Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[chocdoc]

Vote for Amanda on msnbc's It List......

This is a little off-topic, but I was just over at the msnbc website and I noticed that there were five new names people could vote for in their entertainment section's "It" List---Amanda Tapping is one of them! The question is "Which woman of scifi deserves a spot on the It list?" There are five choices and AT is the fifth choice. (I know it's a silly thing but it's so nice to know she's on the list.) Here's the link.....

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4043608

Hey, thanks, SimilarCadence. Great fun to be able to vote for Amanda Tapping anytime!

[Traveler Enroute1]

Uber - thanks for posting the stuff from Joe's blog.


Now I'm sure there are many of you who think I'm wrong in saying that the SGPTB are not necessarily the baddies that they are being made out to be. I also know that many of you may think I'm wrong in my belief that they don't want Sam/Amanda off the show nor are they taking her for granted.

Considering that even the SGPTB have to sign a friggin' contract their future is as much up in the air as the rest of the cast and crew for the show. Yet many here are bashing SGPTB over the mention that Amanda approached RCC of her own accord.

Hindsight is 20/20 and I imagine RCC is wishing things with Amanda had been handled differently, but some may have forgotten that RCC does answer to someone higher. He may not have any say in the matter with Amanda.



Seems to me by this that Joe and quite possibly the rest of the SGPTB do appreciate all Amanda has done for the show.

So I think we all need to chill out and see how this plays out. They are still in contract negotiations and our ranting and raving could hamper that process. Yes, SGPTB know fans are not happy, but as Joe said, they have no control over the negotiations.

Chill and let's party.

*wonders if she'll get any dings for this post LOL

No dings, SunKrux. Sound advice (even if hard to do).

Just sayin'.

[golfbooy]

Well, I'd like to be able to say that Joe's recent blog makes me feel better. Really, I'd like to say that. But then I'd be just as full of it as Joe is.

His virulent defense of the concept of Carter splitting her time between SG-1 and Atlantis bothers the hell out of me. I don't like the implication that some stories on the new SG-1 aren't doable with Carter there. And I don't buy the line that they're trying to "make full use of her potential". That seems like a nice way of saying they don't want to write Carter into certain SG-1 episodes, but can't do away with the character or actress. At least not and still sleep at night. I hope I'm just being too cynical. But I doubt it. Like you, Uber, I think that TPTB are very aware of the concerns floating around fandom. And I'd like to believe that the outcry of the last few days is enough to bury this asinine plan so far in the ground that it'll never be able to dig it's way out again. But the concept of Carter on Atlantis just screws up the already shakey dynamic of the established cast on that show.

And no matter how well concieved the story is, there are a great many Atlantis fans who will resent the character of Carter because she'd be playing so prominent a role in those episodes she's in. And rightly so. Carter belongs on SG-1. And the main problem that I think many of us are having is with the concept that SG-1 and Atlantis are completely interchangeable. This franchise-based mentality is hurting both shows. Carter shouldn't be shuffled off to Atlantis for a few weeks just so Vala can take the boys on another cute, mindless scavenger hunt where everyone dons leather and bad attitudes. By the same token, I don't want to see Teyla have a stint on SG-1 just because she'd be standing around too much while Sheppard and Mckay banter back and forth while bungling their way through one mishap after another.

The overall implication in Joe's latest blog is that the writers aren't capable of writing those pesky, oft-demanded gems we call "team episodes". Now, more than ever, they seem to revel in the process of writing scenes and episodes saying, "Ooh, this will be a great one for the Carter fans" or "Wait till those Sheppard/Mckay fans see this scene" or "This episode ought to placate the Daniel fans". There is no team feeling to anything being written anymore. And if Joe's querulous tone in the blogs is any indication I shouldn't expect any of that team feeling anytime soon. Everyone is apparently too busy "servicing" the story (there's a joke there, but I won't go for it).

