Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[EH-T]

One thing to remember about these podcasts is that they are not being done by experts of any means. These people are just fans and thier opinions will be influenced by biases. From what has been reported here, it sounds like the old 'anti-Sam' arguements that never held any water in the first place. This is fandom and it's being run by fans who's opinions shouldn't be taken as gospel

Just my opinion of course

Which is why I won't bother listening.

[Rocky89]

Was? He's dead?

I actually saw Elvis in concert when I was in the third grade. It was so fun It was on Halloween and my Mom let me wear my costume. I remember the women (almost all of the audience) screamed the whole time. I remember the 2010 intro and the "Elvis has left the building" announcement. My aunt wouldn't let me use the binoculars so I fell asleep for part of the show.

Not many people my age have seen him in person. Attending AT4 means AT ranks right up there with Elvis as far as people I've seen in person. Does the dancing goat song count the same as Elvis' 2010 Intro?

Oh wow, lucky you. My grandma never saw him in person, but she loved his music and she even saw some of his movies. My mom and uncles have told me how sad she was when he died, she didn't talk much and she was like that for days.

Those lines I bolded make think of Amanda, because I read them and I thought of those times at CC when Amanda walks in and the crowd goes nuts. Like last year when AT was at the Sanctaury panel, the crowd screamed when she walked in an that makes me happy.

I don't care what other people say about Samantha Carter. I loved the character and thought she was somebody who was an excellent model for people to emulate. Both men and women.

Go Sam

(This is Sam saying "Kiss my ........ guns !")

I haven't heard the podcast and likely won't bother. I have never bought the argument that Sam was perfect. I could list a whole bunch of things that show that (the incident in Red Sky, the relationship issues, trusting Replicarter in Gemini, etc). I'm with hiSg1fans on this, don't care what others say, I think the character is a fabulous role model for all but especially for girls and young women. She was the main reason I watched the show and stuck with it in later years. Why do some think it is a negative thing to show a woman who is intelligent, loyal, compassionate and brave? I think TV (especially "reality TV") shows enough negative influences which is why I don't watch much. Nice to have an admirable character for a change.

I'm completely lost on how anyone could think janet getting killed was somehow Sam's fault when she wasn't anywhere near where that happened.

As I've said, I will give SGU a full year but I agree with the comments to date, the female characters so far are stereotypical and have not captured my interest (and as was said, the males don't fare any better). Makes me so happy to have Sanctuary and Helen Magnus but also makes me long for that third movie.

I don't care, yet I do care. I love Sam, she's been a big influence in the sci-fi world, and a role-model to a lot of people. Sam is definitely a positive force in the sci-fi world, and I feel bad for those who don't see it. And yeah, how in the world could Janet dying be Sam's fault?

Ditto on the bolded part. The whole notion of Sam being at fault is crazy and insulting IMO.

Double ditto.

[Tittamiire]

Yeah, I haven't listened to the podcast and I probably won't. It often seems that the most vocal people are the ones without the nice things to say on any subject. Women spend all their time being scrutinised for what they should and shouldn't be. Female characters are the same. No male character gets the same kind of scrutiny or blame. The female characters on SGU didn't snag my attention, but nor did the male characters, or the storylines or anything really.

Sam was a role model to me as an adolescent not because she was perfect or any of the stuff that she gets blasted for being or doing, but because she seemed like she could be a real person. Okay maybe I couldn't aspire to jump through wormholes to other planets, but that wasn't the point.

There's actually been a Government report come out this week as part of a national campaign about violence against women and girls. It has a huge section about the portrayal of women and girls on television and about the need for positive visual role models of women who're not solely defined by their appearance and their relationships with men.

I think Sam fits that bill much more than the 'real' female characters on SGU or on many other TV shows out there.

Was? He's dead?

I actually saw Elvis in concert when I was in the third grade. It was so fun It was on Halloween and my Mom let me wear my costume. I remember the women (almost all of the audience) screamed the whole time. I remember the 2010 intro and the "Elvis has left the building" announcement. My aunt wouldn't let me use the binoculars so I fell asleep for part of the show.

