Am I the only one that has a issue with Vala?

[jckfan55]

Well, you can't expect all grown people to act seriously all the time, do you?
No one ever said anything about Jack and he wasn't exactly acting his age all the time That's what made him an amazing, fun-to-watch character. Same goes for Vala.

I don't quite see the same parallel. To me, Vala is a one note character of wise cracks, whereas Jack was a smart aleck, but there was more to his character. I'm hoping they round her out a bit more if we've got to see her every week. There's potential there, but the writers need to find it. I find it rather sad that they decided to make her a regular *before* they had figured out how she fit into the SGC world. They wasted 5? 6? episodes of potential character development this season, IMHO. As much as Jack and Daniel could bicker, it was usually about something substantive.

[NomadGirl]

Well, you can't expect all grown people to act seriously all the time, do you?
No one ever said anything about Jack and he wasn't exactly acting his age all the time That's what made him an amazing, fun-to-watch character. Same goes for Vala.

There's not acting seriously and then there's being immature. Jack's behavior, from what I've seen in the reruns I've caught here and there, was treated more as "lightheartedness" than anything, a personality quirk that could annoy sometimes but never got in the way of his being a competent caring adult. And sometime even made a dark situation more bearable, more tolerable at times. Thus, it was a positive trait and you get the feeling no one would have Jack be any other way.

Vala, OTOH, isn't viewed by Daniel, et al, as a contributing heroine who sometimes wises off. She's viewed as a pain in the a** that they're just tolerating until they can get rid of her. We never see her wisecracks as being seen as having any merit, any wisdom, or any compassion. She's not someone they sometimes tolerate because they wouldn't change her for the world. She's just a child they're babysitting for the duration, a temporary pox on their house, and certainly not a partner or teammate who could be valuable in a time of need.

Yes, TPTB did write her out as someone making a contribution, but at that point, it came so late, it felt more forced and contrived than anything. It was like they were saying, "See. Here's why you should all love her. She's really a heroine underneath it all." And as I said before: "Hello, Mr. anvil!" Not to mention, "Hello, Mr. headache!" since that's what this type of writing does to me.

Which is a shame because in less hamhanded hands, I could see this character actually possessing some charm. Unfortunately, the writers don't know how to build the complex layers such a character would possess and thus have created a caricature that makes me cringe more than anything.

[Erised]

Actually, I thought that opposites attract. You can't deny that Danny is feeling something for her Remember Avalon pt.2 ending?
Yes, Danny does act like she's a pain in the a**, but these sort of fights could actually mean that they're attracted to each other. It isn't the first time I saw this sort of chemistry turning into love. Both, in real life and in tv-shows

[NomadGirl]

Actually, I thought that opposites attract. You can't deny that Danny is feeling something for her Remember Avalon pt.2 ending?
Yes, Danny does act like she's a pain in the a**, but these sort of fights could actually mean that they're attracted to each other. It isn't the first time I saw this sort of chemistry turning into love. Both, in real life and in tv-shows

(Before I start, can I just say, database failure? Really annoying. Please tell me that doesn't happen often around here?)

But back to this--first off, the whole "They fight because they're attracted" cliche' has to be done well for it to be effective. There has to be witty banter. Give and take. The feeling that respect is being earned, even as retorts are fired back and forth. And I'm *so* not getting that here. There's no tennis match here. It's all Vala firing lobs and Daniel holding up an umbrella, trying to shield himself from them, while occasionally firing an autoserver at her to try to get her to shut up. These guys are not Bogey and Bacall. They're not even Abbott and Costello. They're far more Annoying Person #1 and Annoying Person #2, and that's not endearing me to either one of them, together or separately.

(Actually, speaking of real life couples, I knew a pair like this back in college. Lovely people by themselves. Horrid when put together. Eventually, they realized they brought out the worst in each other and stopped dating. My entire peer group breathed a collective sigh of relief.)

Second, Daniel may be falling for her--and hamhandedness aside, I have no doubt that's what the writers are leading to, God help us--but I'm certainly not. And granted, that's my opinion, my personal taste, and I've got no right to say anyone else can't find her appealing. What I am saying is that I find her quite nauseating, and speaking as someone who hasn't gotten close to this Daniel character way back in the early seasons as so many fen obviously have, so long as she's attached to him, I'm in danger of continuing to find him nauseating as well.

[Tracy Jane]

Actually, I thought that opposites attract. You can't deny that Danny is feeling something for her Remember Avalon pt.2 ending?
Yes, Danny does act like she's a pain in the a**, but these sort of fights could actually mean that they're attracted to each other. It isn't the first time I saw this sort of chemistry turning into love. Both, in real life and in tv-shows

Exactly. There's a fab bit it the Narnia books that explains it! Aramis and Cor fight all the time, but end up getting together to make fighting more conveniant!