[SunKrux]

You make some good points, SunKrux, but SGPTB does have say in how they write Sam--what story arcs they give her, etc. They do have control in how much Sam will be written into an episode and how. If Sam were to get sidelined in SG-1, then it would be the fault of TPTB, and I don't want to see her sidelined and become less important. She should be equally important as the other characters, and AT should continue to be considered a main lead in SG-1. The thought of having Sam pushed into the background after all these years would be really upsetting. And I wouldn't mind if Sam went to Atlantis on occasion if it makes sense to the storyline, but I think she should remain as a lead in SG-1. And letters to this effect to Sony/Scifi seem to be a good idea at this time, even with JM's words. Letters that are positive about AT, and also respectful in general.

And certainly, you should NOT get any dings for your post!! You are our Royal Ambassador after all! Plus you are just expressing your opinions.

To a point SGPTB do have a say in how Sam is written, but it seems like to me that some here may not be seeing it that way. Granted, I do not have as much time (ya know watching the show) invested in "Sam" as most of you here do. I just hate to see hard working PTB gettin' slammed/bashed for stuff that quite honestly are out of their control. The fact that even most of them do not know what their future holds makes me feel just as much for them as I do Amanda.

As for the story ideas, again, I say, maybe they have so many ideas for Sam they are having a hard time figuring out which one to go with. That's a GOOD THING!

I guess I see Joe's comments totally different from most here and it could be that I don't have as much time invested in "Sam" and this board as the rest of you.

As for Letters to Sony/Skiffy/whoever, I really wouldn't recommend them at this point, wait until Amanda has signed her contract, wouldn't want anything else to cause problems for her.

The fact that she'll be splitting time between SG1 & SGA is a good thing in my eyes. MORE EXPOSURE FOR OUR QUEEN is never a bad thing.

As for dings, bring it. I don't really care one way or the other. I was just being silly.

[SunKrux]

Vote for Amanda on msnbc's It List......

This is a little off-topic, but I was just over at the msnbc website and I noticed that there were five new names people could vote for in their entertainment section's "It" List---Amanda Tapping is one of them! The question is "Which woman of scifi deserves a spot on the It list?" There are five choices and AT is the fifth choice. (I know it's a silly thing but it's so nice to know she's on the list.) Here's the link.....

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4043608

OOoooooo hard choice for me. I LOVE Carla Gugino as well! What to do? What to do? LOL

[Uber]

Hey folks...JM is actually on the blog comments responding to comments...

Feel free to write something respectful there see if he responds.

This should be interesting...

[minigeek]

God, Amanda is brilliant. Love that woman. Love her. LOL

mini(in a platonic way, dammit!)geek

[Agent_Dark]

OOoooooo hard choice for me. I LOVE Carla Gugino as well! What to do? What to do? LOL

lol, I've only seen BSG and SG1 out of those shows and as much as Tricia Helfer is playing an awesome character on BSG, I think Amanda wins for me

[the fifth man]

I'll always enjoyed seeing Carter on SG-1. She has always been an important character, and things should remain that way. AT, we love ya.

[binkpmmc]

Well, I'd like to be able to say that Joe's recent blog makes me feel better. Really, I'd like to say that. But then I'd be just as full of it as Joe is.

His virulent defense of the concept of Carter splitting her time between SG-1 and Atlantis bothers the hell out of me. I don't like the implication that some stories on the new SG-1 aren't doable with Carter there. And I don't buy the line that they're trying to "make full use of her potential". That seems like a nice way of saying they don't want to write Carter into certain SG-1 episodes, but can't do away with the character or actress. At least not and still sleep at night. I hope I'm just being too cynical. But I doubt it. Like you, Uber, I think that TPTB are very aware of the concerns floating around fandom. And I'd like to believe that the outcry of the last few days is enough to bury this asinine plan so far in the ground that it'll never be able to dig it's way out again. But the concept of Carter on Atlantis just screws up the already shakey dynamic of the established cast on that show.

