Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[binkpmmc]

Thanks for posting this, ChevronSeven.

I am having a difficult time knowing how to react to these quotes on the Carter/Mitchell leadership thing! It sounds there is a co-leadership thing going on---at least the actors think so. But, then on the other hand, AT states that Mitchell is the leader. But then, yet on another hand, AT points out to RCC that she should follow through as leader on a particular mission---did she have to remind him of how it should play out? Does it sound like AT has to fight for this leadership thing, not with BB, but with the writers? Does it sound like the writers/producers really don't know what they want or what they are doing?

This whole leadership thing continues to be bizarre.

Yes it is bizarre andhopefully, especially now that she HAS addressed it in a publication the questions will be asked at Gabit and we can hopefuly, from her perspective, get some additional clarification and information on the co-leadership issue.

My big question NOW, in light of this interview would be: how equitable is the leadership split? How is the spilt made or is it just random? Does Carter lead more than one ep? Does Carter identify herself as "THis is SG1 Leader" - oh wait nix that question almost everyone knows Carter would NOT have to identify herself as the leader because it is a given that she should be and is the leader.

Anyway, hopefully someone going to Gabit can help with these questions and thanks in advance.

[LaCroix]

It hasn't ... we had a big debate as we neared the 8-10,000-page mark but it was decided to let the numbers keep accruing at that time because we felt it showed how popular Sam/AT really was in regards to some of the other larger threads that featured certain main characters. Also, we wanted to "keep handy" the Samanda Archives (see page 442 as main reference site) and the ability to move backwards to certain posts.

That was then, this is now ... comments anyone?

Thank you. I was wondering since RDA's thread I think there's a 4/5 "chapter" in the "book".

And my opinion is keep it as it is for the reasons you stated.

[ChopinGal]

The thing with the phone is adorable and thanks very much for sharing this info on the interview.

On the command thing this is how I read it - we now have an integral member of the cast (in fact it is one of the ones this issue affects directly so she should know), as well as a writer and prodcuer, Joe Mallozzi, who have confirmed the co-leadership angle. We have confirmation that Carter WILL be leading and I would like to know if there was anything that indicated which ep she specifically references so we can all pay close attention to how this works out?

This quote indicates to me that there is indeed co-leadership going on: She is clearly saying, IMO, that they each have their moments to lead but it is different style and that because of it the team is better for it in S9.

On the rest of it where she goes into the description of what she read and when she went to Cooper, I have to say I hope this is an early ep from part 2 of S9 because then it would make more sense. There really were only 3 eps in part 1 of the season that she was fully back for that had them as a team, even though they were sepaarted a majority of the time, and there really was no clear indication of who was in charge -- except for that lame "This is SG1 leader" line which made me laugh because TPTB seem to have felt they needed to put that in there because they were so afraid people would not get or accept Mitchell as leader - well they were right, and a huge portion of the fans still don't get it or accept it, even if it is shared command, because, as had been said a hundred times, talk is cheap, just because Mitchell says it does not make it so, at least not for me, if what we are shown is almost the complete opposite of that.

Anyway, back to the point, I have to take this as AT going to RCC pretty early on after she really gets back into the swing and into stories, which she admits herself, took awhile, and challenges him (and good for her I say but it's too bad RCC is such a dolt that she even has to do that at all after 9years - he really disgusts me) so that's when they go with the shared command thing and that's when they begin to split up command responsibilities between the 2. The one thing that does bother me is that AT did not challenge them at the beginning of the season when she got back as to why Carter was not in charge but it may be that, in addition to trying to readjust to work, and adjust to having the baby with her, she was too tired to care at the time and she saw those few early scripts, as many of the fans saw them, as non-committal to the leadership issue, especially because Carter did in fact look and act more in command than Mitchell did in any of them.

I am disgusted with RCC, have been for a while now but it has definitely been solidified with this (he was already persona non grata in my book after what AT said about the ending of Affinity). I have to note that he took over as showrunner in S7 and it is since mid Season 7 that many, many more people, from all walks of Stargate SG1, seem to have complaints, criticisms and concerns about the show in general and about specific characters and arcs, etc. Right now, today, I think I would have more hope and more confidence in this show only IF it was announced that RCC was out as showrunner. I know some of the credit goes to skiffy from what we are hearing but it seems skiffy's meddlling really did not start until more recently leaving RCC to take the majority of the responsibility since S7's downhill slide began, IMO, of course.