Not many people my age have seen him in person. Attending AT4 means AT ranks right up there with Elvis as far as people I've seen in person. Does the dancing goat song count the same as Elvis' 2010 Intro?

I don't care what other people say about Samantha Carter. I loved the character and thought she was somebody who was an excellent model for people to emulate. Both men and women.

Go Sam

(This is Sam saying "Kiss my ........ guns !")

That. Is. Awesome.

[Skydiver]

There's actually been a Government report come out this week as part of a national campaign about violence against women and girls. It has a huge section about the portrayal of women and girls on television and about the need for positive visual role models of women who're not solely defined by their appearance and their relationships with men.

sam fits that bill better than ANY female on the show, other than Janet. Like i posted on the site, beyond Hathor, was there ANY time that Doctor Frasier couldn't have been Doctor Harmon Frasier and now had the story written the same?

I know people like or dislike sam, whatever. And there was some very definite preferences going on - it's an opinion piece, when are there not?, however, when i hear the 'sam is boring because she's perfect' i'm like, adn daniel isn't? jack isn't? teal'c isn't? they ALL are the best of the best, that's what makes them television characters.

and RARELY, even when the guys did mess up, were they ever called on teh carpet for it.

teh one thing i found interesting, and i'm only 20ish minutes in, the male caller thus far was the one that loved the sex and vivacity vala brought to the snow...which is it's own cliche, the 'slut' (just the characterization, not vala) that uses her body and men's lustful weaknesses to get her way

that's the personna that works to allow men to denigrate women. that we're just 'untrustworthy whores wiling to sleep with whomever to get ahead'

Vala was, in a way, the personification of the stereotype that allows men to continually put women down. Of course, pretty much all the other sga and sgu women are that way. chlloe is using sex as her relationsip with scott, TJ apparently slept with her CO, married CO at that, vanessa has casual sex, keller pursued her relationship with mckay, teyla's marriage/baby with kanan.

I'm not dissing the characters, but I'm saying who they have slept with is an integral part of what defines them. (remember that there was even the promo pic released of Weir and Sumner with her kissing him although it never appeared in the show)

so some may see sam as 'perfect', whatever. no matter how much some may see it, i never have and never will see her as a female that traded on her gender to get ahead. If she was that kinda person, she and jack woulda gone 'fishing' in season one.

You will notice that the whole ship angle only really got played up from season 4 on, when M&M joined the writing staff and then all of a sudden, the ship was played up. I don't think its' a coincidence that these same folks have been involved in further characters that, i at least, feel are just cliches.

sam exists without her relationship, so did janet, I can't say that about the others.

[EvenstarSRV]

hey guys, just poping in to ask if anybody has listened to the new podcast yet (Women on Stargate)? It's not very nice for Sam, in fact apart from saying over and over what a one-dimensional, stereotypical walking perfection she's made out to be on the series it's also explicitly said that Janet died because Sam abandoned her post - again. Nobody contradicts it either.
I was kinda surprised that none of the Samandans called in or commented..

Wow, that's an incredibly extreme interpretation of that scene IMO. Yes, Sam went to check on Jack when he was shot, but that took less than a minute and all of the other SGC people were still fighting during that time. Plus weren't Sam, Jack, and Teal'c out in a open area and Janet and Daniel in the woods? I mean, IMO, it would make as much sense to blame Janet's death on Sam's actions as it would to blame it on Jack for breaking cover and getting shot or Daniel for taping Wells instead of helping to cover Janet, as in none at all. I think Sam has plenty of flaws and has made plenty of mistakes without having to completely make up ones such as this.

In my brief experience with online fandom, it has been quite surprising to see the double standards between how male and female characters are analyzed and judged. It often seems as if the women are criticized for being too perfect, but then any flaws and mistakes are held against them as making them useless or unfit for their job. If she develops feelings for a guy it suddenly completely defines her character, while if a guy develops feelings for someone it just further develops/broadens his character. And the 'too pretty' thing just makes me laugh. Do people complain that Jack, Daniel, Teal'c etc are too handsome?