And no matter how well concieved the story is, there are a great many Atlantis fans who will resent the character of Carter because she'd be playing so prominent a role in those episodes she's in. And rightly so. Carter belongs on SG-1. And the main problem that I think many of us are having is with the concept that SG-1 and Atlantis are completely interchangeable. This franchise-based mentality is hurting both shows. Carter shouldn't be shuffled off to Atlantis for a few weeks just so Vala can take the boys on another cute, mindless scavenger hunt where everyone dons leather and bad attitudes. By the same token, I don't want to see Teyla have a stint on SG-1 just because she'd be standing around too much while Sheppard and Mckay banter back and forth while bungling their way through one mishap after another.

The overall implication in Joe's latest blog is that the writers aren't capable of writing those pesky, oft-demanded gems we call "team episodes". Now, more than ever, they seem to revel in the process of writing scenes and episodes saying, "Ooh, this will be a great one for the Carter fans" or "Wait till those Sheppard/Mckay fans see this scene" or "This episode ought to placate the Daniel fans". There is no team feeling to anything being written anymore. And if Joe's querulous tone in the blogs is any indication I shouldn't expect any of that team feeling anytime soon. Everyone is apparently too busy "servicing" the story (there's a joke there, but I won't go for it).

I agree 100% with everything you said above golfbooy and the following is what I put on the blog:

I know you have nothing to do with negotiations but you are part of the creative team and you do make yourself available to the public and you can certainly carry the message back to those that need to know and do make those decisions.

I find it interesting that the other cast members (including 2 who had been on the show only 1 year and 1 who had only been in at most 7-8 episodes if you count the coming episodes of S9) had all been approached regarding their return status and AT (an integral member of the cast for 9 years) was not and the excuse given was "we don't know what to do with Carter". I find it interesting that in Paragraph 6 you suggest that Carter is a supporting character after 8 years as a core, integral member of a team of only 4 people, 7 of those years as second in command (and sometimes command)of the elite team and 1 year as the sole leader of the elite team of 3, but in S9, and now as a prospect for S10, she is relegated to a "supporting" role in many episodes.

Right there is the problem. The shiny new cast members and the shiny new direction apparently have no integral core place for one of the 2 remaining ORIGNAL characters (and the actress) who has been with this show for all 9 of its years, the "bedrock" of SG1 the "Obi-Wan-Kenobi" of SG1.

It is nice to see you try and put some sort of positive spin on this but it is not working in the context of what you are actually saying - there is apparently a place, a core, integral place on SG1 for Daniel, Teal'c, Mitchell and a place for Vala, however, for the strong, intelligent, independent, competent, loyal, commander and soldier that is Samantha Carter, there is not so she has to be split between SG1 and SGA in order to use all of her potential???!!! This makes no sense.

You started season 9 with Daniel going off to Atlantis - why not follow through and let him go - why Carter? The addition of a new male lead, who looks inexperienced and incompetent next to Carter (and who, as has been noted in many posts, many places by many fans, will not be accepted by many in a co-leader or leader role as long as Carter is around) and the fawning over vala from all sides of TPTB beg that question to be asked and answered honestly - how there can be no full-time, integral, lead role for the character of Samantha Carter after 9 years of development and 9 years as a major, central figure (including comander of the team) on a team of only 4 people (and only 3 people in S8) is a pathetic testimony to the state of affairs at Stargate SG1.

Paragraph 6 overall, in particular this line: "I think that, given the chance, it would be a shame not to make full use of the character's potential" tells the story that after 9 years there is not a full-time, integral, core place on Stargate SG1 "to make full use of the character's potential" the potential of one of it's lead characters, one of the characters that made the show a success for 9 years, that made the show something a large portion of the fanbase wanted to watch, and I say again, that is just downright pathetic, especially when it appears that this is being done to make room for the male lead, who is overshadowed by the strong female lead of Samantha Carter, and a new female character that is nothing but cheap, crass sexual inuendo jokes and a caricature of everything that is wrong with many sci-fi shows and movies.

This is a nice try at spin - right now I'm not buying it. His paragraph 6 is very telling and it is a major problem for me.

