It was definitely clunky, as most first season eps are, but it was among those I liked in those early seasons probably because it set a precedent for 
- I agree that there's probably a lot of 'bookish Sam' get swept away, but I think of all a daughter goes through - losing her mother and then having a father is often absent. That has to leave an emotional vacuum and no one, absolutely no one, is above an abusive relationship. I'm not sure I think it was physically abusive so much as emotionally so. The way he talks to her indicates as much.
My guess is that they were together and she was busy much of the time. Early Sam doesn't exude a lot of *natural* confidence. That first scene in the briefing room feels defensive and forced to me. I think as she goes through the gate, she grows up and gains that self-confidence we love...which I could go into about how that leads to a relationship with Pete.
Basically this is my Sam interpretation:
Sam grew up a USAF officer's daughter. She likely moved every 2-3 years of her life (I'm speaking from personal experience as a USAF officer's daughter...) - particularly if her father was really gunning for those stars on his shoulder. Given that he was a retired *general* when she was what, 26-27 means he was an older father to begin with (my dad enlisted at 18, went to OTS, and when he retired in 2003 was a Lt.Col. - I was 20, born when he was about 28).
It's possible they did less moving in her teen years with him being a general, but I can guarantee he was absent *a lot*. Her mother dies, she likely has little, if any, female guidance because they probably don't live near family. She's a daddy's girl, and because the military has always been what she's known, she decides to join up (this is common for military brats - I nearly joined up myself because I was terrified of 'civilian' life - there was a lot my parents couldn't tell me because they'd never had to do it. Of my military brat friends I can name off at least three off the top of my head that joined the service).
By the time she gets to college, she feels out of place, like she has most of her life - she's had a parent die, she's had to grow up faster. It's likely that she feels disconnected from her peers - and it's clear she's a freaking genius - so one more disconnect. The military gives her some ability to adjust - shared experiences with fellow officers.
At some point she meets Hansen. Guys like this are charming, and, having been a braniac without roots for years, he makes her feel *connected*, special, he probably even takes a load off her shoulders that she's been carrying. She falls for him, not realizing he's a viper in disguise. She's tough though (because she's learned to take care of herself) and she breaks off the engagement.
By the time she shows up at the SGC, she's confident in her smarts, but is still trying to figure out her place. I'm going to argue she might have even fallen for Jack because she has a few daddy issues that need to be worked out (hey, not a knock against her, but a man in authority who is inaccessible - sounds a little like Jacob to me).
Flash forward to Pete. She figures out that she's been holding herself back to some extent - because of Jack for one thing, but also because military brats... well she's learned to be tough. To not make those emotional connections because they disappear *so fast* - if she moved even as half as often as I think she did, it was like dozens of people were dying on her repeatedly. Then she lost her mother. And she couldn't reach her father. No one comes out of that unscathed. No one.
So she puts herself out there. Pete... Pete is an emotional connection. She's never in her life had the chance to connect long term to someone like that, so she probably thinks it'll get better. How good are you at gauging an emotional connection if all of yours have been consistently ripped away?
That's what makes "Threads" so powerful. The eight years that she's had at the SGC - her long standing relationships with SG-1 - teach her how to be what she couldn't be when she started. It's likely that Daniel and Teal'c and Janet are the longest friendships she's ever had.
She realizes she knows and that she's capable of giving more than what she does to Pete. That he can't give her what she needs and that he's not what she really wants. It's powerful because *Samantha Carter* finally knows who *Samantha Carter* is.
And from there, when her and Jack get together, it's real and it's honest. She's able to give herself entirely.
(My apologies if this is rambly. I'm tired, hungry, and I don't know that phrase all of this as well as it could be).
- I agree that there's probably a lot of 'bookish Sam' get swept away, but I think of all a daughter goes through - losing her mother and then having a father is often absent. That has to leave an emotional vacuum and no one, absolutely no one, is above an abusive relationship. I'm not sure I think it was physically abusive so much as emotionally so. The way he talks to her indicates as much. My guess is that they were together and she was busy much of the time. Early Sam doesn't exude a lot of *natural* confidence. That first scene in the briefing room feels defensive and forced to me. I think as she goes through the gate, she grows up and gains that self-confidence we love...which I could go into about how that leads to a relationship with Pete.
Basically this is my Sam interpretation:
Sam grew up a USAF officer's daughter. She likely moved every 2-3 years of her life (I'm speaking from personal experience as a USAF officer's daughter...) - particularly if her father was really gunning for those stars on his shoulder. Given that he was a retired *general* when she was what, 26-27 means he was an older father to begin with (my dad enlisted at 18, went to OTS, and when he retired in 2003 was a Lt.Col. - I was 20, born when he was about 28).
It's possible they did less moving in her teen years with him being a general, but I can guarantee he was absent *a lot*. Her mother dies, she likely has little, if any, female guidance because they probably don't live near family. She's a daddy's girl, and because the military has always been what she's known, she decides to join up (this is common for military brats - I nearly joined up myself because I was terrified of 'civilian' life - there was a lot my parents couldn't tell me because they'd never had to do it. Of my military brat friends I can name off at least three off the top of my head that joined the service).
By the time she gets to college, she feels out of place, like she has most of her life - she's had a parent die, she's had to grow up faster. It's likely that she feels disconnected from her peers - and it's clear she's a freaking genius - so one more disconnect. The military gives her some ability to adjust - shared experiences with fellow officers.
At some point she meets Hansen. Guys like this are charming, and, having been a braniac without roots for years, he makes her feel *connected*, special, he probably even takes a load off her shoulders that she's been carrying. She falls for him, not realizing he's a viper in disguise. She's tough though (because she's learned to take care of herself) and she breaks off the engagement.
By the time she shows up at the SGC, she's confident in her smarts, but is still trying to figure out her place. I'm going to argue she might have even fallen for Jack because she has a few daddy issues that need to be worked out (hey, not a knock against her, but a man in authority who is inaccessible - sounds a little like Jacob to me).
Flash forward to Pete. She figures out that she's been holding herself back to some extent - because of Jack for one thing, but also because military brats... well she's learned to be tough. To not make those emotional connections because they disappear *so fast* - if she moved even as half as often as I think she did, it was like dozens of people were dying on her repeatedly. Then she lost her mother. And she couldn't reach her father. No one comes out of that unscathed. No one.
So she puts herself out there. Pete... Pete is an emotional connection. She's never in her life had the chance to connect long term to someone like that, so she probably thinks it'll get better. How good are you at gauging an emotional connection if all of yours have been consistently ripped away?
That's what makes "Threads" so powerful. The eight years that she's had at the SGC - her long standing relationships with SG-1 - teach her how to be what she couldn't be when she started. It's likely that Daniel and Teal'c and Janet are the longest friendships she's ever had.
She realizes she knows and that she's capable of giving more than what she does to Pete. That he can't give her what she needs and that he's not what she really wants. It's powerful because *Samantha Carter* finally knows who *Samantha Carter* is.
And from there, when her and Jack get together, it's real and it's honest. She's able to give herself entirely.
(My apologies if this is rambly. I'm tired, hungry, and I don't know that phrase all of this as well as it could be).
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