Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[Mickey23]

but yeah, if folks want to post lists of thier favorite sam fic, we can run our own unofficial 'best sam fic' contest.

how about the basic categories of

adventure/drama
whump/hurt-comfort
humor
friendship
relationship
smut (all pairings welcome, just mark them...we can separate out ship and slash if we get enough)

and then we can have our own unofficial little awards

i can put a poll in the fanfic or off topic for each category (or we can keep it secret and you can pm me) and we can have our own sam fic contest

Hey - the contest is a good idea!
Because actually (Nobody smack me, please!) I don't really know where all the good Sam fanfic is. So if you all vote and it's published, then I'll know where to find it!

[ChillinTheMost]

jack: 'uh, carter... '

sam: 'no, sir.'

jack: 'but--'

sam: 'no, sir.'

jack: 'why not!?'

sam: 'just calling it 'enterprise B' is still calling it 'enterprise'.


sally

Hee.

[Deejay435]

Or, more likely in my opinion, fans are getting overly worked up over minor/assumed/speculated things

Absolutely!

Which is why I avoid spoilers as much as I can. I find they tend to skew my enjoyment of whatever episode they're spoiling. The good parts are never as good as I've imagined them, so I'm disappointed. The bad parts are never as bad as I imagine them, but by the time the episode airs, I'm annoyed so by the spoilers that I don't enjoy it as much as I would have watching it 'clean'.

[dmovies]

Astronaut Sam

one of my absolute favorite aspects of Sam Carter

no matter how Season 9 went, it was great to see Carter in a space suit, and out amongst the stars

Everyone has the scenes that they love the best, well this is one of my favorite.
Just the image of Carter in a space suit and out in space.
And I want to say thanks to whatever writer, actor or director created this scene. Thanks!
(I'm ignoring the fact that she ends up apparently helpless in terms of dealing with the space battle).

There are many aspects of the character of Sam Carter that I like...

... that she has a non-traditional role for a female (military officer instead of... say team psychologist or doctor or secretary or wife/girlfriend of lead male). So I like Soldier!Sam - and I am grateful that AT was willing to play this role for us.

... that Carter was often written, and played by AT, as a competent, heroic member of a team that happened to be a woman (and not as 'the woman on the team')

... that she's smart... brilliant even... and that AT played Carter as someone who has a love and enthusiasm for her field. I like Scientist!Sam.

... Carter has 'astronaut aspirations' as part of her canon character backstory.
Sam originally wanted to be an astronaut.
She wanted to explore the stars.
She wanted to sail amongst the stars.
She wanted to be an explorer.

Adventurous exploring - what better role model is there for women?

And Carter is the only one of the original four whose character actually wanted to explore space before finding out about the Stargate. Carter fits my ideal of a scifi character - I love the idea of exploring space in scifi. Space battles and evil supervillians are apparently necessary to keep viewer interest... but I love the idea of space exploration.

... She has a 'need for speed' - and this shows a fun, daring side to her. A side that's willing to cut loose and have fun and ride the edge. It's so boring to have scientists always shown as stuffy and geeky in the TV and movie media. I'm nowhere near a Sam Carter... but I'm pretty sure that I was considered a geek by more than a few when I was in high school and college... and probably by a few of my friends even now (as my computer skills and knowledge.. and enthusiasm... far outweighs their interest).... however... I've managed to scuba dive all around the world - even in drowned caves and tunnels of the Yucatan Penninsula... I haven't been on a motorcycle since I was in college (and even then I was the passenger holding onto the driver), but I have hiked on all sorts of volcanoes... and there have been river rafting expeditions... and all sorts of backpacking trips. Folks that like science are *not* all geeky clutzes who don't know how to behave socially. I know that lots of folks liked Moebius... but I'd have really enjoyed seeing an AU Carter that *really* broke the geek mold - maybe Ripple Effect would have been a good place for it... For a Carter that ended up in the Marines... one with real attitude and discipline problems within the military... constantly busted back a rank - but they can't just kick her out, because she's too smart and talented and they don't want to lose that... She doesn't 'use her science aptitudes'... maybe she rebelled against traditional schooling early on (perhaps after her Mom died)....

At any rate, I really like the fact that our Carter can fly jet planes (and X302's, or whatever #'s they have) and likes to ride motorcyles. Fun!

There's more to my list, but I'll save it for another post.

What are your favorite Carter images or character aspects?



