Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[ChopinGal]

You got close to my actual location, South Dakota.

I know what you mean about coming over to visit the thread for a few minutes between work. I've been grading exams all week and kept sneaking over here for hit and run read and posts. I finally finished up this afternoon, so now I can play.

And OMG, you're creating an online course? What a headache! The prep time is incredible, isn't it? Once you've got it all set up though, it's awfully convenient.

NC

Ya know - I thought that it was you who had the South Dakota location but didn't realize you had switched your info - not fair! It gets cold in them thar hills, doesn't it?! Have been to Minnesota but not the Dakotas.

You and AstroG are putting me to shame - I played the entire day on the internet and now have to prepare another lecture sometimes tomorrow. Of course, I bet you'll still see me here too ... the local watering hole.

Astro is such a whiz with computers that I believe her online course will be used as a model for all other geology profs! Just wait and see - bells and whistles all around.

Me? I'm sticking to my legal pad and blackboard for now ... it's not broke, so I'm not gonna try and fix it! This particular course is being phased out of the curriculum after this semester ... so I'll use my tried and true methods and spend the other hours writing fanfic!! hehehehe

[majorsal]

I just got my copy of Stargate SG1 - the Official Magazine in the mail, and thought I’d share a few things that people on this thread might be interested in. I’ve just barely scanned the mag, but first, here’s a question and answer from an interview with Robert C. Cooper

Question: Do you know how you will write around Amanda Tapping’s maternity leave?
Answer: Yes, we have some idea, but I don’t want to say too much. When we begin season nine Carter has already accepted a special position that takes her away from the SGC for both personal and professional reasons. She will still be involved in the goings on but on a more limited basis until certain events bring her back to the team.

There’s a short article about Amanda’s reaction to a playing a particular scene in Reckoning (the article says Reckoning, but I think they must have meant Threads)

Spoiler:

She talks about how hard it was to film Sam's reaction to Jacob’s death.

There’s a long article about a set visit to both SGA and SG1 while Moebius and The Siege were filming, with pictures, including some snaps of script pages. (No, I haven’t had time to read them yet.) It includes a cute story about having alternate Sam eat blue jello. Knew our gang would like that one. Just some nice behind the scenes stuff.

Sam and Weir are the two sides of the centerfold, and there are interviews/articles with Torri Higginson and Teryl Rothery, so the women of SG are represented well this time.

NC

I was going to green you, but I can't.

Thank you! I've now got some food to chew on in trying to figure out the how and why of Sam's absense in the first five eps (which I don't know if I can even bring myself to watch without Sam ). I know what I want those 'personal' reasons to be (I'm an S/J shipper, take a guess )

If you get the chance, NC, could you write up exactly what Amanda said about *spoilers for s8's threads*

Spoiler:

having a hard time filming the Jacob death scene?

Sally

[majorsal]

Spoilers for Seasons 8 and 9 below:
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(snipped)

After reading what happens in Threads, I'm beginning to wonder (strongly) if TPTB are planning to have Carter resign from the military and take a 'special' civilian post. That would remove the 'regs problem' and it would make the question of 'who's in charge' with LCol. Cameron Mitchell a non-issue as *he* would be.

I don't think they're going to have Sam resign her commission. With Jack being out of Sam's direct chain of command (with him taking on being head of Homeland Security), there's no need to have her do that if Jack's the one making the sacrifice. Just my theory, though.

Sally

[majorsal]

On a more personal note, I believe that AT has lost her beloved stepfather and a dear grandmother on her husband's side this past year. She actually shared that she was at her stepdad's bedside ... I wonder how much of that entered her mind when playing out this scene ... it would add to its depth.

I thought about that too, but I wasn't sure I should say anything (and I wasn't sure if I'd gotten that info from private sources ). I bet that added to the uncomfortableness of that scene for her. Jeez, even reading about it made me squirm. I don't deal with death well. *snort, who does?*


Sally

[chocdoc]

Way way way too many posts to respond to in this thread!

Congrats to MajorSam on her promotion!

Astrogeologist, you outdo yourself everytime with you wonderful screencaps.

Coley, thanks for the info on some british idioms.

Know what you all mean about this thread being a bit addictive! For me, this is so because of all the insightful comments.

Fragile Balance---honestly I have trouble watching this one over again. I couldn't stand that scene with Sam and the young male pilots. I just find it difficult to believe that they would behave in such a disrespectful manner to someone who is so intelligent, with so much experience through the gate, and who has saved the world a few times! The whole scene is painful to watch. I do think, like others, Sam handled herself well, but I hated this scene because it just seemed utterly unbelievable that this would happen if these pilots truly had any idea of who Sam Carter is at the SGC. As a result of this scene, I did not appreciate the mini-Jack idea at all. I also didn't like the ending, where he is dropped off at high school!! Oh well--not one I rewatch.

