Sam's not a great character. Potential Spoilers

[Vaniel4evah!]

I dislike Carter for personal reasons as well. I consider her an immoral, self-serving and compeltley callous being. The way she treated Pete (and then expected him to grovel at her feet when she broke off with him), the way she forgot the human factor in A Matter of Time because all that mattered was the Black Hole ...

Her stalking of Jack was also digusting - I considered the whole Carter/Jack thing onesided from Carter's and felt that Jack made it very clear that he didn't even like her, let alone loved her!

The way she brushed off Cassie's pain in Heroes ...

These are just a few examples.

No, as a human being Carter is a poor example.

And I feel sorry for those people watching Atlantis.

I despised Carter after the infirmary scene in Heroes when she said about Cassie, "She's a tough kid, she can handle it", then turned around and wanted a hug from Sir because she was so upset that Sir had been slightly injured.

It's been obvious to me from the getgo that Sam's interest in Sir is completely one sided. Just check out Jack's constipated expression whenever Carter tried to talk about her feelings towards him.

The only time he gave any indication that he had feelings towards her was the ep where Anise was about to fry his brain - I still think he admitted the 'feelings' (and he used quite tepid language at that) was to avoid having an alien scientist zap his noggin.

I feel sorry for the Atlantis fans who are about to have their show swallowed hole by the Black Hole of Sam.

[luthienberen]

I despised Carter after the infirmary scene in Heroes when she said about Cassie, "She's a tough kid, she can handle it", then turned around and wanted a hug from Sir because she was so upset that Sir had been slightly injured.

It's been obvious to me from the getgo that Sam's interest in Sir is completely one sided. Just check out Jack's constipated expression whenever Carter tried to talk about her feelings towards him.

The only time he gave any indication that he had feelings towards her was the ep where Anise was about to fry his brain - I still think he admitted the 'feelings' (and he used quite tepid language at that) was to avoid having an alien scientist zap his noggin.

I feel sorry for the Atlantis fans who are about to have their show swallowed hole by the Black Hole of Sam.

I 100% agree with your post.

=== I still think he admitted the 'feelings' (and he used quite tepid language at that) was to avoid having an alien scientist zap his noggin. ===

Now THAT sounds like Jack! Also, let's be honest, Jack cares for ALL his team more than he should ... at least he did until TPTB killed his charatcer and robbed him of his brain.

[Vaniel4evah!]

Yup, that's one of the reasons I hated the Sam n' Sir romance. Apparently, TPTB think that it's impossible for two people to fall in love and still care about their friends. Sam and Daniel's friendship disappeared and the team feeling was destroyed - all sacrificed on the altar of 'ship'.

I liked the show a lot better when they all cared about each other like family.

[weirseveryone]

So glad I found this thread. I so do not want carter to come to atlantis. The show already has so many main characters and some favorite supporting characters. I think that she is far less interesting a character than Rodney. Why do we need the two of them doing their silly talking back and forth. I like Rodney so much better when she is not around. Why not just give her a couple of quest appreances a year. I think that all I can take of the two of them together.

[Egle01]

The thing is ... Carter has made mistakes, but she is not called in on them. Instead the characters around her are bent out of shape to give her 'pats' on the head.

For example:

Heroes Pt 1

Abandons her post - is she reprimaneded for it? No.

Gemini

She gave the information to the Replicarter on a silver platter. She disobeyed Jack's orders. Indirectly her actions cuased the death of another member of SG-1 and put the Earth (and the glaxay) in dire danger.

Court Martial? Nope. Pat on her head, even when she for a brief second admitted it was her fault.

TPTB don't allow MissNationalTreasure to either a) Make mistakes or b) pay for them when she does.

Therefore, Carter is a one dimensional character - the other characters are allowed flaws which makes them human, sympatheitc and likeable.

And frankly, Carter hasn't got the time to be knowledgeable in ALL areas of science and then some ... actually, few people do or would even have the talent to do that. It's just not realistic.

Why, would Carter - not Janet - be doing the dissection of the Super Soldier? I can understand possibly overlooking the operation but taking front place? Unblievable.

Carter's character suffers unfortuantely from bad writing - particulary in later seasons, and ship.

Although my fav character is Sam ( ), I agree with some thing said above. Like she's got away clean.