Yeah, Amanda seems too nice a person to really push hard on this whole leadership thing (unfortunately) and I can see her just doing the funny, teasing bit with TPTB in their faces.

Privately? We just don't know how big an issue this is for her (even though it's quite a big issue for many of her fans). We do know something about her personality from a very early quote in The Illustrated Companion S1-2 by Jan Newman make-up supervisor: "... Amanda can be too accommodating sometimes, and will carry on doing whatever is asked of her till she drops. I've given her several books on how to say 'no' but I'm not sure she's read them yet!" That was then; this is now. There have been eight years of history along with waiting quite a long time for the good-old-boy network to finally agree to her directing. AT talked about this on camera standing next to RCC ... again teasingly getting her point across. I think it was on one of the DVD featurettes for S7.

Frankly, I think TPTB take advantage of her good nature! She was also raised with three older brothers; I certainly don't want to go into her private life, but I have wondered if that gives her a learned framework for dealing with the "bosses" in her life.

[ChopinGal]

Yes it is bizarre and hopefully, especially now that she HAS addressed it in a publication the questions will be asked at Gabit and we can hopefuly, from her perspective, get some additional clarification and information on the co-leadership issue.

My big question NOW, in light of this interview would be: how equitable is the leadership split? How is the spilt made or is it just random? Does Carter lead more than one ep? Does Carter identify herself as "This is SG1 Leader" - oh wait nix that question almost everyone knows Carter would NOT have to identify herself as the leader because it is a given that she should be and is the leader.

Anyway, hopefully someone going to Gabit can help with these questions and thanks in advance.

I see it the same way now, bink ... Amanda has named the 500-lb gorilla!

We will add this to our list of GABIT questions which I and Coley and 1speed and, hopefully, ForeverSg1, will bring to the presentations.

[the dancer of spaz]

Thanks for posting this, ChevronSeven.

Agreed! You rock! Now, I'm still going to buy it later this month, but is it really as long and detailed as they said it would be?

I am having a difficult time knowing how to react to these quotes on the Carter/Mitchell leadership thing! It sounds there is a co-leadership thing going on---at least the actors think so. But, then on the other hand, AT states that Mitchell is the leader. But then, yet on another hand, AT points out to RCC that she should follow through as leader on a particular mission---did she have to remind him of how it should play out?

I don't know how to react either! It still feels like a couple pieces to this little puzzle are missing.

And after working with this guy for nine years (or however long), if she REALLY had to ask him what was going on in the interest of fairness/logic, then this is something that has been going on for a long time, and it's starting to really make me wonder. Where is his head at? What are his motives for "running" the show this way?

Does it sound like AT has to fight for this leadership thing, not with BB, but with the writers? Does it sound like the writers/producers really don't know what they want or what they are doing?

This whole leadership thing continues to be bizarre.

That's the million-dollar question. It seems to me that Browder, just like Mitchell, has no desire to step on any toes. Now, this is all about appearances, so I may be dead wrong, and he could be making demands behind closed doors that we'll never see. But I really feel like this can ALL be traced back to TPTB and their past, present and future decisions for the path they want to take this show. And if they keep making it so ambiguous, even to the point where the ACTORS are questioning their places, then this cannot bode well for S10.

[the dancer of spaz]

Sorry for the double post. I just needed to respond to each post separately.

The thing with the phone is adorable and thanks very much for sharing this info on the interview.

Very cute. I'd understand if she didn't bring Olivia to GABIT, but if she *happens* to do so and is cool with pictures (again, wouldn't blame her if she wasn't - especially in this day and age ), then you guys should totally get one or two.

On the command thing this is how I read it - we now have an integral member of the cast (in fact it is one of the ones this issue affects directly so she should know), as well as a writer and prodcuer, Joe Mallozzi, who have confirmed the co-leadership angle. We have confirmation that Carter WILL be leading and I would like to know if there was anything that indicated which ep she specifically references so we can all pay close attention to how this works out?

