Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[ChopinGal]

Bring on the bite and strength!


Yes! Here's to hoping that Season 9's episodes allow Carter to show the competency, spunk and fire that we've seen in some of the earlier years.

Carter: I'm having fun now, sir
O'Neill: You Go Girl!

Bring on the spunky and competent Carter that we saw in Foothold, Exodus/Enemies and so many of the other episodes cited earlier in this thread.

Life is about balance. Some folks (including AT, although not myself ) were getting tired of 'Super Sam' or 'Little Miss Perfect' Carter... so they've introduced some vulnerabilities and other such facets to her character... ok, fine... and AT was simply fantastic in Gemini and Grace and I thought both were wonderful episodes.

But life is all about balance... and the four original characters of SG-1 are supposed to be heroes... how much 'vulnerability or weakness' is appropriate? And how much should be revealed at one time? Balance does not mean 50-50... like vitamins, sometimes all you need is a small amount for the proper, healthy balance. If the vulnerabilities and weaknesses are similar to vitamins, then we've gotten a large enough dose over the past couple of seasons. To maintain Carter's validity as one of SG-1's lead heroic characters, they now need to concentrate on her competency, selflessness and heroism. And, since it's a science fiction show, that means large scale heroism... heroic actions that no one can argue the merit of.


Carter's vulnerabilities and weaknesses can be addressed and explored again in the future - but not before we have some episodes that balance things out and emphasize her heroism and selflessness.

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Blowing up a sun!
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BTW: If anyone wants to access the screen capture panels that I have created, they are at my online photo album: AccessPics
The first panel of pics is from Foothold
The second panel of pics is from Enemies
The third panel is from Nemesis
The fourth panel is from Singularity
The fifth panel of pics is from Exodus
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AstroG

There you go again - just putting it all out there - and in such a thoughtful and well defined way! Yep, what we need is some good old-fashioned balance - let's get our Sam back on even keel - enough with the angst and self doubt - bring on Baal and Anubis for some serious battles - Carter needs her exercise - and don't forget the rematch with RepliCarter too!!

Don't get me wrong - I'm into the angst and romance too ... but AstroG is right about Sam. Can only guys lose their mojo?!

I say to the writers and TPTB - forget the budget - you've got S9 in your pocket - go for the gusto - let heroes be heroes!

(Don't mind me - I've had a hard day at the office ... or maybe they're putting something new in the drinking water ....)

[ChopinGal]

... It would be interesting for someone (not me ) to see who has written the best Carter episodes. Are there some who do a better job than others with her character?

This is a great question - once I've come off my manic phase, I'll try to research the topic. Somehow, though, I think AstroG will have all the answers posted here by the time I get around to looking ...

BTW, just kidding about the mania.

[ChopinGal]

There is a great chance that this incident may spur Sam to take more control over her own existence. She may get a little more cynical, a little more bitter. It happens under circumstances, and Gemini would certainly be cause for that.

I'm all for Sam character development. I'm hoping for a little more of the bite and strength that she had pre-season 7. I still love Sam's character, but she's changed a bit. Mellowed even more. Bring on the spunk! But she needn't become over-the-top. Her rationality is her gift, and she must maintain that. The humor would help a bit, though. Something like "you're an idiot every day of the week? Couldn't you take a day off?" kind of stuff wouldn't hurt.

We may even need a little bit of that with RDA's absence next season. I mean, if they gave Browder a snarky personality, it would seem a little like a rip-off. But the other three characters, Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c can in some sense perhaps compensate so the O'Neill aura isn't lost forever. I'm not asking for them to turn "believer" like they did with Scully on the X-Files. Just that the dynamic and atmosphere maintains its "sanctity."

This is so right on! Astro's balance = your bite and strength ... I like Carter with an edge ... it has mostly been missing, as you said, for these past two seasons ... time to bring it back!

[astrogeologist]

Sally - I know that Amanda has had a problem with the whole Jack/Sam ship since the early seasons. I was hoping that she began to realize that the fans may be on to something here (in a good way). The chemistry between her and RDA is there and the desire on the part of many fans for them to eventually get together as a couple shows that this arc should be taken seriously. If the writers would have developed Sam's character as a leader and Jack now as her mentor (rather than her CO) these past two seasons, they could have made the relationship much more equal, in contrast to the earlier years of Sam being under Jack's command. It could be written as a relationship of equals now - I would never think of Sam as just Jack's gal either. Good grief! That would take us back to Emancipation and Sam being seen as property!