[SnoggingPicard]

Well, you can't expect all grown people to act seriously all the time, do you?
No one ever said anything about Jack and he wasn't exactly acting his age all the time That's what made him an amazing, fun-to-watch character. Same goes for Vala.

I completely understand that ALL characters are sometimes flippant, irreverent, and funny, but I personally just have an issue with the kinds of things that Vala says or does that we're supposed to take as funny. I'm not one for sexual banter, double entendres, and stuff like that, and I guess that's mainly why I'm not a fan of Vala's character. It seems like nearly everything that she says falls into this category, and I guess I never expected Stargate to "sink" to that level after years of very clever, safe, "smart" humor from characters like Jack and Rodney McKay.

[Tracy Jane]

I completely understand that ALL characters are sometimes flippant, irreverent, and funny, but I personally just have an issue with the kinds of things that Vala says or does that we're supposed to take as funny. I'm not one for sexual banter, double entendres, and stuff like that, and I guess that's mainly why I'm not a fan of Vala's character. It seems like nearly everything that she says falls into this category, and I guess I never expected Stargate to "sink" to that level after years of very clever, safe, "smart" humor from characters like Jack and Rodney McKay.

Safe smart humour from McKay?

What, like the "I wanted to be a pianist" joke?

[smurf]

Safe smart humour from McKay?

What, like the "I wanted to be a pianist" joke?

I don't think the character meant for that to be a joke, even though the writers did.

Most of what Vala says has calculated intentions. Unfortunately, it's not very clever or witty humour. (IMO)

[Erised]

I have to admit that I was surprised when I found out that Vala was going to be a regular. I was even surprised at how Vala acted in the beginning of season 9. No, I have never expected a character like her to be in SG-1, but the chemistry between her and Daniel was priceless.
I don't know what to think about her being in s.10. Will she join SG-1? I kinda liked that Sam was the only woman on the team. It made her character look even stronger than she already was.

[Tracy Jane]

I agree that Sam was good as the only female member of SG1, but I think it'd be good to see character contrasts between Sam and Vala and how they cope with off world missions. It'd be nice for Sam to have a female she could work closely with as well. She's been fairly isolated since Janet.

[Seshat]

There is always going to be a big divide over bringing in new characters. They are, probably doing the best thing, bringing her in. They know best, at the end of the day. They're professionals.

You are kidding, right? I kept looking for the little sarcasm emoticon after your last remark...

Just because someone is writing a television show does NOT mean that what they produce is any good! Just because they keep telling us it is good is no reason for folks to think so. Everyone must use their own judgement, otherwise we are all a lot of sheep. And sheep end up as lamb chops, you know. I applaud you for your belief in the writers, but I in no way share it.

[Skydiver]

... or they brought her back because they absolutely love her and apparently don't care that a lot of people don't?

or because the boys in suits with the checkbooks told them to

[Skydiver]

I don't think the character meant for that to be a joke, even though the writers did.

Most of what Vala says has calculated intentions. Unfortunately, it's not very clever or witty humour. (IMO)

it's clever if you're a 12 year old boy. otherwise it just sounds like lines 'borrowed' from Silk Stalkings or any other late night show

[Seshat]

Actually, I thought that opposites attract. You can't deny that Danny is feeling something for her Remember Avalon pt.2 ending?
Yes, Danny does act like she's a pain in the a**, but these sort of fights could actually mean that they're attracted to each other. It isn't the first time I saw this sort of chemistry turning into love. Both, in real life and in tv-shows

Ummm...I can certainly deny it. I don't see an "attraction". I see an annoyance. By your definition Daniel and Jack must have ended up lovers because of their "attraction". (I saw a couple of friends there, btw.) And I guess Danny and Sam must've been a couple, and Danny and Teal'c, and Danny and Walter...boy, look at all that sexual tension all over the place that I must have missed.

Every time I read comments like "you can't deny there's something there" I wonder why that person thinks that every male/female pair must end up as a couple. Not every TV show is a soap opera!

I have no clue what SG1 plans to turn into in the upcoming season, but if it is a soap opera I know I will turn it off. I don't tune in to see who hooks up with who and which bed everyone is in this week. Apparently a lot of other people do, gawd help them.

[LMichelle]

The writers will have to tone Vala done since she's going to be a regular in season 10.

I want to see how Sam and Vala interact. I wished we had gotten more interaction between the two of them in Beachhead.