Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[majorsal]

Now, on topic, let me tell you and Major Sal what a terrific thread this is turning out to be...

<snipped>

KUDOS again to all of you (but especially MajorSal and AstroG) for making this one of the best of the newer threads up here! And THANK YOU for all your hard work.

You're quite welcome. I'm *very* proud of the way this thread has progressed!

If I had to pick my all-time fave Sam/Amanda acting moment, it would be the way Sam behaved as the Entity in the ep Entity. To show a multitude of emotions, and the only acting tool was the expression on your face... that's acting. Yes, the Entity spoke, but it was mechanicalized, with no emotions below it. In the scene when Jack's threatening the Entity, telling it that they were going to send more probes to destroy them - pay attention to Sam's face. The Entity is raging, but it can't speak out and yell, 'NO!'. Amanda had Sam's facial muscles twitching, as though the Entity was ready to explode. I was *so* impressed with Amanda's acting in that moment. It was like watching someone rant and rave, without one word being spoken.

If I'm remembering this right, the director let Amanda decide how to act the Entity out.

If I'd had the power, I'd have personally handed Amanda an Emmy for her performance in that ep.

Sally

[majorsal]

<snip>

On another note, Astro, yes, I read the same interview about Alan Kovacs making this brief cameo appearance and, yes, you did capture the right "fireman" in the above photos - that's Amanda's handsome hubby!

Amanda's hubby is a babe!

Sally

[majorsal]

I can imagine the prospect of Carter resigning her position in the military and remaining as chief scientist and member of SG-1. Not that I'd want to see it happen, per se, but the way they're going on the show, with them portraying Sam as wanting to settle down, have kids, etc., I think it's possible.

I'd like to see her stay military, however. That was always one of the perks of her character, and indeed, one of the things I respected most about her character.

spoiler/speculation for s9


IF that's the reason they'd leave BB's character in command even after Sam returns, then I can accept that (begrudingly, because I really, really wanted to see Sam in command). But if they're having Sam lose command to this character just because Amanda needs more time with her family... If Sam's not in command next season, it better be because she's setting up house with Jack! But I still want to see Sam command Sg1. She's earned it!

Sally

[LordAnubis]

Hi Lord Anubis

From your posted photos, I first thought you were little Jack from "Fragile Balance" - but we'll let you be Sam's kid brother if you like that better!

heh, okay, thanks. Do I really look like the little O'neill?

[majorsal]

you know, ascension is one eps where they so totally dropped the ball.

sam is distrusted, spied on, lied to...and oops, ok, so she's just gonna 'get over it' and all be fine

to be fair, they did the same with legacy and daniel, but there was a bit of closure at the end of that.

at the end of ascension, there's so much left undone.

like sam making the choice to follow orlin, knowing that that would get her in trouble.

i really felt for sam in that one. she trusted the guys and, whether they were followrin orders or not, they pretty much left her hanging

I totally agree about that ep. Sam really was alone in that ep. Okay, not totallly alone (thinking of scenes where her friends were there for her), but they did kinda abandon her. With all the crazy stuff they'd already been through, how could they so easily think she was going bonkers? It was stupid, and it was just an easy way to explain her feeling alone (and, thus, why she bonded with Orlin). But if I were Sam, I'd have been ticked at the guys, Janet, Hammond, the NID, and my own government.

Don't write the character to fit the plot, write the plot to fit the character.

Sally

[majorsal]

<snip>

But there were things that I did like about the episode.
I thought Orlin was cute (in a loveable, scruffy way).
And I really liked the sci-fi aspect of sharing consciousnesses - they showed it beautifully.
The whole 'whipping up a Stargate' in the basement was also pretty cool.
.
.

Oh, I loved that ep! (have it on tape) And I really liked Orlin too. In fact, the ONLY male suitor of Sam's I've liked besides Jack. Orlin was very sweet, and Sean Patrick Flannery did a great job with him. His feelings and Sam's response (to him and to the things that were going on in the ep) were believable.

Sally

[majorsal]

i remember hearing that there was a scene that was cut. it's janet and sam in sam's lab, and janet tells her something like 'oh, yeah, didn't you know? the doctor cleared you hours ago'
thus implying that neither jack of george bothered to tell her that she was ok to come back to work. fostering sam's 'screw them' attitude. in it, she'd deeply hurt and offended. which, i think, is why she keeps orlin in her house for days without saying anything

I remember hearing about that cut scene too. Why didn't they keep it in!? The ONLY stuff that Sam's friends and co-workers had to go on was Sam's blood being anemic (thus explaining her tiredness and such), but if that really *was* the only thing to base Sam being nuts on, then the script was lacking. There wasn't enough set up to explain everyone's easy assumption that Sam was losing it.