Unfortunately, I don't think Sam and Jack will ever get together (except in some terrific and thoughtful fanfic and only in AUs) ... but, if it happened, I, for one, would never see it as the loss of Sam - she would still be the same strong, independent, and spunky Carter we all adore. And didn't Jack say it for us in the very first episode as they walked up the ramp?! "Captain, I adore you already."

Brilliantly worded ChopinGal!

When I read that article, I also picked up on AT's reiteration of her desire for Carter to not simply end up as 'Jack's Girl' -- this is something that she has stressed since the beginning years of the show. And I think it's a valid concern.... O'Neill is a *very* strong character - strong opinions, usually written as 'right' (he has been the show's main heroic lead...above the titles) and written as *very* male (I don't know how else to word that). Carter on the other hand, has always been his subordinate... kind of like with a boss and a secretary... she's not in charge when he's in the room and he's allowed to be insulting and dismissive (it's part of the Jack O'Neill persona - even when he was mini-Jack in Fragile Balance)... and she's not been allowed to be his equal. I don't think that AT approves of 'the secretary marrying the boss' type of scenario... the subordinate female always becoming the dominate male's possession.... or - the starry-eyed female falling for the dominant male...

As with AT's sentiments, I abhor the idea of the male lead 'getting the girl' just because he's the male lead... and it would be a terrible blow to the character of Sam Carter to reduce the past 8 years to such a role. It would be so wonderful to see Sam grow into more equal footing with Jack... just as ChopinGal stated above "If the writers would have developed Sam's character as a leader and Jack now as her mentor (rather than her CO) these past two seasons, they could have made the relationship much more equal" - and with *that* added to their natural on-screen chemistry... yeah, that could work.

Unfortunately, Seasons 7 & 8 have not featured or showcased Carter's strengths or leadership abilities. There have been some fantastic Carter episodes, with spectacular acting by AT. But Carter's leadership and heroism has not been at the forefront.

These are all valid concerns and a healthy relationship between Jack and Sam would have to show that Sam would have equality in their personal relationship. So far, the show has not developed their characters in that direction.

If TPTB do decide to let Sam and Jack have a relationship, I sincerely hope that they show the relationship as one between two people who love each other - and are equal partners. I would never want to see the penultimate action of the character of Carter to become 'married her boss.'

When I wrote 'What Will It Take', my goal was to see just what I thought it would take to resolve some of the above questions in order to get Sam and Jack together into a hopefully healthy relationship.

Do you think we should move further discussion of this topic to the Sam/Jack Shipper Thread? I am a shipper myself, but S/J ship is such a volatile issue where folks have such strong feelings, that I don't want to destroy the basically positive and constructive atmosphere of this thread with a topic that might divide us...

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[astrogeologist]

bring on Baal and Anubis for some serious battles - Carter needs her exercise - and don't forget the rematch with RepliCarter too!!

I say to the writers and TPTB - forget the budget - you've got S9 in your pocket - go for the gusto - let heroes be heroes!

Carter needs her exercise! Bring on the bad-guys!
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[majorsal]

That's what I thought Sam meant when she said spoilers for s8's gemini
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Spoiler:

CARTER: 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.
CARTER: Yeah. That’s how I know there’s no way you could be working with Fifth.

Do you think I read too much into that exchange?

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I don't know. The writers LOVE to make things vague and multi-representational, so I really don't know. That's basically why I'm asking the question myself.

Sally

[majorsal]

there are times when i woudl kill to have her figure. she's tall, almost as tall as the boys, but not bony

i hate it when actresses are these stick figures, all bones

she's got a normal figure and it's nice to see

I totally agree. She's 'healthy' looking. And I think most guys would prefer a woman with more than bones sticking through. I'm glad Amanda's out of the 'Hollywood limelight', because I think it's extremely rough on a person's ego and morale.

Sally

[astrogeologist]

Last year when Richard Dean Anderson was given an award from the Air Force Association for the positive way that SG1 presents the Air Force, I started to think about the way that the character of Samantha Carter represents women in the Air Force and in the military in general. Can you think of any other female character in television or film who has been a better representative of women in the US military? I’ve been trying for a while now, and can’t come up with any. First of all, there aren’t that many to choose from. Second, the ones that I can think of are usually in very secondary roles or often get caught up in soap opera type plot lines.

In any case, if there is an organization out there that recognizes women in the military, wouldn’t it be great if Amanda’s portrayal of Samantha Carter was honored?

I think everyone on this thread could make arguments as to why Sam Carter is a good role model for young women (and men.) We’ve heard from young(er) viewers on this thread that they’re more interested in science because of Sam. (Speaking as a math educator, this really warmed my heart!)