[CassandraSGA]

I've always liked Sam, even in the last 2 seasons of SG-1 (- but that was mainly cos I didn't like Vala.) I wasn't even too fussed that she was coming to Atlantis...., until she actually got there. Why oh WHYYYYYYYYY did Weir have to go. Sam is a good scientist but not a good leader. (and I've only watched about 2or 3 eps of SGA 4).
I agree with whoever said that the writers don't really know what to do with her.
You're right - whoever it was who said it - abt the Sam/Jack ship. It's not unrealistic that team members might fall in love but this was a shipwreck! They shipped and then pretended it never happened. And this after a string of romances. If they have her romantically linked to ANYone on Atlantis, I'll have to - I don't know - do something drastic.
However, I am prepared to give her a chance in SGA since it's my favourite of the 2, but I want Weir back tho!!!

[Reiko]

I have a feeling I will like this thread!

As ya'll pointed out beforehand she is the embodiment of Mary Sue, and when you got a Mary Sue [especially for that long - 11 years!] theres only one thing to do and that's to kill it dead.

I especially hate it when it is implied [or openly said by her fans] that she is smarter than McKay. Ummm, nope. Rodney has by far the superior mind but his arrogance tends to get in the way. Carter admittedly is smart too but she's a flat, perfect character.

Thank you for your support as Atlantis fans like myself must suffer. You have no idea what I'm going through.

I can always hope

[and now the Carter fans are probably going to massacre me. ohwell. Yes, I am very sanguine.]

[CassandraSGA]

I have a feeling I will like this thread!

As ya'll pointed out beforehand she is the embodiment of Mary Sue, and when you got a Mary Sue [especially for that long - 11 years!] theres only one thing to do and that's to kill it dead.

I especially hate it when it is implied [or openly said by her fans] that she is smarter than McKay. Ummm, nope. Rodney has by far the superior mind but his arrogance tends to get in the way. Carter admittedly is smart too but she's a flat, perfect character.

Thank you for your support as Atlantis fans like myself must suffer. You have no idea what I'm going through.

I can always hope

[and now the Carter fans are probably going to massacre me. ohwell. Yes, I am very sanguine.]

I think in fairness, Carter is probably smarter than Mackay, - it was after all, Mackay who blew up a solar system, but Makay, arrogance and all is a rounder character because of the mistakes he's made. Carter's brilliance is no longer believable. It also gets on my nerves when other scientists (eg Lee) are shown to be so dim. Come on, this is a mega gazillion $$$$$ project, hardly the place for anyone less than way above genius level.
And while I'm ranting, what's with the new uniforms? Carter looks uncomfortable in hers. I think they're badly designed.

[prion]

What bugs me is that Walter is always being made to look like and idiot, as are all other gate technicians and scientists. This annoys me. Jack has demonstrated flawed judgement. As has Daniel. As has Teal'c (usually down to pride). I fail to recall one moment when Sam has had flawed judgement. Except in accidentally blowing up a sun by making the wormhole travel through it... That was just put in there so she made ONE mistake.

While I do like Sam, I am tired of her, or rather, the way she is written. She's as close to perfect as you can get with a character, except I suppose for her lovelife, which is like a train wreck (kiss her and die<G>). Yeah, Teal'c's biggest problem is his macho Jaffa pride (which is why he got stuck in the gate in '48 hours' cuz he just HAD to exact revenge; heck, even Jack acknowledged that) and Daniel has made mistakes and Jack has made mistakes but carter makes few and far between.

If the writers want to evolve Carter, she has to be yanked out of the can-do-it-all spot and get rewritten to have to adjust, grudgingly, to NOT being the science guru, but now being the administrative head. So far the writers haven't addressed it. The civilians on Atlantis remarkably don't seem to care the city is now a military 'base'; unrealistic.

I'd like to see her exhibit a wider range of emotions. Heck, she's gonna be just behind Rachel Ray in the always smiling category

There's barely any contention between her and Sheppard, whereas there was more between him adn Weir. I do miss Weir because there was more chemistry between the pair (and not in a 'ship' mode). That comes from three years of being on the show but it was more apparent in "Rising". Carter has a long way to go before she finds her footing on Atlantis, at least in the way the writers are addressing her.

As for Dr. Lee and Walter, yes, they are being turned into the not-very-bright (or totally socially inept) comic foils. Walter's scene with Ronon was both funny, but also cringe-worthy. Does this man have no friends at all? And Dr. Lee is alas falling into that comic foil position as well, taking pictures in "Lifeline" (or was it "Adrift?") when he came onboard the Daedalus (don't get me started on how ineffective the Carter/Daedalus/midway station scenes were in that epsiode when Atlantis is having dire problems ).