If it's not all a scam, we should be seeing that slight shift in how the characters are portrayed from "Collateral Damage" onward. If not, then I think we all assume that we've been played.

This quote indicates to me that there is indeed co-leadership going on: She is clearly saying, IMO, that they each have their moments to lead but it is different style and that because of it the team is better for it in S9.

And that'd actually be quite neat to see. I don't think I would mind a command that is give-and-take, because that might be a new dynamic that show needs. I still don't think that Mitchell's proven himself to be qualified to lead (or even co-lead), but if they absolutely HAVE to do it this way... Well, SG-1 isn't like other military teams, so the standard military chain of command might be moot. I'm game if they don't plan on screwing Carter over.

On the rest of it where she goes into the description of what she read and when she went to Cooper, I have to say I hope this is an early ep from part 2 of S9 because then it would make more sense. There really were only 3 eps in part 1 of the season that she was fully back for that had them as a team, even though they were sepaarted a majority of the time, and there really was no clear indication of who was in charge -- except for that lame "This is SG1 leader" line which made me laugh because TPTB seem to have felt they needed to put that in there because they were so afraid people would not get or accept Mitchell as leader - well they were right, and a huge portion of the fans still don't get it or accept it, even if it is shared command, because, as had been said a hundred times, talk is cheap, just because Mitchell says it does not make it so, at least not for me, if what we are shown is almost the complete opposite of that.

Was AT talking about fan letters/posts, or was she talking about the scripts at that time? Because I interpreted it as them being barraged with all of these questions from people like us...

Either way, the fact that she had to actually confront/question RCC about this is pretty reprehensible.

<snip>
I am disgusted with RCC, have been for a while now but it has definitely been solidified with this (he was already persona non grata in my book after what AT said about the ending of Affinity). I have to note that he took over as showrunner in S7 and it is since mid Season 7 that many, many more people, from all walks of Stargate SG1, seem to have complaints, criticisms and concerns about the show in general and about specific characters and arcs, etc. Right now, today, I think I would have more hope and more confidence in this show only IF it was announced that RCC was out as showrunner. I know some of the credit goes to skiffy from what we are hearing but it seems skiffy's meddlling really did not start until more recently leaving RCC to take the majority of the responsibility since S7's downhill slide began, IMO, of course.

You bring up some good points here. I'm starting to wonder about RCC, myself. I've had nothing against him in the past, and I probably never TRULY will, but if he's trying to screw over Tapping/Carter (for whatever reasons he and Skiffy may have come up with), while trying to pull the hood over her "Crazy Fans," then that's it for me. My respect for him will be gone.

And it's funny, because most of the people who've never liked Sam are praising RCC this season because of the shift in character placement/team, etc. It's never occurred to them that HE is the reason why Sam's done things that they don't like. And they don't care. They just can't get over how amazing he is because of his decisions this year, and the "mistakes" of Sam Carter are a thing of the past and not his fault.

[the dancer of spaz]

Triple posting... Sorry... You guys are just too insightful for me!

Yeah, Amanda seems too nice a person to really push hard on this whole leadership thing (unfortunately) and I can see her just doing the funny, teasing bit with TPTB in their faces.

That does seem to be her way, and I admire her for it. Coming from someone who's not all that soft-spoken and respectful when she should be, I admire anyone who can get their point across without coming off as a jerk. She seems to be able to do this extremely well. Communication skills at their finest, I guess.

Privately? We just don't know how big an issue this is for her (even though it's quite a big issue for many of her fans). We do know something about her personality from a very early quote in The Illustrated Companion S1-2 by Jan Newman make-up supervisor: "... Amanda can be too accommodating sometimes, and will carry on doing whatever is asked of her till she drops. I've given her several books on how to say 'no' but I'm not sure she's read them yet!"

This has been bothering me since July, and it seems really lame, but... I always wondered if perhaps AT was feeling usurped and underappreciated. I mean, we're all human, and we all have the moments of inadequacy. And when she came out in one of her latest interviews and actually admitted that she wasn't sure people would even WANT Carter again, I just felt so bad! I mean, for anyone, I can't imagine how difficult it would be to come back to work and do the job you've loved for nine years, only to feel like you're slowly being replaced... or undermined... or whatever. It sucks.