On edit: for the scene above, with Carter at the giant SpaceGate... it was cool to see that they used an idea that I'd been thinking of for some time. Lots of folks were complaining about the introduction of spaceships into Stargate - and the apparent inverse (reduction of the) use of the 'Gate in the episodes... and I kept thinking that they needed to create a story where there was some sort of SuperGate that allowed ships to transit large distances... so that they could combine the ships and the Stargate. It just seemed like a natural extension of the storylines developed so far.

I love this scene too. I guess there were a few good things in Season 9-very few and far between-but some nevertheless. I'm still not gonna buy the DVDs of Season 9. My own little boycott-directed mainly at Browder and Black.

[ReganX]

it is VERY possible that the spoilers are being artificially spun valaified because some brilliant soul at skiffy actually believes that she's a huge draw. (and she is to some...just not to all)

You mean that the season may not actually center around Vala exclusively, but that the spoilers are being spun that way to dupe poor, unsuspecting Vala and/or Claudia Black fans into watching?

[Deejay435]

Ooh AstroG. I swear I'm going to have to call upon Samandan Security to force the NPM Reputation Keepers to let me green you more. What say you AD and 1speed?

Until then I call upon the good hearts of Samanda to green her brilliante post!

As for my favorite Sam aspects, this will take work...so give me a little time on it.

While I'm thinking, (and this is for everyone) what is the best Sam fic out there? Shippy, non-shippy, whumpy, whatever...or maybe the best of the best in each category?

Sadly, my fridge is out of green for Astro too!

You know, I really should organize the fics I like better. I've read some great Sam fics but they've all jumbled together in my mind. I should keep a list, dangit! What's wrong with me. You all know how I love making lists! For shame, I say!

[ReganX]

I do so want a fic where ickle-Mitchie-kins thinks that's Sam in the cell with him in yet another 'captured by the baddies' situation, and has rather a rude awakening when it's RepliCarter there in pursuit of her own aims, and a worse one when the real Sam saves his sorry butt after RepliCarter has given him her considered opinion of him and left him to quip his way out of the dungeon - and Sam agrees with RepliCarter when poor Cammie repeats how the big mean evil mean nasty mean robot was mean to poor wittle him.

Unfortunately, I cannot imagine RepliCarter actually pausing to bother with Mitchell myself. It'd be shish-kebab-Cambo and on about her business - and Real!Sam would be too busy doing everything in her field medic power (I think she is and was SG-1's field medic ) to keep the poor wittle ting alive to get him through the Gate to even hear his whining. Dang.

How about Sam rescues poor, sniffling ickle Cammie after Replicarter says really nasty, mean things to him, and brings him back to the SGC where General Landry wipes his nose, clucks sympathetically and tells him what a brave boy he is, and then, when RepliCarter is alone on the ship, she finds a big bunch of flowers and a thank you note waiting for her.

[dmovies]

easy there.

and besides. it didn't. vala was in an episode in season 8 you know.

Oh yes, she was in Season 8, the worst episode of the entire show. IMO

[Strix varia]

How about Sam rescues poor, sniffling ickle Cammie after Replicarter says really nasty, mean things to him, and brings him back to the SGC where General Landry wipes his nose, clucks sympathetically and tells him what a brave boy he is, and then, when RepliCarter is alone on the ship, she finds a big bunch of flowers and a thank you note waiting for her.

Yeah, you guys know I don't care for Mitchell, but I really hated it on the Sony forum when people called Sam "sammy whammie" and other derogatory, demeaning terms like that in threads that weren't about Sam at all, and weren't anti-something, either. I firmly believe in people's right to be negative and complain (everyone knows I've done more than my fair share of it), but I'm really not entirely certain it's appropriate to demean other characters like that in a thread about Sam. In the anti-threads, I don't have a problem with it. It's the whole "do unto others" principle.

Am I being too picky? Too much of a stick-in-the-mud? Sim? Regan? Sky? Is it a valid distinction? Do you want to smack me for bringing it up?

I don't want to be another person complaining about people freely expressing their opinions (enough of that going on already). But I thought it might be valid to point out that it makes me uncomfortable here, whereas I find it mostly amusing on the anti-threads. Some Sam fans are also fans of Mitchell (like Chillin), and I'm not sure it's fair to them.

[ReganX]

and the sad part is...as long as the public accepts it, it'll continue.

as long as there are females that think it's ok for sam to be demoted to keep cam happy or that think it's ok that, at least recently, the only reason to have a female on the show is to be a foil for the males, that think that vala is great and fantastic (as her characertizations, not necessarily her), that think it's ok to glorify a woman using sex as a weapon...it'll continue.

and for the younger fans that are distracted by fun...they don't realize the damage that is being done until they get out in the world and experience sexism for their own...and by then it's too late and another generation will experience the very same things we have

I keep thinking of the suffragettes, and all the women who have fought, and who are still fighting for equal pay, equal opportunity and equal respect.