[ChopinGal]

Hello Samandans, I just got in from airport about two hours ago and have spent a lot of these past two hours trying to catch up and actually incorporate what has happened since my last "breaking news" report from London! I'm astounded that the info we conveyed had such a response. In a way, I think that's really good for Amanda who may need her fanbase support now more than ever. So what GABIT did for her and all the TLC she received over the weekend along with these many posts by old and new alike here on GW should help create some pretty strong karma!

Kat, your pictures are awesome and you've put them up in such a nice format. I don't think mine will come close but I'll try to get a few up soon. Hope you and your hubby now enjoy the rest of the week sightseeing!

1speed and Coley, what can I say?! Samandans, if you want to meet two of the nicest and fun Brits anywhere ... these guys are just wonderful! We could not stop laughing the entire weekend and almost got ourselves thrown off a bus for unruly behavior! Laughter = unruly behavior!?! H2, H9?!

dipsofjazz, can't wait to tap my feet to your banjo music cd! Thanks again ... kindness does reign here!

I probably missed some of the incoming news as I tried to catch up tonight ... but I'm exhausted and have to go to work tomorrow afternoon. Coming home on the plane, I thought I was sitting in back of CJ or RDA ... the guy had gas, gas, gas! Not enjoyable, folks!

So, I can't wrap my brain around all that's happened yet ... in London or here on thread. But I'm going to give you something I don't think was mentioned yet, about Olivia ...

Amanda began her first Q&A quite nervously, her English family members were sitting to the right of the stage, and that had to be a tough opening for any actor! Plus she was just so humbled by all the fuss and 250 fans coming from round the world for her special weekend.

Aside from the big news already covered here, she also opened by telling us what the letter 'B' stands for in Olivia's name.

She and hubby Alan named their daughter after her two great-grandmoms. Amanda's beloved gran died recently at the age of 103 1/2 (AT mentioned the half!) and her real name was Jenny but she was always called "Billy" because her dad wanted a boy. So, when she signed things, all notes, birthday cards, to her grandkids, she always used "B" instead. Alan's grandmother came from Hungary and AT calls her "a saint, peaceful and generous". Her name was Elizabeth/Betty. I believe they lost her recently too. So they want Olivia to carry the "B" for both women and to inherit the feistiness and humor from "B" and the kind spirit from "Betty". Funny story: Amanda said her grandmom liked watching RDA and said "if only I were 20 years younger" .. AT laughed at her and said RDA was dating a 30-year-old at the time so her gran would have had to be much younger than 20!

A funny impression during the charity auction: Amanda would promote each item and really do a sales pitch to the audience, drumming up the bids and hamming it up like crazy. There was a matching set of Sam Carter/Jack O'Neill dog tags for bid and up went a big cheer from the crowd. AT strutted down the aisle, dangling the tags and wrapping the chains around each other and then proclaiming "together at last"! Another big laugh and whoop! I almost wisecracked back at her (had an aisle seat which was great) ... because she read their blood types: Jack was "B" I believe and Sam's was "A+" - now wouldn't that make sense for Sam? She's tops at everything she does ... would have to have a perfect A+ for that too!

She revealed that she would like to do an historical drama one day ... and admired Gillian Anderson who was now doing Bleak House. Amanda also told us that she went to a psychic while she was pregnant with Olivia and the psychic was right on, ending on the note that one day AT would be living in England.

Excuse me if these are repeats from others but just wanted to get something up tonight for all of you ... oh, I have a poem for Olivia that I wrote a while back to compliment the haiku I wrote for Amanda when she was first pregnant. I'll post it here before leaving.

More tomorrow when I finally wake up!

Cheers! CG/Jester who got to meet with the Queen! I hugged her for all of you!

[esoap524]

Wouldn’t be ironic if the only reason MS was looking for new work was because of what was happening to AT. Seems kinda odd since from some of the MS fans you would get the sense that MS and AT don’t get along. It would also be odd because one would assume that with more CB there would be more MS, unless slimy Sci Fi has visions of Cam\Vala.... Maybe Sci Fi thinks they can make up for cancelling Farscape. o if we could all go back and relive our bad decisions. To bad it couldnt possibly work.

Browder and Black have palpably excellent chemistry but I'm sure neither they nor the network want to ring that up again.