I just got my copy of Stargate SG1 - the Official Magazine in the mail, and thought I’d share a few things that people on this thread might be interested in. I’ve just barely scanned the mag, but first, here’s a question and answer from an interview with Robert C. Cooper

Question: Do you know how you will write around Amanda Tapping’s maternity leave?
Answer: Yes, we have some idea, but I don’t want to say too much. When we begin season nine Carter has already accepted a special position that takes her away from the SGC for both personal and professional reasons. She will still be involved in the goings on but on a more limited basis until certain events bring her back to the team.C

Not sure what to make of this statment either. I hope like others that she stays in the military---I can't imagine anything else for this character---so I hope it is just a special position within the military. This little statement doesn't sound too exciting, does it!, but there is potential in the, "until certain events bring her back to the team" part. Maybe these certain events involve an interesting story arc for her character. One can only hope that they write a really strong story arc for Sam that has everything to do with the competent, admirable, and strong character that she is.

[Agent_Dark]

Argh, leave for a couple of days and the posts just pile up. In a good way

RE about Sam's role in Season 9, i'd hate to see her resign her military post. She's been career Air-Force for the past 8 seasons, so making her a civilian would be a cheap cop-out imo. Also then it would mean no Sam in command, big nono from me

I personally think they need to get back to basics a little with Sam's character. I thought there was a distinct lack of Scientist Sam during Season 8, which sucks because i love it when Sam's does her 'technobabble'.

I still think it would be ridiculous to make her retire, Dr. Carter should stick with the AU's!

Oh yeah, our Colonel Carter beats any Dr. Carter anywhere (c:

I forgot to vote for FIAD in the season 3 poll That action sequence at the start got me cheering at Carter when I first saw it

...so I'll use my tried and true methods and spend the other hours writing fanfic!! hehehehe

CarterFic please?

[majorsal]

I was good and made JM and TDYK #2 and #3 - didn't double up this time - but you're probably right, Sally - they could go together like Tok'ra 1 and 2. My first choice was Foothold. Sam was just so in charge of that whole crisis once she recovered and realized what was happening. And I loved her smile at the very end when Maybourne actually credits her for saving the day.

If I had doubled them up, I would probably have chosen Point of View as my third favorite. I liked AT getting to play two versions of herself and loved the interaction with Jack and AU Sam. But felt sorry for the real Sam when she had to watch them kiss at the end of the episode.

I'd picked POV as one of my choices at first, but when I got to 100 Days, I changed it to that. POV I felt was more into the AU Sam (loved this ep!), but 100 Days showed Sam going through a big epiphany (Jack!). So I went back and forth there for a moment, but 100 Days won out.

Sally

[NearlyCircular]

I'm not sure if it's ok to post excerpts from the interview in Stargate Magazine with Amanda about filming for Threads, but I'll put it here for now, and if it isn't, could a mod please remove it? Skydiver, if you're reading, maybe you can give some guidance.

Spoilers for Threads

Spoiler:

...Argenziano, who has been a key part of Stargate SG1 since his first appearance in season two episode Secrets, has long been a very close friend of the actress, who confessed that filming Carter's reaction to her dad's death was a particularly difficult task.

"What's so astounding to me is that we started to shoot it, I was up in the observation room and had to walk down [to the Gateroom]. And I lost it," recalls Tapping. "I wasn't even on camera. I went back up to the observation room and they said, 'Why are you crying?' and I said, 'They're killing off Carmen!' The enormity of it hit me right then, it hit me just like a brick to the head, and I couldn't stop crying."
...

Despite her distress at Jacob Carter's departure, the actress acknowledges that the episode provided an excellent conclusion to the character's arc.

"It worked out beautifully," she admits. .'They handled it really well. I don't think they had to kill him off, but I think it worked. It worked in with a couple of different story lines, so it was really kind of cool."

NC

[majorsal]

I'm not sure if it's ok to post excerpts from the interview in Stargate Magazine with Amanda about filming for Threads, but I'll put it here for now, and if it isn't, could a mod please remove it? Skydiver, if you're reading, maybe you can give some guidance.

Spoilers for Threads

Spoiler:

...Argenziano, who has been a key part of Stargate SG1 since his first appearance in season two episode Secrets, has long been a very close friend of the actress, who confessed that filming Carter's reaction to her dad's death was a particularly difficult task.

