Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[ShimmeringStar]

No, I agree with you. What I meant by

Spoiler:

Sam showing up McKay was showing him up *scientifically.*

I only watched the first 5 or so minutes of SG:A,

Spoiler:

but did see the puddlejumper scene where McKay gave credit to Sam for a plan to thread the gates together for a 30 minute route back to Earth. Too bad it couldn't have been on SG1 though.

The SG1 scenes could've been better I agree. Guess I lowered my expectations way low and I was all steeled up for cringeworthy-level interactions, so after I uncringed myself.... I was like oh... okay.

[jckfan55]

I only watched the first 5 or so minutes of SG:A,

Spoiler:

but did see the puddlejumper scene where McKay gave credit to Sam for a plan to thread the gates together for a 30 minute route back to Earth. Too bad it couldn't have been on SG1 though.

The SG1 scenes could've been better I agree. Guess I lowered my expectations way low and I was all steeled up for cringeworthy-level interactions, so after I uncringed myself.... I was like oh... okay.

Yes. That was great! About the only part of the episode I enjoyed.

[ShimmeringStar]

Spoiler:

Having just finished watching the 2nd airing, it suddenly clicked for me what was the problem with Dan&Vala vs. Carter and Mitchell. First of all, the stories were almost equally 'A' stories, but they were connected only in the most basic of ways (mission to Atlantis). I found that a little hard to adjust to, but not 'unforgivable'.

But that's what TPTB seem to do more often, especially in the later seasons.

Spoiler:

Threads was a prime example. Sam/Jack, Sam/Jacob, Daniel/Oma/Ascension. And sometimes, because they're trying to stuff so much plot in there, they end up skimming the surface of both A stories instead of really building a juicy plot for A with a minor but fulfilling appetizer for B.

[astrogeologist]

I have a secret confession: Nightwalkers is one of my favorite episodes, along with Space Race and Foothold. Oh, and Entity. Every time I see AT in her Nightwalkers "MIB" outfit I'm like "dang she makes that look good." The shades, the long overcoat, the boots, the short choppy hair - and I'm a chick!

Furthermore, Rodney McKay once said that she was not only a scientist but an artist and I think those episodes show a terrific marriage of skill and the ability to improvise - to take her knowledge and discipline and apply them effectively and creatively in dire and unexpected situations.

This brings me to my misgivings about S9 & S10 -

Spoiler:

I don't see that as much in what they've written for AT. Like you, I do scratch my head at how they can possibly not know what to do with her character, a character that they themselves have given nearly endless possibilities. But then they've pretty much decreased old fashioned Tau'ri ingenuity to searching for hi-tech alien toys. I really hope S10 focuses less on the treasure hunt and more with artful solutions to problems faced by humanity/SGC/our allies.

I'd like to see a Homeworld Security spinoff with her and Jack O'Neill. She'd command a team of intergalactic troubleshooters that deal with technologically-based threats to earth. That way you could have a variety of baddies - not just focus on one or two, and a variety of technologies from genetically enhanced alien warriors gone darkside to super plagues to supergates. And you wouldn't focus on the toys, you'd focus on the baddies and the people fighting the baddies.

That's just one possibility of many - I'm sure the ficcers out there can come up with much better. But not know what to do with Sam from Foothold, Sam from Entity, Sam from Nightwalkers, Sam from In the Line of Duty - oy!

P.S. I'm with you - I should be cleaning my house and getting ready for DD's big birthday bash tonight. Live music, food, etc. Does Thor do finger food????

Great post!

[Skydiver]

ok, guys, first spoiler space

it is a MUST for anything in season 9 and ten, seasons 2 and 3 of atlantis.

we do need to accept and be courteous of those that can't/haven't seen the episodes and don't want to be spoiled

[ShimmeringStar]

For me the most annoying Mitchell line was the

Spoiler:

one when he finished up the plan to escape from the wraith- using the black hole to slingshot out or whatever. He's with Carter and McKay, the 2 experts on this kind of stuff, and he's the one that gets the tag line? I know, he's a pilot, and has probably seen all the movies where they use that maneuver, but it grated. Although, Sam did get to finish up one of Mitchell's "My grandma always said" lines, so maybe that was the balance. And I still think the lemon bit should have come from Sam, not Sheppard, but then there would have been no scene between the 2 alpha males from the 2 shows.

*coughs* Hey.... *He's* read *all* the reports, y'know!!!! We haven't heard about CM's photographic memory yet, but it's a-comin'. And t'think they always called Sam the Wonderchild....

I really liked the Sam/Rodney interaction. Took me back to Rodney's "I wanted to be a concert pianist" line. The discussion when

Spoiler:

he thanks her for her help in Grace under Pressure was fantastic. At first when he confesses he had been in the dark alone and she helped him, you can see the Ewww! on Amanda's face, and you know what she thinks he was referring to. Then you can just see Sam giving a mental if not an actual shudder when Rodney reveals that she was partially naked in his hallucination.

