Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[EH-T]

I did get to see the premiere on the carrier and it was awesome! I was so glad that I got to see it on a big scene in such a cool setting and with cool people! (The stars as well as the fellow fans). And they had free candy and popcorn. And Martin Wood wore trousers.

Good for you! Cherish the memories

Yes, especially the memory of MW in pants!

I don't really know you that well but I think I love you

Yes, well, people love me until they get to know me.

We all love Eh-T.

Aww, even though you know me?

Hehe, get in line!

Please form an orderly line, no pushing, you will all get your turn.

One of my favourite comediennes reckons she will be happy when it's not even called gay marriage- just marriage. "I support gay marriage. Or as I like to call it: marriage. I had lunch today, I didn't have gay lunch."

But she does wear gay shoes

Amen to that. And LOL!

[Rocky89]

So, Sam

She doesn't strike me as someone to have an issue with 'don't ask/don't tell'. And we saw in the earlier seasons that she did have a definite chip on her shoulder over being a woman, so likely had experienced some gender bias and flak for being a woman in a man's world.

how do you think she's changed over the years?

I think she tried loosening up a bit more, not taking things too seriously, but still maintaining her strength and independence. I think she wanted to lighten up and have some fun with her team instead of always thinking that she was the only woman on the team. She grew, she evolved and she started accepting and enjoying her pace on the team, but again, she stayed strong and didn't forget who she was.

[Skydiver]

I think, as she realized that she didn't need to prove herself with jack and hammond, that she lost that chip and simply settled for 'being' instead of proving.

she did get more comfortable in her own skin. although we did see a bit of that chip come back when mckay showed up. he openly challenged her and she fought back...she wasn't used to having people challenge her on teh tech side of things.

so it's still there, that 'prove myself' bit, she can just often let it remain hidden because she's earned enough respect to be - mostly - past the prove herself level

[jckfan55]

One of the things I love most about AT's acting style is her subtlety, as Helen and as Sam. AT can convey more emotion and/or meaning with a simple raised eyebrow than most TV actresses with all of their "look at me I'm ACTING" emoting. I actually find that type of acting distracting and don't watch a lot of what is on TV as a result. Sad thing is these are the ones who get the awards.

I totally agree. Well said.

...although we did see a bit of that chip come back when mckay showed up. he openly challenged her and she fought back...she wasn't used to having people challenge her on teh tech side of things.

I do wonder if Sam is also a bit territorial. Or is that just me projecting?

[Skydiver]

i think territorial is a good word. I mean this dude comes in, dismisses her work as junk and she reacts.

although i think it did them both good. sam had to realize she was dealing with a theory guy, mckay had never even SEEN a wormhole, much less gone thorugh one. and he learned that there's a reality side to the theories, and gained some insight into why she does what she does and that, in real life, you can't always wait until a theory is 100% proven

[rderoch]

Urgh, now you've given me an identity crisis.
Love veggies (gay), eat meat (straight), wear low shoes only (gay), don't drink alcohol (straight), AT fan (gay), don't smoke (straight), tattoos (gay), love hockey (which makes me gay in my country and straight in Canada), shave legs (straight), love miyed martial arts (which makes me gay in my country and a hick in North America).
Guess it's a toss up then.

I won't go through my list, but I know exactly what you mean. Just goes to show that "types" don't apply to any of us.

One of the things I love most about AT's acting style is her subtlety, as Helen and as Sam. AT can convey more emotion and/or meaning with a simple raised eyebrow than most TV actresses with all of their "look at me I'm ACTING" emoting. I actually find that type of acting distracting and don't watch a lot of what is on TV as a result. Sad thing is these are the ones who get the awards.

Thanks all for the Anniversary wishes.

One side note to the gay thing is that I will be glad when gay/lesbian is dropped from sentences where it's completely unnessary. Example: "Lesbian, "Wanda Sykes will be getting her own talk show".
What does being a lesbian have to do with being a talk show host? We have not been seeing headlines that say "Heterosexual, Jay Leno will be returning to the Tonight Show".
It's just stupid and silly.

It's the reason I love AT's acting and Gillian Anderson's acting. They are both so subtle and say so much with their eyes. It's rare to see a man who can do it as well, though Chris Judge has mastered the technique.