"What's so astounding to me is that we started to shoot it, I was up in the observation room and had to walk down [to the Gateroom]. And I lost it," recalls Tapping. "I wasn't even on camera. I went back up to the observation room and they said, 'Why are you crying?' and I said, 'They're killing off Carmen!' The enormity of it hit me right then, it hit me just like a brick to the head, and I couldn't stop crying."
...

Despite her distress at Jacob Carter's departure, the actress acknowledges that the episode provided an excellent conclusion to the character's arc.

"It worked out beautifully," she admits. .'They handled it really well. I don't think they had to kill him off, but I think it worked. It worked in with a couple of different story lines, so it was really kind of cool."

NC

Thanks for posting this, NC!

Spoiler:

Poor Amanda! I know her and Carmen bonded immediately, so this had to be quite an uncomfortable scene to do for her. If I were Amanda, I'd have had Carmen around me for the rest of the day (need that reassurance that he's really alright ).

When I finally get to see this ep, this scenes going to be even harder to watch.

Thanks again, NC.

Sally

[astrogeologist]

I'm not sure if it's ok to post excerpts from the interview in Stargate Magazine with Amanda about filming for Threads, but I'll put it here for now, and if it isn't, could a mod please remove it? Skydiver, if you're reading, maybe you can give some guidance.

Spoilers for Threads

Spoiler:

...Argenziano, who has been a key part of Stargate SG1 since his first appearance in season two episode Secrets, has long been a very close friend of the actress, who confessed that filming Carter's reaction to her dad's death was a particularly difficult task.

"What's so astounding to me is that we started to shoot it, I was up in the observation room and had to walk down [to the Gateroom]. And I lost it," recalls Tapping. "I wasn't even on camera. I went back up to the observation room and they said, 'Why are you crying?' and I said, 'They're killing off Carmen!' The enormity of it hit me right then, it hit me just like a brick to the head, and I couldn't stop crying."
...

Despite her distress at Jacob Carter's departure, the actress acknowledges that the episode provided an excellent conclusion to the character's arc.

"It worked out beautifully," she admits. .'They handled it really well. I don't think they had to kill him off, but I think it worked. It worked in with a couple of different story lines, so it was really kind of cool."

NC

NC, Thanks so much for posting this! It means a lot to know what AT was thinking - she is so wonderful! I think you should also post this at the Jacob Carter Appreciation Thread
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[the dancer of spaz]

Hooray for unadulterated speculation! For those of you who don't know, I am a major Speculation Freak. Honestly, besides being a Spoiler Whore and a Hippie Fan, I love it.

OK, so everyone's been talking about Sam retiring, and I agree with you: I don't think it's possible. There's still much too much Colonel-Juice to squeeze out of her just yet!

But the "personal and professional" reasons have me thinking about a theory I had a while ago. I don't know, maybe it's lame, and maybe someone's already mentioned it before (NOTHING is new under the sun, I tell you!), but...

"Moebius" is about time travel and alternate realities and whatnot, but what's keeping one of the characters from getting stuck in an alternate reality for the time being? I mean, to be honest...

"Threads" Spoilers

Spoiler:

... Parts of "Threads" almost seemed based off of fanfiction, so what's to stop that from happening with Moebius?

So... let's say Sam is in an alternate reality because she's, I dunno, looking for something, some kinda weapon? Maybe Jack's there, maybe not. I doubt he would be. I only say this - ok, babble this - because I agree with you guys when you say that "teaching at the academy," "on a mission with SG-95," or "on a honeymoon with the Love of my life" doesn't cut it. The writers, IMO, are pretty good at staying away from the cop-outs. And, when they do have to resort to something that may seem sub-par, there's typically a logical explanation for it.

I just can't help but feel like Jack is gonna be dealt with in some way very TLC-esque in "Moebius," if RDA really isn't coming back next season. And, if AT isn't going to be in the first five eps, Sam would have to be taken care of in "Moebius," too...

Oh, egad! Now I'm just rambling! Thanks for tolerating it. I think I'm taking medication for it as we speak....

[MajorSam]

I'm not sure if it's ok to post excerpts from the interview in Stargate Magazine with Amanda about filming for Threads, but I'll put it here for now, and if it isn't, could a mod please remove it? Skydiver, if you're reading, maybe you can give some guidance.

Spoilers for Threads

Spoiler:

...Argenziano, who has been a key part of Stargate SG1 since his first appearance in season two episode Secrets, has long been a very close friend of the actress, who confessed that filming Carter's reaction to her dad's death was a particularly difficult task.

"What's so astounding to me is that we started to shoot it, I was up in the observation room and had to walk down [to the Gateroom]. And I lost it," recalls Tapping. "I wasn't even on camera. I went back up to the observation room and they said, 'Why are you crying?' and I said, 'They're killing off Carmen!' The enormity of it hit me right then, it hit me just like a brick to the head, and I couldn't stop crying."
...