That scene actually turned out better than I'd thought given the spoilers that had been posted. Kudos for TPTB writing/directing a much more subtle interaction.

Amanda was once again showing off her comedic skills, great facial expressions throughout. At the briefing in the beginning,

Spoiler:

when Vala revealed that they needed Rodney's help, Sam's line and Amanda's expresssion, "Ooh, we weren't going to tell him that." Then when Sheppard offers to shoot Rodney, Sam mouths "thank you" to him.

I'm with someone else here who said that they'd like to have seen more scenes with

Spoiler:

Sam and Shep. Yeah the Shep/Cam buddy bonding scene in the Atlantean gateroom was a decent waste use of time, but because it won't happen much again, I'd have loved to have seen more Sam/Shep to see how their characters would have interacted on screen.

[Uber]

<<snippity doo da>>

After listening to Amanda's last interview and her hesitation on if she will continue with the show I think it bothers her the direction the show has taken. It is just my opinion of the interview but who knows. Amanda will do great no matter what show she is in. Her acting Talent is great if the writers want to reach an audience who watch the show for the half dressed and mindless sex appeal than it will soon grow tiresome and fall by the wayside I am sure. I will watch as a fan of Amanda's to see if it improves but as far as rewatching goes that is doubtfull.

What new interview???

[Skydiver]

my thoughts on PP

Spoiler:

for the first airing, i missed the first 20 minutes or so, so i had no idea who wrote it

i did like cam taking the lemon to mckay and kinda running interferrance for sam from mckay.

sam, while not playing a central role (will she ever this season???) did have something to do. I didn't find mitch too OTT. I've accepted that they'll never tone down the 'golly gee whiz' fanboy crap of cam's and resigned myself to poor ben having to play the role of the macho foolish idiot.
i didn't feel like he was trying to steal the show and be the hewo.

poor teal'c...maybe they got tired of chris' flatulence cause was he ever seen with them? or was he in the teltac the whole time??

as to daniel and vala...well she made it through a whole episode without propositioning someone, which was quite refreshing. she still has those idiotic pigtails and she is still annoying. then again, sermonizing daniel is annoying too. so they're a good match. Put the two characters i like the least together and make it easy for me to mute or fast forward.

i had to shake my head at the last line of hte ancient chick. ok, so she knows the others will drag her back so why doesn't she spit out the name FIRST...yeah, i know, so that they can again miss an opportunity to get the info they need and keep up the almighty treasure hunt. predictible reset switch

I thought it was a good mix of cast and, astonishingly enough, i did enjoy it - cept for daniel and vala, but i'm never going to enjoy them. the more they are together, the more they're pimped and promoted and the more i just roll my eyes and mute the tv

it wasn't until the second airing that i found out why i enjoyed it and felt that it was better than most of s9 and the eps thus far, brad wrote it.

no wonder vala kept her mouth shut and cam wasn't hewoified.

the end, when the ori ship got flushed...lovely poetic justice. now if they'd jus do that to the whole frakkin storyline

all in all, it was better than previous eps, but nowhere up to par with what they've done before. I'm afraid that all that magic is long gone and will likely never return

[WhatFateAlmondRoca]

Perhaps they're afraid? Afraid to go out on a limb and take the character to the next logical step? TPTB (and the actress ) crafted one of most unique and viewer/fan-accessible female characters out there and it's almost like they've hit the proverbial glass ceiling. And instead of wanting to bust through it and show what a truly kickbutt and intelligent, but still compassionate female lead can do... TPTB're just sliding their pressed noses up against the glass and moaning it's too hard, too much, to do what it takes to break on through. It's easier to focus on the formulaic rote things where there is no ceiling, no raising of the bar, no attracting a diverse and smart fanbase....

Too bad. Our loss. Amanda's loss. The whole SG arc's loss.

That's as reasonable explanation as any. I'd like to know if there's any strictures coming from Sciffy, or Bridge or Sony/MGM or whoever it is now. I really have a hard time believing that the writers themselves don't know what to do - unless they don't know what to do within whatever confines they've been given from whoever - if any. Makes me go hmmmm.

[Thor_Beyond769]

Hi thor buddy!

Hey Lord Minister! That name is going to take some time getting used to.

[WhatFateAlmondRoca]

Great post!

Thanks much, unfortunately I should have put some of it in spoilers. I went back and edited it. My sincerest apologies - I haven't seen last night's ep yet so I should be among the most considerate of posters and I failed. Thanks for the reminder, jackfan/sky!

[Mandysg1]

I have a secret confession: Nightwalkers is one of my favorite episodes, along with Space Race and Foothold. Oh, and Entity. Every time I see AT in her Nightwalkers "MIB" outfit I'm like "dang she makes that look good." The shades, the long overcoat, the boots, the short choppy hair - and I'm a chick!