[Frostfox]

sam fits that bill better than ANY female on the show, other than Janet. Like i posted on the site, beyond Hathor, was there ANY time that Doctor Frasier couldn't have been Doctor Harmon Frasier and now had the story written the same?

I know people like or dislike sam, whatever. And there was some very definite preferences going on - it's an opinion piece, when are there not?, however, when i hear the 'sam is boring because she's perfect' i'm like, adn daniel isn't? jack isn't? teal'c isn't? they ALL are the best of the best, that's what makes them television characters.

and RARELY, even when the guys did mess up, were they ever called on teh carpet for it.

teh one thing i found interesting, and i'm only 20ish minutes in, the male caller thus far was the one that loved the sex and vivacity vala brought to the snow...which is it's own cliche, the 'slut' (just the characterization, not vala) that uses her body and men's lustful weaknesses to get her way

that's the personna that works to allow men to denigrate women. that we're just 'untrustworthy whores wiling to sleep with whomever to get ahead'

Vala was, in a way, the personification of the stereotype that allows men to continually put women down. Of course, pretty much all the other sga and sgu women are that way. chlloe is using sex as her relationsip with scott, TJ apparently slept with her CO, married CO at that, vanessa has casual sex, keller pursued her relationship with mckay, teyla's marriage/baby with kanan.

I'm not dissing the characters, but I'm saying who they have slept with is an integral part of what defines them. (remember that there was even the promo pic released of Weir and Sumner with her kissing him although it never appeared in the show)

so some may see sam as 'perfect', whatever. no matter how much some may see it, i never have and never will see her as a female that traded on her gender to get ahead. If she was that kinda person, she and jack woulda gone 'fishing' in season one.

You will notice that the whole ship angle only really got played up from season 4 on, when M&M joined the writing staff and then all of a sudden, the ship was played up. I don't think its' a coincidence that these same folks have been involved in further characters that, i at least, feel are just cliches.

sam exists without her relationship, so did janet, I can't say that about the others.

In agreement with all this, in particular the bolded, virtual green you as I need to spread the lurve about more.

FF

[Tittamiire]

sam fits that bill better than ANY female on the show, other than Janet. Like i posted on the site, beyond Hathor, was there ANY time that Doctor Frasier couldn't have been Doctor Harmon Frasier and now had the story written the same?

I know people like or dislike sam, whatever. And there was some very definite preferences going on - it's an opinion piece, when are there not?, however, when i hear the 'sam is boring because she's perfect' i'm like, adn daniel isn't? jack isn't? teal'c isn't? they ALL are the best of the best, that's what makes them television characters.

and RARELY, even when the guys did mess up, were they ever called on teh carpet for it.

teh one thing i found interesting, and i'm only 20ish minutes in, the male caller thus far was the one that loved the sex and vivacity vala brought to the snow...which is it's own cliche, the 'slut' (just the characterization, not vala) that uses her body and men's lustful weaknesses to get her way

that's the personna that works to allow men to denigrate women. that we're just 'untrustworthy whores wiling to sleep with whomever to get ahead'

Vala was, in a way, the personification of the stereotype that allows men to continually put women down. Of course, pretty much all the other sga and sgu women are that way. chlloe is using sex as her relationsip with scott, TJ apparently slept with her CO, married CO at that, vanessa has casual sex, keller pursued her relationship with mckay, teyla's marriage/baby with kanan.

I'm not dissing the characters, but I'm saying who they have slept with is an integral part of what defines them. (remember that there was even the promo pic released of Weir and Sumner with her kissing him although it never appeared in the show)

so some may see sam as 'perfect', whatever. no matter how much some may see it, i never have and never will see her as a female that traded on her gender to get ahead. If she was that kinda person, she and jack woulda gone 'fishing' in season one.