The fact that the make-up supervisor felt that this was an important characteristic says a lot about AT, because I'm sure she doesn't go jumping off the walls of the make-up trailer, ranting about how she sacrifices so much. It's just the way she is, and people can see that. Though I think the Amanda of S1-2 is very different from the Amanda S8-9.

And while she's way more gracious and humble than she HAS to be, it really does look like it's been used against her. She has serious clout on this series (as well she should), whether it's fully recognized by TPTB or not. Does she use it to her full advantage? I doubt it.

There have been eight years of history along with waiting quite a long time for the good-old-boy network to finally agree to her directing. AT talked about this on camera standing next to RCC ... again teasingly getting her point across. I think it was on one of the DVD featurettes for S7.

I vaguely remember something like this, and this is pretty much when I started getting the bad vibes from RCC, I admit.

Frankly, I think TPTB take advantage of her good nature!

It's looking that way. And if THAT'S the case, then it is perhaps one of the most grievous decisions TPTB could've ever made - both on a personal and professional level.

[stargate barbie]

may i suggest the kiwi as our bird. (just cos i like 'em)
or the condor.
or the pheonix.

[stargate barbie]

perhaps brad wright felt that by placing both coop and JM&PM in charge of SG-1, that they would each balance the other out. as they each seem to concentrate on different aspects of the show?
(they are all listed as Execs, but i'm not 100% certain if JM&PM have all that much say, anyone out there know?)

[jckfan55]

The thing with the phone is adorable and thanks very much for sharing this info on the interview.

On the command thing this is how I read it - we now have an integral member of the cast (in fact it is one of the ones this issue affects directly so she should know), as well as a writer and prodcuer, Joe Mallozzi, who have confirmed the co-leadership angle. We have confirmation that Carter WILL be leading and I would like to know if there was anything that indicated which ep she specifically references so we can all pay close attention to how this works out?

This quote indicates to me that there is indeed co-leadership going on: She is clearly saying, IMO, that they each have their moments to lead but it is different style and that because of it the team is better for it in S9.

On the rest of it where she goes into the description of what she read and when she went to Cooper, I have to say I hope this is an early ep from part 2 of S9 because then it would make more sense. There really were only 3 eps in part 1 of the season that she was fully back for that had them as a team, even though they were sepaarted a majority of the time, and there really was no clear indication of who was in charge -- except for that lame "This is SG1 leader" line which made me laugh because TPTB seem to have felt they needed to put that in there because they were so afraid people would not get or accept Mitchell as leader - well they were right, and a huge portion of the fans still don't get it or accept it, even if it is shared command, because, as had been said a hundred times, talk is cheap, just because Mitchell says it does not make it so, at least not for me, if what we are shown is almost the complete opposite of that.

Anyway, back to the point, I have to take this as AT going to RCC pretty early on after she really gets back into the swing and into stories, which she admits herself, took awhile, and challenges him (and good for her I say but it's too bad RCC is such a dolt that she even has to do that at all after 9years - he really disgusts me) so that's when they go with the shared command thing and that's when they begin to split up command responsibilities between the 2. The one thing that does bother me is that AT did not challenge them at the beginning of the season when she got back as to why Carter was not in charge but it may be that, in addition to trying to readjust to work, and adjust to having the baby with her, she was too tired to care at the time and she saw those few early scripts, as many of the fans saw them, as non-committal to the leadership issue, especially because Carter did in fact look and act more in command than Mitchell did in any of them.

I am disgusted with RCC, have been for a while now but it has definitely been solidified with this (he was already persona non grata in my book after what AT said about the ending of Affinity). I have to note that he took over as showrunner in S7 and it is since mid Season 7 that many, many more people, from all walks of Stargate SG1, seem to have complaints, criticisms and concerns about the show in general and about specific characters and arcs, etc. Right now, today, I think I would have more hope and more confidence in this show only IF it was announced that RCC was out as showrunner. I know some of the credit goes to skiffy from what we are hearing but it seems skiffy's meddlling really did not start until more recently leaving RCC to take the majority of the responsibility since S7's downhill slide began, IMO, of course.