It couldn't possibly work the way Farscape did because SG1 is not Farscape. For some people that's great news and for others, it's a disappointment. Either way, TRUST ME, Vala is no Aeryn and Cam is no John. So we're safe there.

Anyway--it seemed to me that Michael Shanks was very enthused about this season, as was Christopher Judge. Isn't it possible this "other role" is more a one shot thing, like a film, vs another TV show?

What I think is really stupid, as I've said in prior posts, is the idea that the writers don't know "what to do" with Carter. You have two new characters to play against, one of whom is SO different from Carter. Doesn't change like that often bring out another side of a person? And wouldn't a writer-type be able to see that possibility? And wouldn't it be nice to have two strong females on SG1 at the same time? Like her or not, Vala isn't a wimp. She may be a pain in the rear but she's not a shrinking violet and Black is a good actress. How about some screen time between the two?

Come on! Even soap operas manage to find new and creative things to do to/with long standing characters.

[ChopinGal]

Haiku for Olivia

Amanda’s baby
Olivia is the name
Its meaning is “peace”

Such an ideal name
For a long-awaited child
Sure to bring much joy

Fondest dreams come true
Baby completes the picture
Happy family

Little one be glad
You have quite a special mom
She plays many roles

Within your mom’s arms
You will always feel secure
Yet she will show you

There are many worlds
And many different ways
Women can be strong

You will come to know
Your mom plays another part
Acting on T.V.

Sci-fi is her game
Sam Carter is her screen name
She is brave and bright

Not only soldier
But gifted scientist too
Inspiring others

She may play at war
But kindness is her model
Hence she named you “peace”

May you and mom thrive
In that atmosphere so rare
Welcome, lucky girl!

[ann_sgcfan]

Hello Samandans, I just got in from airport about two hours ago and have spent a lot of these past two hours trying to catch up and actually incorporate what has happened since my last "breaking news" report from London! I'm astounded that the info we conveyed had such a response. In a way, I think that's really good for Amanda who may need her fanbase support now more than ever. So what GABIT did for her and all the TLC she received over the weekend along with these many posts by old and new alike here on GW should help create some pretty strong karma!

Kat, your pictures are awesome and you've put them up in such a nice format. I don't think mine will come close but I'll try to get a few up soon. Hope you and your hubby now enjoy the rest of the week sightseeing!

1speed and Coley, what can I say?! Samandans, if you want to meet two of the nicest and fun Brits anywhere ... these guys are just wonderful! We could not stop laughing the entire weekend and almost got ourselves thrown off a bus for unruly behavior! Laughter = unruly behavior!?! H2, H9?!

dipsofjazz, can't wait to tap my feet to your banjo music cd! Thanks again ... kindness does reign here!

I probably missed some of the incoming news as I tried to catch up tonight ... but I'm exhausted and have to go to work tomorrow afternoon. Coming home on the plane, I thought I was sitting in back of CJ or RDA ... the guy had gas, gas, gas! Not enjoyable, folks!

So, I can't wrap my brain around all that's happened yet ... in London or here on thread. But I'm going to give you something I don't think was mentioned yet, about Olivia ...

Amanda began her first Q&A quite nervously, her English family members were sitting to the right of the stage, and that had to be a tough opening for any actor! Plus she was just so humbled by all the fuss and 250 fans coming from round the world for her special weekend.

Aside from the big news already covered here, she also opened with an answer to "what does the letter 'B' stand for in Olivia's name?"

She and hubby Alan named their daughter after her two great-grandmoms. Amanda's beloved gran died recently at the age of 103 1/2 (AT mentioned the half!) and her real name was Jenny but she was always called "Billy" because her dad wanted a boy. So, when she signed things, all notes, birthday cards, to her grandkids, she always used "B" instead. Alan's grandmother came from Hungary and AT calls her "a saint, peaceful and generous". Her name was Elizabeth/Betty. I believe they lost her recently too. So they want Olivia to carry the "B" for both women and to inherit the feistiness and humor from "B" and the kind spirit from "Betty". Funny story: Amanda said her grandmom liked watching RDA and said "if only I were 20 years younger" .. AT laughed at her and said RDA was dating a 30-year-old at the time so her gran would have had to be much younger than 20!