Furthermore, Rodney McKay once said that she was not only a scientist but an artist and I think those episodes show a terrific marriage of skill and the ability to improvise - to take her knowledge and discipline and apply them effectively and creatively in dire and unexpected situations.

Spoiler:

This brings me to my misgivings about S9 & S10 - I don't see that as much in what they've written for AT. Like you, I do scratch my head at how they can possibly not know what to do with her character, a character that they themselves have given nearly endless possibilities. But then they've pretty much decreased old fashioned Tau'ri ingenuity to searching for hi-tech alien toys. I really hope S10 focuses less on the treasure hunt and more with artful solutions to problems faced by humanity/SGC/our allies.

I'd like to see a Homeworld Security spinoff with her and Jack O'Neill. She'd command a team of intergalactic troubleshooters that deal with technologically-based threats to earth. That way you could have a variety of baddies - not just focus on one or two, and a variety of technologies from genetically enhanced alien warriors gone darkside to super plagues to supergates. And you wouldn't focus on the toys, you'd focus on the baddies and the people fighting the baddies.

That's just one possibility of many - I'm sure the ficcers out there can come up with much better. But not know what to do with Sam from Foothold, Sam from Entity, Sam from Nightwalkers, Sam from In the Line of Duty - oy!

P.S. I'm with you - I should be cleaning my house and getting ready for DD's big birthday bash tonight. Live music, food, etc. Does Thor do finger food????

Yea, and the yellow ones are his favourite

[ChillinTheMost]

On Pegasus Project....
I don't know. I only caught the viewing once and was still participating in the ShipDay thread when it reran, but I actually didn't mind the

Spoiler:

lemon thing. Might be because I see Sam as having moved (matured?) on beyond any antagonism she may have with McKay. He's more like a pesky gnat that keeps buzzing around her nostrils, ears, and eyes, but he ain't worth the time it takes to swat him away. Maybe because on one level I interpreted it that Sam was actually happy to sit back and *allow* Cam to deal with the ball of hypersnarkiness that is McKay. Could be too she's just tired of him and it's better to ignore him and if Cam wants to rise to his bait, so be it.

Spoiler:

I've only watched once so far [albeit while rewatching individual scenes numerous times], but I actually got the impression that when McKay started his "pesky gnat" traits [great description, by the way], that Mitchell and Sam had already decided that Mitchell would handle it so Sam could concentrate on her work. I thought they exchanged glances that I read as Sam saying, "This is what I told you about" and then Mitchell's reaction was, "Yep, and I promised you I would handle it for you" and then he did. Granted, I might be reading a lot into a glance, but see if that works for you.

I just loved the way Mitchell and Sam worked together in this episode. They really complemented each other. I've always loved their interactions, but in this episode, I think they were perfect. Nice writing and nice work, Amanda and Ben.

[WhatFateAlmondRoca]

Yea, and the yellow ones are his favourite

GUFFAW!!! Thanks for the laugh.

[Thor_Beyond769]

my thoughts on PP

Spoiler:

for the first airing, i missed the first 20 minutes or so, so i had no idea who wrote it

i did like cam taking the lemon to mckay and kinda running interferrance for sam from mckay.

sam, while not playing a central role (will she ever this season???) did have something to do. I didn't find mitch too OTT. I've accepted that they'll never tone down the 'golly gee whiz' fanboy crap of cam's and resigned myself to poor ben having to play the role of the macho foolish idiot.
i didn't feel like he was trying to steal the show and be the hewo.

poor teal'c...maybe they got tired of chris' flatulence cause was he ever seen with them? or was he in the teltac the whole time??

as to daniel and vala...well she made it through a whole episode without propositioning someone, which was quite refreshing. she still has those idiotic pigtails and she is still annoying. then again, sermonizing daniel is annoying too. so they're a good match. Put the two characters i like the least together and make it easy for me to mute or fast forward.

i had to shake my head at the last line of hte ancient chick. ok, so she knows the others will drag her back so why doesn't she spit out the name FIRST...yeah, i know, so that they can again miss an opportunity to get the info they need and keep up the almighty treasure hunt. predictible reset switch

I thought it was a good mix of cast and, astonishingly enough, i did enjoy it - cept for daniel and vala, but i'm never going to enjoy them. the more they are together, the more they're pimped and promoted and the more i just roll my eyes and mute the tv

it wasn't until the second airing that i found out why i enjoyed it and felt that it was better than most of s9 and the eps thus far, brad wrote it.

no wonder vala kept her mouth shut and cam wasn't hewoified.

the end, when the ori ship got flushed...lovely poetic justice. now if they'd jus do that to the whole frakkin storyline

all in all, it was better than previous eps, but nowhere up to par with what they've done before. I'm afraid that all that magic is long gone and will likely never return

You said it all for me. I tried and failed at the spoiler tags.... I know sad. But I'm glad that someone thinks just like I do. <I might like daniel a little more then you do though.. >