You will notice that the whole ship angle only really got played up from season 4 on, when M&M joined the writing staff and then all of a sudden, the ship was played up. I don't think its' a coincidence that these same folks have been involved in further characters that, i at least, feel are just cliches.

sam exists without her relationship, so did janet, I can't say that about the others.

*takes hat off*

I could ramble on, but I need to wind down. I need to go read something a bit lighter than government reports prior to bed time

[jckfan55]

it is too early to 'doom' any of the SGU ladies. way too early.

that made this pop into my head. Jack: "before you go doomin' everybody..." I can't quite remember the episode but I can hear him saying it.

Do people complain that Jack, Daniel, Teal'c etc are too handsome?

I, for one, DO see see this as a problem.

Jack is waay too good looking--I mean the heart palpitations alone...

[EH-T]

Generally I avoid the extreme fans in their many incarnations, including the ones who constantly criticize Sam. Sometimes you can't avoid it and it is very sad to me that the vast majority of critics seem to be female. Here we have one of the best female characters on TV, a woman who is strong and intelligent, who is caring and compassionate, someone who is loyal and who uses her brain to solve problems and save the world. She is not perfect, she is a good person and a great role model. I find the character reflected in the woman who portrayed her and in many of the women I have met through this thread whether in person or online (OK, maybe none of you have saved the world ) and I love the fact that we rejoice in the positive image that Sam portrays. For the life of me I have trouble understanding why all women don't share in the delight of a positive portrayal. Perhaps it is that I have been blessed to have only had positive role models of women in my own life. I can only think of examples of where the women I know loved and supported the women in their lives. I can think of none where any backstabbed or put down another.

I also agree that there is a double standard when it comes to criticism of the male/female Stargate characters. Sam gets blamed for leaving her position or for Janet getting shot. Really? Jack doesn't get blamed for leaving his position and exposing himself (calm down jckfan, I don't mean in that way )? Daniel is the one with Janet and he doesn't get blamed for her getting shot? Sam gets slammed for sleeping with one guy in 10 years and Teal'c gets no criticism for sleeping with a priestess when he is still involved with his ex-wife? What about Jack in 100 Days or Daniel in Unending?

[jckfan55]

Generally I avoid the extreme fans in their many incarnations, including the ones who constantly criticize Sam. Sometimes you can't avoid it and it is very sad to me that the vast majority of critics seem to be female. Here we have one of the best female characters on TV, a woman who is strong and intelligent, who is caring and compassionate, someone who is loyal and who uses her brain to solve problems and save the world. She is not perfect, she is a good person and a great role model. I find the character reflected in the woman who portrayed her and in many of the women I have met through this thread whether in person or online (OK, maybe none of you have saved the world ) and I love the fact that we rejoice in the positive image that Sam portrays. For the life of me I have trouble understanding why all women don't share in the delight of a positive portrayal. Perhaps it is that I have been blest to have only had positive role models of women in my own life. I can only think of examples of where the women I know loved and supported the women in their lives. I can think of none where any backstabbed or put down another.

[Rocky89]

Generally I avoid the extreme fans in their many incarnations, including the ones who constantly criticize Sam. Sometimes you can't avoid it and it is very sad to me that the vast majority of critics seem to be female. Here we have one of the best female characters on TV, a woman who is strong and intelligent, who is caring and compassionate, someone who is loyal and who uses her brain to solve problems and save the world. She is not perfect, she is a good person and a great role model. I find the character reflected in the woman who portrayed her and in many of the women I have met through this thread whether in person or online (OK, maybe none of you have saved the world ) and I love the fact that we rejoice in the positive image that Sam portrays. For the life of me I have trouble understanding why all women don't share in the delight of a positive portrayal. Perhaps it is that I have been blest to have only had positive role models of women in my own life. I can only think of examples of where the women I know loved and supported the women in their lives. I can think of none where any backstabbed or put down another.