Yeah, I hate it when they attach labels to everyone. Gay this, woman that, black whatever. Those things are all so secondary to what the person has accomplished.

[rderoch]

Aww, even though you know me?

Yup. Despite actually knowing you, I still like you.

[Frostfox]

the bad thing about e.coli in veggies, sometimes it's the groundwater that's contaminated, which the plants absorb, so all the washing in the world won't take it out. it's IN the plant.

as to vegans, it's my understanding that a 'pure' vegan - so to speak - eats NOTHING animal derived. no gelatin, no eggs, no cheese, nothing that doesn't come from a plant. the downside is, it's almost impossible to eat out anywhere as a vegan and get no animal products. the only way to keep a food totally animal free is to cook it yourself

I don't think we've ever seen sam have any food quirks. course, we rarely saw her eat. what's so funny, sam's love for blue jello, it simply stemmed from having a scene where they were eating and AT picking something she could eat and eat and eat and not get full/eat too much. Jello, especially if it's sugar free, is practically calorie free. And i know that was a concern for her for most of SG-1. she had to keep herself trim. I remember any time she so much as gained a couple of pounds, all of a sudden the 'is she preggers?' rumors started.

she, and other actors, often have to work very hard to keep themselves almost underweight so they look 'good' on camera. This is something that's changing a bit because I've noticed more and more actors on shows that aren't whip thin. I think that's one reason I like Brit shows, they don't seem quite as obsessed with hiring only the 'pretty people' and just hire good actors

I've been re-watching Starsky and Hutch, for the first time since the 1970's and I have been struck by the number of not-terribly-attractive actors in the roles of pimps, street life and prostitutes. I don't think they would cast anyone, even as street life, so unattractive today.
There was a pretty, slim, blonde, gangster's moll with completely flat chest, now, she would still be slim and blonde, but she would have silicone lifebuoy's stapled to her chest.
Nowadays, in TV land, you have to be rail thin and half plastic. At least on US TV.
Of course, in the UK, our heroes don't have that pressure.

Spoiler:

FF fans herself. The Gene Genie, in all his glory.

Re sugar free jelly, I won't eat artificial sweeteners, they all taste vile to me, but even jelly with sugar in it is pretty low calorie. Not convinced about wanting to eat anything that colour! I think that blue is derived from coal tar?
(cool, I'm right!)

Spoiler:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brilliant_Blue_FCF

FF

[Rocky89]

One of the things I love most about AT's acting style is her subtlety, as Helen and as Sam. AT can convey more emotion and/or meaning with a simple raised eyebrow than most TV actresses with all of their "look at me I'm ACTING" emoting. I actually find that type of acting distracting and don't watch a lot of what is on TV as a result. Sad thing is these are the ones who get the awards.

Thanks all for the Anniversary wishes.

That's what makes watching Amanda on screen so much fun is that she's multi-talented.
She can pretty much choose any type of role. In her years of acting, she has shown over and over how much she can do. She can be funny, she kicks butt, she can be dramatic, she can be heartbreaking and it's all so real. Nothing seems forced, nothing is fake, it's just her taking control of the character in ways a lot of people can't.

[wine_buyer]

one of the 'dirty little secrets' of gay marriage, isnt' just the religious objections (not from me by the way, i'm all for it) but it does have economic issues as well. Insurance companies, for example, would have to give the 'cheaper' family rate to married couples - regardless of gender. Work places would have to give FMLA etc to more people if marriages apply regardless of the genders involved.

and while they are letting the conservative religious groups shoulder the fight right now, they are keeping an eye on things, because letting the term 'marriage' apply regardless of gender opens them up to financial loses.

In CT we had Civil Unions before marriage and there is a huge difference in the rights that we have now compared to then. For some people marriage is "just a word" but for us it represented so much more. We were married in a church and were amazed that the congregation (even the old timers) accepted us.

[Celandine]

One of the things I love most about AT's acting style is her subtlety, as Helen and as Sam. AT can convey more emotion and/or meaning with a simple raised eyebrow than most TV actresses with all of their "look at me I'm ACTING" emoting. I actually find that type of acting distracting and don't watch a lot of what is on TV as a result. Sad thing is these are the ones who get the awards.

How true! I love to watch her body language, no matter if it's in SG1, Sanctuary or even just at a con as she is so expressive. I love her eyes too and I don't mean color though they are quite nice in that distinction. What I mean is that you can read so many emotions through them, facial expressions unnecessary.

