Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[chocdoc]

not concetrating on one team could be a good thing. stargate's greatest weakness is that it has four main actors. so when one of those folks wants time off or needs a break, it's a big deal.

however, if there is a larger pool of actors then the show is more stable. It's not the end of the world if one actor leaves. and if another one wants a reduced role, then there are others to take his/her place

it is a wise move if they really want to make the series something that can last for years

This makes sense. I guess the question for me is, would it be interesting? I guess the appeal of the show for me has been the team (and sam of course ) and their relationships with each other. I love the scifi stories absolutely, but it is the team dynamic that is so appealing. If they just have different rotating teams, or smaller teams, then I don't know if I could get into the characters enough to care about them.

Ah well, so I wonder what this means for season nine though. Are they going to try to create an eventual team dynamic with AT, BB, MS, and CJ or will it be a variation of this?

[Skydiver]

i would think that 2-3 rotating teams would be good. say, sg1, sg13 and maybe a marine team.

one of them can be the primary team, but others can drop in or have an eps here and there.

it would give the viewers known characters to pop in whenever someone wants the time off

and from a writing standpoint, it gives them more interpersonal relationships to play with

[golfbooy]

Originally Posted by Skydiver:
not concetrating on one team could be a good thing. stargate's greatest weakness is that it has four main actors.

I understand where you're coming from with this statement, and agree wholeheartedly that a wider pool of cast members would alleviate some of the pressure put on the four leads.

But for me, the fact that there have only been the four main actors is SG-1's greatest strength. Generally speaking, the show has always known where it's going and where the focus of its stories should lie. From the beginning, SG-1 was about Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c. It was about their lives, their jobs, who they are as people, and, most importantly, how they have effected each other for the better. The four of them are stronger because of each other, the world is better off because they're together. That was the real message in Moebius, that was the reason it was such a memorial and would have been such a fitting finale to SG-1.

I also suspect that it was such an intense focus upon the four leads that has held the interest of so many of us for nine seasons. Fandom in general is pretty intense for Stargate, we all feel like we each know what is best for the characters. We get pretty upset when something that happens onscreen doesn't jive with how we each individually feel about one of the four main characters. That sense of familiarity, the feeling that we know Carter or that we know Teal'c is derived out of the show's basis upon only those four people. We tune in every week not to see what happens with the Goa'uld or the Replicators or the Jaffa, but to see what part Jack,Teal'c, Daniel, and Sam play in it. Whether it is to be happy or sad, at peace or conflicted it is THEM we want to see. More cast members may expand SG-1's future, but it would also dilute its poignancy.

Lastly, TPTB got extremely lucky with the casting of SG-1. RDA, AT, MS, and CJ gelled almost instantly as a cast. They are the proverbial lightning in a bottle. Their repoire with each other has been so solid over the years, their onscreen chemistry so fluid, that we wail and moan whenever the team is split up. We complain bitterly when stories focus on only one team member and a "guest character of the week". IMO, Atlantis didn't do nearly as well with casting, and as such has had to rely far too heavily on SFX, technology, and one-on-one pairings to drive its stories. It lacks the team feel and character focus SG-1 has had. Still, it's found an audience, so TPTB must know what they're about. But for me, that difference in feel is the big difference between the two shows and why I still enjoy SG-1 while being rather ambivalent towards Atlantis.

So, yeah a bigger cast may have made things easier for Stargate, but for me, the struggle has been more than worth it.

[ShimmeringStar]

Dear Fellow Poet

It's wonderful to have you here
Pull up a chair, have RA's beer
On second thought that may not be wise
You may drink too much and try a thong on for size

I certainly don't want to see 'ya
In something smaller than a "flea" (hey, it's been a long day at the office)
So skip the change of underwear
And just keep posting funny fare

Our Royal Accountant can turn a phrase
So now there's three of us - depraved!
Lyrical loonies running free
Full of rhymes and silly glee

Samanda sometimes gets too stressed
With poets around, the tension's less
If we get too foolish for this crowd
We'll "hit the road" with Jack, LOL

Jester

Such wonderful Samandan hospitality
So freely given to little ol’ me!
But I’ll have to pass on the brew
It’s just something else I don’t do…
But I’m sure there’s a Samandan here
Ready to nick my unsipped beer!

I agree
I don’t want to see me
Not in a flea bikini!
Well… if from reality we too much escape
I know certain Samandans know how to use duct tape!

But thanks again for the welcome.

[trupi]

I understand where you're coming from with this statement, and agree wholeheartedly that a wider pool of cast members would alleviate some of the pressure put on the four leads.