I also agree that there is a double standard when it comes to criticism of the male/female Stargate characters. Sam gets blamed for leaving her position or for Janet getting shot. Really? Jack doesn't get blamed for leaving his position and exposing himself (calm down jckfan, I don't mean in that way )? Daniel is the one with Janet and he doesn't get blamed for her getting shot? Sam gets slammed for sleeping with one guy in 10 years and Teal'c gets no criticism for sleeping with a priestess when he is still involved with his ex-wife? What about Jack in 100 Days or Daniel in Unending?

You go girl.

[Chelle DB]

there's a melody?????
seriously, i can see the appeal in the rhythm part of it, but, for me, the incessant profanity and crudity and vulgarity puts it right down to noise and a bothersome thing.
she might find the music of the 80's amusing, but i'm thinking her time with the beatles gave her an appreciation for good old fashioned rock and roll. And hey, i wonder if Elvis was an abnormal?

Sure there's a melody to it...there's talent in that music!!
My kids assure me that screamo music requires a lot of talent to scream out a song.
I must admit, I did enjoy listening to Heart of Glass in screamo version...totally LMAO...of course Nik gave me that look...you know the one that says...don't mock the music mum!
I think Helen would like and maybe even appreciate some of the very new genre's of music...maybe. Some of it isn't as bad as it first seems. I've resigned myself to having to listen to it with the kids....good thing about being the parent/boss though is that I also get to tell them when to turn it off and put my JOK or Queen...really loud!

[NZNeep]

Generally I avoid the extreme fans in their many incarnations...

What was the phrase some of us used at AT4? Some fans just "squee in a different key."

And some just piss me off.

I agree with you on how sad it is that some fo the worst critics are female. I was having a discussion with the guys in my physics class yesterday, about how some of the worst misogynists are female themselves. Also, why they would be so offended if another guy complimented their shoes. I think by the end of the semester these geek boys will be well educated in some of the more subtle forms of sexism and homophobia.

But back on topic... Sam is awesome!

[Celandine]

hey guys, just poping in to ask if anybody has listened to the new podcast yet (Women on Stargate)? It's not very nice for Sam, in fact apart from saying over and over what a one-dimensional, stereotypical walking perfection she's made out to be on the series it's also explicitly said that Janet died because Sam abandoned her post - again. Nobody contradicts it either.
I was kinda surprised that none of the Samandans called in or commented..

One of the beauties of life is choosing what things to pass in one ear and out the next. Everyone will always have a differing opinion on things, whether it be tv shows, restaurants, clothes, hair styles, and numerous other things that we are inundated with throughout the day through our senses. Getting upset about this one voice doesn't change my mind in the least about the character of Sam Carter. She'll always be someone for me to admire on many levels and what this person might think about her means little. I would hope people wouldn't be persuaded from their own opinions by people like this either, but I understand how it might happen and do feel sad about it; for the commentator who can't seem to see beyond his own one dimensional sight and the listener who might feel suddenly undecided about the character of Sam and her role in the series.

My friends and gf know my admiration for AT and the roles she has played on various series and I do my part to hopefully get them curious enough to want to watch, but if they choose not to, ultimately it's their decision and one I do respect. I wouldn't want them to act otherwise if our roles were reversed either. There's something about enjoying what you want without it being codependent on another person.

As to SGU, I did give it a try. I watched a few shows, but none of the characters or storylines grew on me and I didn't really care anymore about them being stranded in space. I stopped watching the show months ago. *shrug*

[majorsal]

hey guys, just poping in to ask if anybody has listened to the new podcast yet (Women on Stargate)? It's not very nice for Sam, in fact apart from saying over and over what a one-dimensional, stereotypical walking perfection she's made out to be on the series it's also explicitly said that Janet died because Sam abandoned her post - again. Nobody contradicts it either.
I was kinda surprised that none of the Samandans called in or commented..

i don't listen to the podcasts, but i read the comments section of this one, and was *very* surprised at what ppl said was mentioned. now i 'really' don't want to listen to it...