Good post. I think RCC is probably a better writer of (non-personal life) episodes than he is a show runner. I think Brad Wright's & Jonathan Glassner's vision are sorely missed.

[binkpmmc]

I see it the same way now, bink ... Amanda has named the 500-lb gorilla!

We will add this to our list of GABIT questions which I and Coley and 1speed and, hopefully, ForeverSg1, will bring to the presentations.

Thanks very much, ChopinGal, I appreciate your efforts as well as those of Coley, 1Speed and ForeverSG1 (who I hope gets to go). Have fun.

[minigeek]

You know, I have an interesting thing about him being the leader of SG-1, because Ben and I have this constant thing - hey, we're both of equal rank, but I've been on SG-1 much longer. How come you get to lead? I actuall went up to Rob Cooper after this one episode that I had just read and said, you know, Carter kind of takes control of this mission and does all the intel on it - how come Mitchell comes in and ends up calling in the troops and leading them? That seems terribly unfair, you know, when they're both the same rank. And Rob said, no, no, you're right - you'll be leading that mission.

Clearly, Amanda has had some of the same issues we've had with respect to Carter and command. She's just been, shall we say, more dimplimatic about them. And she's right. It's not fair. It's not right. And frankly, every viewer who's ever watched SG-1 over the years even on and off knows that for a fact.

[ChopinGal]

Good post. I think RCC is probably a better writer of (non-personal life) episodes than he is a show runner. I think Brad Wright's & Jonathan Glassner's vision are sorely missed.

I agree. There was something special about the early seasons when BW and JG were at the helm! It was also the time when women were submitting and writing for the series.

[the dancer of spaz]

I agree. There was something special about the early seasons when BW and JG were at the helm! It was also the time when women were submitting and writing for the series.

Yeah. Maybe a few of us should join the Writer's Guild and submit an episode or two...

AD, 1speed and Qasim, you're welcome to join in as well.

[binkpmmc]

If it's not all a scam, we should be seeing that slight shift in how the characters are portrayed from "Collateral Damage" onward. If not, then I think we all assume that we've been played.

I hope AT is not part of a scam they are putting over on the fans - that would truly be disappointing in more ways than one.

And that'd actually be quite neat to see. I don't think I would mind a command that is give-and-take, because that might be a new dynamic that show needs. I still don't think that Mitchell's proven himself to be qualified to lead (or even co-lead), but if they absolutely HAVE to do it this way... Well, SG-1 isn't like other military teams, so the standard military chain of command might be moot. I'm game if they don't plan on screwing Carter over.

Don't get me wrong here - I do not think Mitchell is at all qualified, from what we have been shown thus far, to be leader OR co-leader of THIS SG1 but if that is what we are stuck with because of skiffy and rcc (this is where I see skiffy's meddling most at this point), I am willing to half-heartedly accept it since it is co-lead WITH Carter. No matter how you slice it, and no matter how biased and blind the antis are, it is absolutely 100% clear that Carter is more experienced and a better qualified leader then Mitchell is and THAT HAS BEEN shown in several eps this season so far.

Was AT talking about fan letters/posts, or was she talking about the scripts at that time? Because I interpreted it as them being barraged with all of these questions from people like us...

Interesting take and I went back and re-read it and I just cannot see it as anything except that she was reading a script where Carter was doing all the work but at some point Mitchell got to lead and then she (AT) went to rcc to hash it out and he gave Carter the lead (too bad it took a challenge from AT to bring rcc to his senses and realize he was WRONG - my God that may be a first - some actual proof that rcc has admitted once, in connection with SG1, that he was WRONG - let's have a group boooyah!

Either way, the fact that she had to actually confront/question RCC about this is pretty reprehensible.

Absolutely reprehensible after 9 years of work and loyalty to the show. As reprehensible as his treatment of AT's concerns with the idiotic ending of Affinity.

Question for Gabit - I would like to know, if anyone will ask, what AT thought of the fact that she had to confront rcc on the command thing after 9 years.


Thanks.