Is this what they worked so hard for?

A TV show may not seem like a big deal, but it still has a lot of power over people's perceptions, even if they do not realize it.

TPTB have not only failed to use this power in a positive way, they are supporting the sexist attitudes that have led to discrimination against women in the past and, by the looks of things, will lead to discrimination in the future.

no one character will change the world...but every little bit helps to change perceptions and knowledge and works towards a change

I think that Sam was a character who could have changed some of the perceptions of women for the better; she was a strong, intelligent, competent woman who did her job well and never used her sex as a way to gain preferential treatment or advancement.

Now she is a strong, intelligent, competent woman who does her job well, never uses her sex as a way to gain preferential treatment or advancement, but who was demoted in favour of an inexperienced, unqualified man.

i mean, look at it this way. let's say taht sam was a black man. and he got promoted, sent away, came back and was demoted to be under the new white character

I don't think that TPTB would have dared to try that.

[scarimor]

I don't want to be another person complaining about people freely expressing their opinions (enough of that going on already). But I thought it might be valid to point out that it makes me uncomfortable here, whereas I find it mostly amusing on the anti-threads. Some Sam fans are also fans of Mitchell (like Chillin), and I'm not sure it's fair to them.

I am finding it a bit wearing too. Much as I would love to see RepliCarter give anyone a pasting - well, actually, I'd most like to see her whump Sam, but I'm pervy like that - the tone of the anti-Cam is making me wince.

[Simhavaktra]

Yeah, you guys know I don't care for Mitchell, but I really hated it on the Sony forum when people called Sam "sammy whammie" and other derogatory, demeaning terms like that in threads that weren't about Sam at all, and weren't anti-something, either. I firmly believe in people's right to be negative and complain (everyone knows I've done more than my fair share of it), but I'm really not entirely certain it's appropriate to demean other characters like that in a thread about Sam. In the anti-threads, I don't have a problem with it. It's the whole "do unto others" principle.

Am I being too picky? Too much of a stick-in-the-mud? Sim? Regan? Sky? Is it a valid distinction? Do you want to smack me for bringing it up?

I don't want to be another person complaining about people freely expressing their opinions (enough of that going on already). But I thought it might be valid to point out that it makes me uncomfortable here, whereas I find it mostly amusing on the anti-threads. Some Sam fans are also fans of Mitchell (like Chillin), and I'm not sure it's fair to them.

I was using the terms to illustrate how I see Mitchell behaving, and the kind of response he's expecting from other characters, in the RepliCarter story idea I'm discussing. I can certainly stop using such terms in other places than the anti-threads - it means nothing to me, one way or the other. I would, however, note that the "non-cutesy" terms I would use in their place would be vastly more precise and concise, and would be chosen with care to make and emphasize what I was trying to convey regarding the Mitchell character's behavior in the proposed story idea. The denotations and connotations of those terms might prove even less appealing to Mitchell fans than the "cutesy" ones. (That perfect score on the SAT verbals has its consequences. )

I look to you as a fair minded and reasonable person, Strix. If I've made you uncomfortable, or given you cause to have concern for someone else's comfort, I apologize, and I will take whatever advice you care to give me on this issue.

[Simhavaktra]

I am finding it a bit wearing too. Much as I would love to see RepliCarter give anyone a pasting - well, actually, I'd most like to see her whump Sam, but I'm pervy like that - the tone of the anti-Cam is making me wince.

I didn't see this post until I finished replying to Strix.

No worries.

I'm going from here to delete my subscription to this thread, so this should be a safe haven from my anti-season 9'ness from now on.

[Skydiver]

You mean that the season may not actually center around Vala exclusively, but that the spoilers are being spun that way to dupe poor, unsuspecting Vala and/or Claudia Black fans into watching?

it's possible

[Mickey23]

You mean that the season may not actually center around Vala exclusively, but that the spoilers are being spun that way to dupe poor, unsuspecting Vala and/or Claudia Black fans into watching?

it's possible

I posted a while back on another thread (maybe spoilers for "200?) that I wonder if they are giving out spoilers that make no sense just to confuse and fool us. like a red herring. Maybe not, maybe what we've been given is what we're gonna get. You never know!