I’m not in the military, so maybe some of you who are, or have been, would be better able than me to say whether Sam represents what a good officer should be. Since the Air Force has advisors working with the show, I assume that for the most part, her actions are within the rules and regulations of the Air Force. IMO, she makes the military look good. And no, I’m not talking about physical appearance here. Amanda is beautiful, but I’ve never felt that Sam’s looks were the most important part of the character. It’s more about what she can do than how she looks doing it.

Now, if the character of Sam Carter alone isn’t a good enough reason to be recognized, consider Amanda! From everything that I’ve read, she’s a truly good person. Professional, funny, kind, a great actress; you name it. On top of that, in the past she made visits to troops in the Middle East with the USO, demonstrating genuine support for soldiers in the field.

It would be nice if someone associated with the armed forces realized the way that this character and this actress have given us such a good example of a notable woman officer in the US Air Force.

I wondered about some of the same things when they announced that RDA was getting that award from the Air Force (or the affiliated organization)... Why not AT as well? And it still bugs me that 'The Lead Guy' was recognized so prominently when the lead woman wasn't. Of course, RDA was a relatively major star (from MacGyver) before Stargate SG-1... but the award was not for lifetime-acting-achievement... the award was for portraying the Air Force on television. And AT has done a superb job of portraying Carter...

Here's an excerpt from one of RDA's interviews where he talks about the Air Force award: The idea of O'Neill being in charge and a General is fairly ludicrous," laughs the actor, " And certainly with my personification of it, the credibility of the whole situation gets stretched a bit. The actor's portrayal of Jack O'Neill has certainly endeared him to the programme's many viewers. Last September, he received further kudos for his performance from one of the show's most avid supporters, the United States Air Force. "I was invited to Washington DC to accept an award for my work on the show and it's positive representation of the Air Force," notes Anderson. "Naturally, I was honoured, especially as it was at the only annual black tie even held by the Air Force. It was part of a week long conference tha was attended by, among others, the true heroes and elder statesmen of the Air Force. One of the many people I met during my stay was General 'Buzz' Moseley [Air Force Vice Chief Of Staff]. He happened to be on the phone when I was brought to his office so I waited outside in the hallway with some of his staff. After a few minutes, one of the General's assistants knocked on his door and interrupted the phone call to let him know I was waiting. Needless to say, I was embarrassed. Once I got in his office, though, the General wanted to show me his coin collection and other things that were of interest to me. When General Ryan and General Jumper visited the Stargate set, I asked them if what I was doing as a Colonel was ok, and they were very generous with their praise. In speaking with General Moseley, I asked him, 'How am I doing as a General, and please be honest. Is there any credibility whatsoever in my performance? Am I embarrassing you? How about myself?' He said, 'Heck, no way son. You're doing a great job. We have guys like O'Neill and worse. Keep it up. We all love you.' I ended up telling that story during my acceptance speech and it recieved an enormous laugh and round of applause. I was made an honorary Brigadier General, and presented with a medallion that was personalized to me from General Jumper as well as an eagle statuette. It was a spectacular experience. Earlier that day, I was given a tour of the Pentagon, and then taken to Walter Reid Hospital, which was truly the highlight of my trip."

I do not want to diminish RDA's award or his accomplishments, but the omission of AT from the proceedings still bugs me. And the fact that AT was born in England and now resides in Canada should not make any difference. She plays the role of a female US Air Force officer. And she's done an amazing job for a female lead on a science fiction show!
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[majorsal]

Sally - I know that Amanda has had a problem with the whole Jack/Sam ship since the early seasons. I was hoping that she began to realize that the fans may be on to something here (in a good way). The chemistry between her and RDA is there and the desire on the part of many fans for them to eventually get together as a couple shows that this arc should be taken seriously. If the writers would have developed Sam's character as a leader and Jack now as her mentor (rather than her CO) these past two seasons, they could have made the relationship much more equal, in contrast to the earlier years of Sam being under Jack's command. It could be written as a relationship of equals now - I would never think of Sam as just Jack's gal either. Good grief! That would take us back to Emancipation and Sam being seen as property!

Unfortunately, I don't think Sam and Jack will ever get together (except in some terrific and thoughtful fanfic and only in AUs) ... but, if it happened, I, for one, would never see it as the loss of Sam - she would still be the same strong, independent, and spunky Carter we all adore. And didn't Jack say it for us in the very first episode as they walked up the ramp?! "Captain, I adore you already."