I'm gonna get blasted for this... What drives me up a wall is any minority pride day/month/march etc. These huge celebrations of I am what I am and I want what I want, yet if someone of a majority ( St. Paddy's Day aside - though I suppose Irish ancestry could be minority) has anything remotely similar they get labeled as haters.

Anywho, off to read the Aussie con report.

Personally, I don't give a hoot what holiday it is. I enjoy them all. Mardi Gras? No, not religious but I sure do like the beads and Fat Tuesday. Can anyone say paczki? St Patrick's Day? Nope, not Irish (well only a smidgen, but anyways) but I do love a good beer, corned beef and watching the Chicago River dyed green for the day. Martin Luther King's Birthday? Don't really celebrate it myself, but I have friends who do and can certainly celebrate with them and enjoy the significance of the day. Gay Pride Month? Definitely enjoy the parade and atmosphere in Chicago when I manage to get up there and for me it's a celebration of who I am.

My point in all this that I enjoy all the holidays and try to get something positive from each of them. There is no distinction for me and if I might quote a favorite show of mine, 'We all share the same DNA." People need to stop and think what planet they live on.

Like if there is to be a 'miss black america' that's all right. but 'miss white america' is prejudice?

sometimes everyone works so hard to accommodate every single minority and person of color, that if you're Caucasian you feel kinda left out.

the attitude may have to change soon because, numerically, in America, Caucasians are quickly becoming a minority.

I actually heard something like this on the news this morning, though I only caught the tail-end of it so couldnt specifically say in what regard (state, nation, etc..) they were referring to. Thing is, people are noticing that those who claim 'minority' racial or ethnic heritage is rising in the US. Our 2010 census should put to rest all the guessing and speculation and finally show concrete data to support what many people believe already.

one of the 'dirty little secrets' of gay marriage, isnt' just the religious objections (not from me by the way, i'm all for it) but it does have economic issues as well. Insurance companies, for example, would have to give the 'cheaper' family rate to married couples - regardless of gender. Work places would have to give FMLA etc to more people if marriages apply regardless of the genders involved.

and while they are letting the conservative religious groups shoulder the fight right now, they are keeping an eye on things, because letting the term 'marriage' apply regardless of gender opens them up to financial loses.

Giving them the family rate is the correct thing to do. I think the means justifies the end in this case too as with a good business relationship with gay married couples, insurance companies could pave the way for lining their pockets so much more with the little add-on's. Life insurance? Sure! Homeowner's insurance? Why not! Putting a negative spin on something like this seems silly to me as thinking 'out of the box' or evolving your thinking to match the times we live in seems like the best thing for someone in the public market to do.

A bit OT (well more so than normal ) but I read on the news this morning about a whole town in Miss. (pop. 23,000) that canceled their highschool prom because one girl wanted to dress in a tux and take her girlfriend to the dance. Their reasoning? They sited, "distractions to the educational process caused by recent events." Embracing the 21st century is about as educational as it can get. *shakes head*

I think, as she realized that she didn't need to prove herself with jack and hammond, that she lost that chip and simply settled for 'being' instead of proving.

she did get more comfortable in her own skin. although we did see a bit of that chip come back when mckay showed up. he openly challenged her and she fought back...she wasn't used to having people challenge her on teh tech side of things.

so it's still there, that 'prove myself' bit, she can just often let it remain hidden because she's earned enough respect to be - mostly - past the prove herself level

I think Sam has changed drastically over the years. Coming from the AF where her relationships might not have been all too permanent given the nature of the time, so coming to the SGC, I think she was still a bit wary about opening herself up fully to another. Feeling comfortable enough to relax and enjoy that person, knowing she could bond with another without that constant fear of loss, which I believe might have been instilled in her beginning with her mother's death.

[wine_buyer]

i think territorial is a good word. I mean this dude comes in, dismisses her work as junk and she reacts.

although i think it did them both good. sam had to realize she was dealing with a theory guy, mckay had never even SEEN a wormhole, much less gone thorugh one. and he learned that there's a reality side to the theories, and gained some insight into why she does what she does and that, in real life, you can't always wait until a theory is 100% proven

Calling her a dumb blonde didn't help either. It was a very quick way of dismissing her intelligence and worth. I am amazed that she ever got along with McKay at all.