Despite her distress at Jacob Carter's departure, the actress acknowledges that the episode provided an excellent conclusion to the character's arc.

"It worked out beautifully," she admits. .'They handled it really well. I don't think they had to kill him off, but I think it worked. It worked in with a couple of different story lines, so it was really kind of cool."

NC

it reminds me of the time when she was fimling Point of View. the scene with AU Sam in the quarters, talking to Jack (about the picture and such) and Amanda got SO involved in it that she ended up going and sitting in a corner, and crying for 5 hours straight, not being able to stop. It's amazing what she does to make everything real. She's brilliant.

[tara3583]

it reminds me of the time when she was fimling Point of View. the scene with AU Sam in the quarters, talking to Jack (about the picture and such) and Amanda got SO involved in it that she ended up going and sitting in a corner, and crying for 5 hours straight, not being able to stop. It's amazing what she does to make everything real. She's brilliant.

I've often wondered how Amanda brings herself back to reality after doing such intense scenes
that call for her to bear her soul so to speak.

SPOILERS FOR THREADS
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Hav'nt read the interview in the mag but i will
say this that was a very moving and very beutiful way of saying goodbye to Jacob and i'll say it again, Amanda did a fantastic job with Sam and the relationship with her father over the years.
That gentle kiss to Jacobs forehead as she said
goodbye to her Dad just finished me of as it was so like my own fathers passing.

[Coley]

Hi everyone - gosh I've been away for just over a day and - a pile of posts - and all are wonderful reads!!

ChopinGal - yes we have a thread full of amazing people!! We seem to have some brilliant educators here - What a wonderful career to be in I have nothing but respect for all you hard working teachers out there!!! And to all you educatees on the thread!!!
You also made a lovely response to astrogeologist's post to my Hathor post - it was so so sweet!!
And yes you are right re the ageing Sam/AT. I find her more captivating now than in season 1 - maybe thats because we know Sam? However don't think we can't all look great and interesting ourselves as we get older - just eat healthy, exercise, be happy, dress happy and reserve time just for yourselves (you sound as though you all deserve it) - Oh yes - and exfoiliate!!!

Nearly Circular Re your comments on dealing with larvae and mature symbiotes - hilarious - I shall smirk evertime an engineer comes into the room!! I have to say I have a soft spot for all our engineers. They are all so determined to do a great job for the public and a lot work very long hours for no extra pay. I always defend them to the bitter end against my former employer - the Authority's Treasurer's Department (Where accountants are Kings) and I am very proud to work with them in so many ways - despite that darn ego thing!!

Astrogeologist - I just loved your reward to ChopinGal for the 1,000 post - very thoughtful. Everyone is so sweet and thoughtful on this thread - So glad I found this place!!

Re Sam's future - I couldn't handle her not being military. I just love her in this role. I also think it is a very important role and sends a much needed message to everyone watching - just to think beyond convention - don't be constrained by it. I want more of Sam the Soldier - not less of it.

I think though we will have to trust the writers to come with something acceptable.

It must be difficult for them to keep the show riding high - lets face it they will be under a lot of pressure. BB has said in his recent interview that season 9 will not be the same as the other seasons.

3 of the high profile characters are now gone (Janet, Hammond and Jack) Amanda doesn't want to work the same long hours she has been working for the last 8 years - all this does pose problems for the writers.

I would prefer that Amanda take the lead of SG1 and have a higher profile - Despite the fact that I am biased because I love Amanda's acting, I also think Sam is the most interesting and multifaceted character - so the writers would not find it difficult to give her more air time. However - how can they do this if Amanda does not want to commit to the long hours?

It will be interesting to see what comes out, but sadly I'm a bit worried myself.

I still think that they may be trying to woo Claudia Black into a more permanent role. Perhaps she will be the warrior female on SG1 in future?

I have to say I wouldn't want that. I would prefer another intelligent, tough and capable military woman in the team (You warmin' up out there MajorSam?)- TV sends out so many unhealthy messages. SG1 has been a breath of fresh air for many reasons, but most importantly for me because of Sam Carter. The character sends out such a great positive message regarding women - and Amanda backs this up to the hilt. I just want a believable role model in there - not a sexy alien warrior. All the recent comment has made me wonder whether season 9 will turn out to be a spin off in the guise of Stargate SG1?

If the worst happens and Sam does resign from the military - I will just have to resort to one particular writing wonder for my "soldier Sam" fix

[Coley]

Agent Dark - loved your post and your sig!!