Sally

[majorsal]

<snip>

As a matter of fact, as happens with so many storylines, it amazes me they never had Sam show any residual effects from her Entity experience.

Toni

They've dropped the ball on a lot of the things that have happened to Sam over the years. The only thing they really let 'get to her' was in In the Line of Duty with Jolinar. But considering all the things that have happened to Sam, I would have liked to have seen the fall out from some of them. (they've done it to the guys too, so at least I know they're not ignoring Sam per se.)

Sally

[T-Gate]

They've dropped the ball on a lot of the things that have happened to Sam over the years. The only thing they really let 'get to her' was in In the Line of Duty with Jolinar. But considering all the things that have happened to Sam, I would have liked to have seen the fall out from some of them. (they've done it to the guys too, so at least I know they're not ignoring Sam per se.)

Sally

Yes, we should have seen more fallout on alot of stories. If I had a fraction happen to me that happened to them, I'd be bonkers!!!
I also agree that Orlin was cute with Sam (but not as cute as Jack )

Toni

[Tok'Ra Hostess]

An answer by JM to a question posed by a poster about who would command SG-1 next year was answered this way:

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"he suspects they'll be able to work something out"? Uh, they're the writers, arent' they? Why shouldn't they be able to work it out? All you need to do is make it very clear in the show that BB's Lt. Col. M.M. is taking command *only* while Sam isn't there and have him step down when she comes back.

I think that, as an actor and a lead in the series she has more than proven her screen appeal. As Skydiver mentioned, the directors love AT because she's always got her Sam persona on, on set. They'd probably rather chew off their own feet than lose an asset like AT.

We don't know what kind of considerations AT put into her contract aside from the 15 ep agreement (do we?).

[Skydiver]

I think that, as an actor and a lead in the series she has more than proven her screen appeal. As Skydiver mentioned, the directors love AT because she's always got her Sam persona on, on set. They'd probably rather chew off their own feet than lose an asset like AT.

We don't know what kind of considerations AT put into her contract aside from the 15 ep agreement (do we?).

no we don't. and if she said 'i want a year off to spend time with baby' i'd miss her like heck but i'd accept and respect her decision. just as i do rda's

family is forever

however, there is also the possibility that casting decisions aren't being made by the folks at bridge, they're beingmade by folks at mgm. and if mgm puts pressure on bridge to to things, there's not much bridge can do about it.

i have absolutely no idea what's going on, if anything, but i would not surprise me if mgm and scifi are pushing to farscape stargate...ie sex it up, make it a space comedy and totally revamp it

I would hope that years of dedication would count for something, but time will tell. And mgm and skiffy aren't exactly known as kind considerate folks

[Skydiver]

they have dropped the ball on a ton of fall out. sam did get some from itlod, but then jolinar becomes a bit of a plot device, a 'secret weapon' to save the day

she's kidnapped in desp meas and, in the end, the focus is on jack with nearly no mention of the trauma

in nightwalker she gets a second snake and there's nary a mention, same with new order

it is great for fic fodder, but if you don't read fic, then you don't get much of a closure fix

[Tok'Ra Hostess]

in nightwalker she gets a second snake and there's nary a mention, same with new order

it is great for fic fodder, but if you don't read fic, then you don't get much of a closure fix

Ooh! Ooh! Is there fic out there that centers on Sam's second snaking?... Skydiver?

[Skydiver]

Ooh! Ooh! Is there fic out there that centers on Sam's second snaking?... Skydiver?

lol

i kinda did one. Conclusions. it deals with sam's snaking and jack's issues from abyss...in a nice non-shippy way.

I need to write a fic for a zine, so i'm going back to s6 and tanking up on the dvd's. s6 was a really great season for sam and i'm hoping to grab some inspiration from it

[ChopinGal]

I agree completely with all of you regarding some of the storylines that could have become major arcs or, at least, focused more on Sam's response to what had happened to her in the episode.

Can we petition TPTB to offer AT her own show?

Personally, I think there is a growing fanbase for this actor and Sam Carter is such a great character that a spin-off from SG-1 would be terrific.

And. now, reality check - reality check - TPTB are more interested in the, ahem, younger male demographic. My feeling, again, is that there is a much more mature market out there watching the show because of fine acting from AT and her fine development of a female hero. Wouldn't it be terrific if some producer was willing to take the risk and develop a Sam Carter show? I guess that would be wishful thinking right now, anyway, because of the direction AT is going in her personal life.

Actually, let's go for the gusto and think big! Let AT adjust to her new motherhood, and, if they really do something nasty by writing her out of the command position of SG-1 and keep Browder, then offer her a Canadian TV Talk show - I think AT would be a natural at something like that - her warmth and charm would just be the perfect combination and she would get to use her humorous side as well. She could be the Canadian version of Ellen DeGeneres

Am I rambling?!