A funny impression during the charity auction: Amanda would promote each item and really do a sales pitch to the audience, drumming up the bids and hamming it up like crazy. There was a matching set of Sam Carter/Jack O'Neill dog tags for bid and up went a big cheer from the crowd. AT strutted down the aisle, dangling the tags and wrapping the chains around each other and then proclaiming "together at last"! Another big laugh and whoop! I almost wisecracked back at her (had an aisle seat which was great) ... because she read their blood types: Jack was "B" I believe and Sam's was "A+" - now wouldn't that make sense for Sam? She's tops at everything she does ... would have to have a perfect A+ for that too!

She revealed that she would like to do an historical drama one day ... and admired Gillian Anderson who was now doing Bleak House. Amanda also told us that she went to a psychic while she was pregnant with Olivia and the psychic was right on, ending on the note that one day AT would be living in England.

Excuse me if these are repeats from others but just wanted to get something up tonight for all of you ... oh, I have a poem for Olivia that I wrote a while back to compliment the haiku I wrote for Amanda when she was first pregnant. I'll paste them here before leaving.

More tomorrow when I finally wake up!

Cheers! CG/Jester who got to meet with the Queen! I hugged her for all of you!

Thanks ChopinGal!! It sounds like everyone had a blast this weekend and it only confirms all the information that I have ever heard about AT being the nicest, funniest and most genuine person. Thanks again!!!! I can't wait to read your poem.

EDIT: Loved the poem!!!!

[Simhavaktra]

Y'know, the spin in Joe's blog brings to mind the time, years back, when I was introduced to our then-new vice president where I work. Everyone had been telling us for a month that he was the greatest thing since indoor plumbing, sharp as a tack and quick as lightning too, with a mind built for business, management and making money, and boy-o, yessirree bob, our company was going places now! We were being honored, we were told - iteratively and repeatedly. Then, our paragon arrived, and, quite literally the first thing he said to me after 'hello' was that he had a way to reduce my workload by lying to our customers about the cost basis of our pricing to them. ! That, and having to ghost-write business letters for said vice president (still a deep, dark corporate secret where I work) - because I could sound like the vice president of an entire division of an international company if I had to, and the vice president couldn't - cured me forever of any notion that any PTB must necessarily mean well, and they may therefore be trusted. Wait and verify, maybe, but implicit trust? Nope - gone on the lightning wings of experience.

Sometimes TPTB are being trustworthy, and sometimes they're actually noble. Sometimes the best they can be accused of, is muddling through; sometimes they're just lazy; sometimes they mess up; sometimes they mess up and don't even know they've messed up; sometimes they hose up; sometimes they purchase the entire agricultural complex; and sometimes they totally miss the, let us say... completely inappropriate... aspects of their brilliant ideas in the very glare of that "brilliance" itself. Maybe that's enough to gain them the benefit of the doubt in other places, but, I'm a number crunchin', security managin', store-mindin' geek, and my take on PTB is "In God we trust - all others are required to provide data." Some of the data TPTB of Stargate - all of them - have already provided under other circumstances is not encouraging to me under these circumstances.

Where does this latest effort on the part of TPTB on Stargate - all of them, Bridge, the production company, Sci Fi, Sony and MGM - lie on the scale of believability and trustworthiness? Time will tell. Do I trust them to get it right, and to do the right thing? Not a bit of it. Do I believe they have to have everything finalized before they can go about having ideas? Not for a second. Do I think it's possible things may work out nicely for everyone involved? Yes, I do. (Just don't ask me what I think the percentages are on it - I've done too much statistical analysis in my life. )

All I know is that, like the Chinese reporter who declared he could recognize any propaganda when he heard it simply because he'd had so much practice listening to propaganda, I'm recognizing propaganda in Joe's last message. And, TPTB have given me more than enough practice in listening to propaganda.