and should be off teh show


                        just ignore them. that's what i do

                        let them spew their vile and hate and nastiness because that's all they're known for.

                        we, on the other hand, can just concentrate on taking care of our girl here and let them wallow in thier ickyness
                        Where in the World is George Hammond?


                        sigpic

                        Comment


                          Originally posted by jckfan55
                          I read the blurb on Browder throwing himself into his work. I like him and I'm glad he's fitting in, I just hope he remembers Sam is coming back. If AT needs to scale back her working hours a bit, I just hope they can work it so we the audience don't feel it.

                          Seeing all that leather a few posts back (I like all but the 2nd one) put me in mind of Sam and her motorcycle. I heard they won't let AT actually ride b/c of insurance. I don't see how going a few feet would be dangerous. She could be arriving at the base or driving off. They could cut quick. Or we could see her get on the bike--like we see people get into cars, but not actually drive away. It would reinforce the fun, off the base side of Sam.
                          Yes, as Astro has also written ... it's to be expected that the characters on the screen for the first five eps will be establishing the beginning of the season and, for the new hires, character arcs for themselves. So we have to accept the fact that the new faces will be, literally, getting in our faces, for better or worse (vis a vis scriptwriting).

                          As I said in an earlier post ... let the boys play with their swords, as long as Sam gets to play with her Carter Special when she returns! AT has gone on record saying that she wants to be seen as "action Sam" in the field, getting dirty, taking some whumpage, and showing skill and bravery. Equal opportunity must prevail!

                          And a few motorcycle scenes wouldn't hurt ... great idea!

                          Comment


                            Originally posted by deepspace
                            The Kingdom of Samanda?????
                            Ooh ... from Tantalus?! ... as long as we all don't fall into the sea! I was picturing Samanda somewhere in a sunny meadow ... any pics of kingdoms like that from the episodes?

                            Comment


                              Originally posted by SamFan31
                              The PDF is such an improvement over Word – downloads fast, navigates fast, hyperlnks are fast, looks great and is a smaller file! Love the addition of Uber’s “A Hero for All Seasons”. It’s an outstanding post.

                              Thanks again for all your very fine work Astro!
                              Second all of the above ... some terrific material is now already up there ... especially, "A Hero" and "Carter Copter" inclusions.

                              The book is shaping up nicely ... I still plan to put my "bard cap" on and create a poem or song too.

                              Reminder: please send Astrog some personal tribute you'd like included in the very beginning of the book ... MajorSal's heartfelt note is a great example.

                              CG/Jester

                              Comment


                                Originally posted by astrogeologist
                                Such fun... comparing Sam Carter with Emma Peel... and that reminded me of Strix's wonderfully astute comparison of AT with Lucille Ball... what range AT has played!
                                Astro ... if you haven't yet ... can you include these "look-alike" photocaps in our Samanda scrapbook? I think AT would enjoy them.

                                Comment

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