I won't go through my list, but I know exactly what you mean. Just goes to show that "types" don't apply to any of us.

It's the reason I love AT's acting and Gillian Anderson's acting. They are both so subtle and say so much with their eyes. It's rare to see a man who can do it as well, though Chris Judge has mastered the technique.

Yeah, I hate it when they attach labels to everyone. Gay this, woman that, black whatever. Those things are all so secondary to what the person has accomplished.

I agree! Gillian has that same quality.

That's what makes watching Amanda on screen so much fun is that she she's multi-talented.
She can pretty much choose any type of role. In her years of acting, she has shown over and over how much she can do. She can be funny, she kicks butt, she can be dramatic, she can be heartbreaking and it's all so real. Nothing seems forced, nothing is fake, it's just her taking control of the character in ways a lot of people can't.

*Hugs Bree*

Thanks (((Rocky)))

[EvenstarSRV]

One of the things I love most about AT's acting style is her subtlety, as Helen and as Sam. AT can convey more emotion and/or meaning with a simple raised eyebrow than most TV actresses with all of their "look at me I'm ACTING" emoting. I actually find that type of acting distracting and don't watch a lot of what is on TV as a result. Sad thing is these are the ones who get the awards.

Well said. It is just a personal preference (I think partly in reaction to watching far too many Bollywood films ), but I find many performances that many consider to be great acting to be rather OTT, where I tend to see the actor/actress as acting rather than buying into idea that their character is experiencing or doing something. Maybe I just haven't had the exposure to people who do react to things that way, but usually the subtler the performance the more realistic I find it. I think AT's mentioned it a few times in podcasts or commentaries, that sometimes minimal reaction or underplaying the moment sells it better than a bigger reaction.

So, Sam

She doesn't strike me as someone to have an issue with 'don't ask/don't tell'. And we saw in the earlier seasons that she did have a definite chip on her shoulder over being a woman, so likely had experienced some gender bias and flak for being a woman in a man's world.

how do you think she's changed over the years?

Like you and others mentioned, I think it's likely before Sam joined the SGC, she probably had to deal with people dismissing her skills and abilities so she compensated by having a very 'I'm going to prove myself' mentality, which was probably a bit off-putting. I think having commanders like Jack and Hammond, as well as teammates and other co-workers who trusted her abilities and supported her work, helped her gain confidence in herself and feel less of a need to constantly prove herself.

i think territorial is a good word. I mean this dude comes in, dismisses her work as junk and she reacts.

although i think it did them both good. sam had to realize she was dealing with a theory guy, mckay had never even SEEN a wormhole, much less gone thorugh one. and he learned that there's a reality side to the theories, and gained some insight into why she does what she does and that, in real life, you can't always wait until a theory is 100% proven

I think with McKay, his attitude and dismissal of her was probably what caused most of the friction rather than him just challenging her scientifically. I think Sam enjoys challenges like that, but his 'dumb blonde' comments were probably along the lines of what she'd had to deal with earlier in her career.

But I think they did learn from each other, McKay that reality sometimes trumps theory, and Sam to maybe rein in a bit on some of her wackier ideas.

I think Sam has changed drastically over the years. Coming from the AF where her relationships might not have been all too permanent given the nature of the time, so coming to the SGC, I think she was still a bit wary about opening herself up fully to another. Feeling comfortable enough to relax and enjoy that person, knowing she could bond with another without that constant fear of loss, which I believe might have been instilled in her beginning with her mother's death.

Good points. She was likely a bit of a nomad before landing at the SGC and wasn't able to form lasting friendships. And I think she did change tremendously in that respect, not just renewing her relationships with her father and brother, but forming friendships with her teammates, Janet, Cassie, etc. That's why I loved it in Grace that in addition to the hallucinations of her teammates Sam also thought about her mom and dad, though if they'd been able to work in Janet hallucination and mention of Cassie it would have been even better.

[EH-T]

Yup. Despite actually knowing you, I still like you.

Oh, you said "love" before. Admit it, you love me. Totally throwing that in your face every chance I get.

Back on topic: I love Sam!

[kusanagi]

Oh, you said "love" before. Admit it, you love me. Totally throwing that in your face every chance I get.

Back on topic: I love Sam!

I love Sam too