[Aethon]

I like her character alot but it is a tad unrealistic that she has so many skills in so many different areas, I mean quantum mechanics, astrophysics then all of a sudden shes the ultimate biologist and doctor, shes like superwoman :O

[Dr Weir]

This thread is for those of us who don't think Sam Carter is God's gift to crisis situations.

It's not that I hate Sam. Far from it. I just think she had her day at the end of S8. She is by far my least favourite member of the team (and this includes Cam and Vala). I feel she comes over as too perfect. Too strong. She is, in my opinion, very much a Mary Sue character. I didn't so much of have an issue with this in S1-8, but after her initial absence in S9, I've realised how little I actually like her.

I prefer to see McKay's scientific theories instead of Carter constantly being THE science person, solving all situations, when the experts in a particular field can't. "Children of the Gods" for example, saw her say to a Medical Doctor - "I'll take over". What gives her that right?

She demonstrates far too many skills to be realistic.

Before anyone makes this claim, I do not have anything against her because she's a woman, as Jack put it - I like women. In fact I think Weir, Frasier and Vala are excellent characters. Weir especially is a fine leader.

Hell, I'm a Sam/Jack shipper, doesnt mean I liked her presence in S9 and 10.

I'm just sick of everywhere I turn seeing nothing but praise for the woman. IMO, her place is at Area 51.

Anyone want to contribute?

Carter being so prefect has devoid her of character in my opinion.

[Celcool]

I certainly agree that Carter is NOT a great character on Atlantis.

[johnliz4ever]

This thread is for those of us who don't think Sam Carter is God's gift to crisis situations.

It's not that I hate Sam. Far from it. I just think she had her day at the end of S8. She is by far my least favourite member of the team (and this includes Cam and Vala). I feel she comes over as too perfect. Too strong. She is, in my opinion, very much a Mary Sue character. I didn't so much of have an issue with this in S1-8, but after her initial absence in S9, I've realised how little I actually like her.

I prefer to see McKay's scientific theories instead of Carter constantly being THE science person, solving all situations, when the experts in a particular field can't. "Children of the Gods" for example, saw her say to a Medical Doctor - "I'll take over". What gives her that right?

She demonstrates far too many skills to be realistic.

Before anyone makes this claim, I do not have anything against her because she's a woman, as Jack put it - I like women. In fact I think Weir, Frasier and Vala are excellent characters. Weir especially is a fine leader.

Hell, I'm a Sam/Jack shipper, doesnt mean I liked her presence in S9 and 10.

I'm just sick of everywhere I turn seeing nothing but praise for the woman. IMO, her place is at Area 51.

Anyone want to contribute?

Well said and so true.

[hedwig]

Also, I believe that J/S ship ruined her character even more, reducing her to a woman pinning over a man clearly (IMO) not itnerested in her. Either way, it did a great deal of harm to her character overall.

Just a curiosity question - if the J/S ship "ruined her character", did it not also ruin Jack's character? After all, he was doing the same thing, only maybe not quite as visibly. He did admit in Divide & Conquer that he cared more for her than he was allowed to. And in Window of Opportunity, he used the time loop excuse to kiss her very publicly (even if she never remembered it). They both had strong feelings for the other, so I don't see how one character could be "ruined" because of it and not the other. Plus, all the "character ruining" can be blamed on the writers of the show since they started all of it and continued it. They could have done so much more with her character than they did, but they didn't.

And I should probably mention that Sam is my favorite character in SG1. I find it interesting to read so many negative things about the character, when apparently so many other people find that character to be an excellent female role model.

Originally Posted by Vaniel4evah!
The only time he gave any indication that he had feelings towards her was the ep where Anise was about to fry his brain - I still think he admitted the 'feelings' (and he used quite tepid language at that) was to avoid having an alien scientist zap his noggin.

I'm curious about your reasoning as to why Jack "admitted" his feelings. Are you suggesting he lied about his feelings? Because if he did, the zatarc machine would have caught the lie and he would have been in bigger trouble.

And I find his particular use of the J/S ship interesting, since pro-J/S shippers use it to villify and condemn Sam for suggesting they leave their feelings "in the room", thereby horribly hurting Jack's feelings in the process.

[flynn1959]

I certainly agree that Carter is NOT a great character on Atlantis.

Her addition, or I should say the consequences of that addition, to the show ruined it for me.

I find her dull and uninteresting, a total non-entity. There was a time when I actually liked Carter, then I became irritated by her and her seemingly endless array of talents and skills. That irritation soon gave way to outright dislike but has now moved on from that and I just feel that she has become so bland and useless that I fail to see the point of the character anymore.