I can't rep point you (have to spread it around first), and I can't pm or email you, so...

I just wanted to say thanks.


Sally

[tara3583]

Last year when Richard Dean Anderson was given an award from the Air Force Association for the positive way that SG1 presents the Air Force, I started to think about the way that the character of Samantha Carter represents women in the Air Force and in the military in general. Can you think of any other female character in television or film who has been a better representative of women in the US military? I’ve been trying for a while now, and can’t come up with any. First of all, there aren’t that many to choose from. Second, the ones that I can think of are usually in very secondary roles or often get caught up in soap opera type plot lines.

In any case, if there is an organization out there that recognizes women in the military, wouldn’t it be great if Amanda’s portrayal of Samantha Carter was honored?

I think everyone on this thread could make arguments as to why Sam Carter is a good role model for young women (and men.) We’ve heard from young(er) viewers on this thread that they’re more interested in science because of Sam. (Speaking as a math educator, this really warmed my heart!)

I’m not in the military, so maybe some of you who are, or have been, would be better able than me to say whether Sam represents what a good officer should be. Since the Air Force has advisors working with the show, I assume that for the most part, her actions are within the rules and regulations of the Air Force. IMO, she makes the military look good. And no, I’m not talking about physical appearance here. Amanda is beautiful, but I’ve never felt that Sam’s looks were the most important part of the character. It’s more about what she can do than how she looks doing it.

Now, if the character of Sam Carter alone isn’t a good enough reason to be recognized, consider Amanda! From everything that I’ve read, she’s a truly good person. Professional, funny, kind, a great actress; you name it. On top of that, in the past she made visits to troops in the Middle East with the USO, demonstrating genuine support for soldiers in the field.

It would be nice if someone associated with the armed forces realized the way that this character and this actress have given us such a good example of a notable woman officer in the US Air Force.

Interesting post, something i thought of while
reading this is the combat braclet that Amanda
wore. Sometimes it's what is done away from "the
limelight" that also makes a diferance to people from all walks of life and imho it was very nice of Amanda and other actors to take time to spend with soilders in combat,hope i've
made sense here

[majorsal]

Brilliantly worded ChopinGal!

When I read that article, I also picked up on AT's reiteration of her desire for Carter to not simply end up as 'Jack's Girl' -- this is something that she has stressed since the beginning years of the show.

See, this is what worries me. Does Amanda really think that's all the shippers want from her or think of her? I know Jack/RDA's the lead actor and character, but... I see Sam as the lead between the two because I see Sam as so strong and independent. I always have. She officially became my fave character in season one's Emancipation. And I guess fanfiction has further helped me see Sam as strong in a relationship with Jack, not a weak 'yes, sir, no sir' with him.

And I think it's a valid concern.... O'Neill is a *very* strong character - strong opinions, usually written as 'right' (he has been the show's main heroic lead...above the titles) and written as *very* male (I don't know how else to word that). Carter on the other hand, has always been his subordinate... kind of like with a boss and a secretary... she's not in charge when he's in the room and he's allowed to be insulting and dismissive (it's part of the Jack O'Neill persona - even when he was mini-Jack in Fragile Balance)... and she's not been allowed to be his equal. I don't think that AT approves of 'the secretary marrying the boss' type of scenario... the subordinate female always becoming the dominate male's possession.... or - the starry-eyed female falling for the dominant male...

I can certainly understand what you're saying. And you said it very well. And if Amanda's seeing it this way too, then I can understand her fears on this especially. Sam would NEVER be JUST Jack's woman, or Pete's woman, or anyone's anything, because Sam's a strong character.

As with AT's sentiments, I abhor the idea of the male lead 'getting the girl' just because he's the male lead... and it would be a terrible blow to the character of Sam Carter to reduce the past 8 years to such a role.

I agree, if all Sam was at the end was someone's girlfriend. I can't imagine the writers doing that, though, even though they've made multiple mistakes with writing the Sam character in the last couple of years. I, personally, don't care if it's the male lead or a recurring character, if the end result is Sam getting lost in the ship.

It would be so wonderful to see Sam grow into more equal footing with Jack... just as ChopinGal stated above "If the writers would have developed Sam's character as a leader and Jack now as her mentor (rather than her CO) these past two seasons, they could have made the relationship much more equal" - and with *that* added to their natural on-screen chemistry... yeah, that could work.

This is hard for me to say (choking on my words hard), but being with a boyfriend is kinda equalling out Sam and Jack's statis. It's giving her confidence in herself, and giving her the edge of not being afraid of being hurt. I think being alone for so long has made her rather rusty in the relationship department, so if Pete is good for Sam in any way, it's that he's helping her get over her loneliness, and helping her see that you can still be alone if you're not with the one you really want and need. I'm not sure that made sense.

Unfortunately, Seasons 7 & 8 have not featured or showcased Carter's strengths or leadership abilities. There have been some fantastic Carter episodes, with spectacular acting by AT. But Carter's leadership and heroism has not been at the forefront.

Totally right! I've wanted to SEE Sam commanding, and dealing with the issues of command. We've barely seen anything about that, and there's absolutely no reason for it. Just having Sam tell some officers to stand over there is NOT showing her commanding.

These are all valid concerns and a healthy relationship between Jack and Sam would have to show that Sam would have equality in their personal relationship. So far, the show has not developed their characters in that direction.

I guess fanfic has helped me see them together, with Sam being quite strong and equal with Jack. But the show's too scared of making obvious overtures in that department, because that would make them slip off the fence they've been sitting on for years.

If TPTB do decide to let Sam and Jack have a relationship, I sincerely hope that they show the relationship as one between two people who love each other - and are equal partners. I would never want to see the penultimate action of the character of Carter to become 'married her boss.'

spoilers for s7's chimera

Me either. I saw

Spoiler:

some of stuff I didn't like seeing in Chimera, after Pete got out of bed (and from then on) and starting making her feel guilty for not telling him what she did for a living. I want to see Sam stand up for herself. Maybe if they'd been in a relay for longer than the three weeks the ep had them at, I could understand Sam buckling under the pressure of the man she was involved with. But Chimera didn't give us that, and I'll always be angry at the way the writers botched that scenario. If they'd just kept out the Pete checking up on her and following her part, this would have went down better. Better for Sam and the fans alike.

Do you think we should move further discussion of this topic to the Sam/Jack Shipper Thread?

Uh... oops. I'm alright with it here, because this group is very open minded and respectful. If no one objects, I say we keep it here (if we even want to continue with it that is).

Sally

[astrogeologist]

SPOILERS for Gemini below:
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and don't forget the rematch with RepliCarter too!!

I have read many references to the hopes for some great storyline involving a rematch or showdown between Sam and RepliCarter... and I agree - it sounds like a great episode plot... However, I remember AT saying that after Gemini the RepliCarter scenes were easier because Sam wasn't in the same scenes as RepliCarter....

So what do you think that means as far as the possibilities of a rematch between Sam and RC?

Is it going to be Jack or Daniel (with the Ascended 'diner' scenes) that take on RepliCarter for the final showdown?

I'm just wondering what everyone else's thoughts are here... or does anyone know any spoilers that would answer this question?
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[majorsal]

<snip>

Do you think we should move further discussion of this topic to the Sam/Jack Shipper Thread? I am a shipper myself, but S/J ship is such a volatile issue where folks have such strong feelings, that I don't want to destroy the basically positive and constructive atmosphere of this thread with a topic that might divide us...

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Oh, you added to your post. The one huge thing we have in common here is our great love and respect for Sam Carter. And with the ppl I've seen reply in this thread, I think we're fine with this subject. But I can't guarantee it'll continue, so I'll leave it up to you guys.


Sally

[majorsal]

Interesting post, something i thought of while
reading this is the combat braclet that Amanda
wore. Sometimes it's what is done away from "the
limelight" that also makes a diferance to people from all walks of life and imho it was very nice of Amanda and other actors to take time to spend with soilders in combat,hope i've
made sense here

I remember that, and I felt it was a *great* honor for Amanda! And in typical Amanda fashion, she wore it till it fell apart.

Sally

[majorsal]

spoilers for s8's gemini

SPOILERS for Gemini below:
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I have read many references to the hopes for some great storyline involving a rematch or showdown between Sam and RepliCarter... and I agree - it sounds like a great episode plot... However, I remember AT saying that after Gemini the RepliCarter scenes were easier because Sam wasn't in the same scenes as RepliCarter....

So what do you think that means as far as the possibilities of a rematch between Sam and RC?

Is it going to be Jack or Daniel (with the Ascended 'diner' scenes) that take on RepliCarter for the final showdown?

I'm just wondering what everyone else's thoughts are here... or does anyone know any spoilers that would answer this question?
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I'm just hoping they don't kill off RC, because I LOVE that character! Okay, I love her so much because Amanda's playing her. But it's *so* fun to see such a twisted side of Sam. If they don't kill her off, I'd like to see her around for season nine.


Sally