But for me, the fact that there have only been the four main actors is SG-1's greatest strength. Generally speaking, the show has always known where it's going and where the focus of its stories should lie. From the beginning, SG-1 was about Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c. It was about their lives, their jobs, who they are as people, and, most importantly, how they have effected each other for the better. The four of them are stronger because of each other, the world is better off because they're together. That was the real message in Moebius, that was the reason it was such a memorial and would have been such a fitting finale to SG-1.

I also suspect that it was such an intense focus upon the four leads that has held the interest of so many of us for nine seasons. Fandom in general is pretty intense for Stargate, we all feel like we each know what is best for the characters. We get pretty upset when something that happens onscreen doesn't jive with how we each individually feel about one of the four main characters. That sense of familiarity, the feeling that we know Carter or that we know Teal'c is derived out of the show's basis upon only those four people. We tune in every week not to see what happens with the Goa'uld or the Replicators or the Jaffa, but to see what part Jack,Teal'c, Daniel, and Sam play in it. Whether it is to be happy or sad, at peace or conflicted it is THEM we want to see. More cast members may expand SG-1's future, but it would also delude its poignancy.

Lastly, TPTB got extremely lucky with the casting of SG-1. RDA, AT, MS, and CJ gelled almost instantly as a cast. They are the proverbial lightning in a bottle. Their repoire with each other has been so solid over the years, their onscreen chemistry so fluid, that we wail and moan whenever the team is split up. We complain bitterly when stories focus on only one team member and a "guest character of the week". IMO, Atlantis didn't do nearly as well with casting, and as such has had to rely far too heavily on SFX, technology, and one-on-one pairings to drive its stories. It lacks the team feel and character focus SG-1 has had. Still, it's found an audience, so TPTB must know what they're about. But for me, that difference in feel is the big difference between the two shows and why I still enjoy SG-1 while being rather ambivalent towards Atlantis.

So, yeah a bigger cast may have made things easier for Stargate, but for me, the struggle has been more than worth it.

Beautifully written! Bravo!

[golfbooy]

Originally Posted by chocdoc:
Are they going to try to create an eventual team dynamic with AT, BB, MS, and CJ or will it be a variation of this?

This is the interesting question for me as well. I always thought that, either consciously or unconsciously, Jonas was separated from Sam, Jack, and Teal'c in some way. Whether it was in blocking for camara shots, the way episodes were written to isolate the character, or seemingly innocuous lines like O'neill's "Carter, Teal'c" from Forsaken and "Carter, Teal'c meet me on the bridge" from Memento, Jonas never seemed to mesh with the rest of the team. What I'm saying is I don't think TPTB ever really created a true team dynamic with Jonas. I'd go on, but I don't think it's necessary to explain. I'm curious as to what they'll do with Mitchell in that respect.

[chocdoc]

This is the interesting question for me as well. I always thought that, either consciously or unconsciously, Jonas was separated from Sam, Jack, and Teal'c in some way. Whether it was in blocking for camara shots, the way episodes were written to isolate the character, or seemingly innocuous lines like O'neill's "Carter, Teal'c" from Forsaken and "Carter, Teal'c meet me on the bridge" from Memento, Jonas never seemed to mesh with the rest of the team. What I'm saying is I don't think TPTB ever really created a true team dynamic with Jonas. I'd go on, but I don't think it's necessary to explain. I'm curious as to what they'll do with Mitchell in that respect.

I agree with a lot of your points in your earlier post about the importance of the four main characters. Very well said.

I'm also curious about what they'll do with Mitchell. Already he has been introduced in a very different way than Jonas!! Mitchell is a "hero" and not someone associated with a main character death! I actually liked Jonas, and I thought it realistic that he was not easily accepted by the team right away.
And I liked Teal'c's rapport with him. CJ actually had more to do in season 6, IMO.

I like Mitchell so far---I like his connection to Sam---I like Teal'c's reactions to him thus far. Can't quite tell about the Daniel/Mitchell dynamic yet. But in regard to the team, Mitchell is the SG-me leader right now ---and if he continues as leader of the actual SG1, then he is leading the three most qualified people on the planet through the stargate. That is a bit odd, but they must have figured out some way to do it. ((It was a bit awkward with Sam leading only Teal'c and Daniel as well---they needed to actually have her lead in a situation with other military personnel too.)) I guess I really don't know at this point---I am looking forward to seeing how Mitchell fits in though. And I wonder if all four of them will ever go through the stargate together at the same time!

[LadyJeep]

I understand where you're coming from with this statement, and agree wholeheartedly that a wider pool of cast members would alleviate some of the pressure put on the four leads.

But for me, the fact that there have only been the four main actors is SG-1's greatest strength. Generally speaking, the show has always known where it's going and where the focus of its stories should lie. From the beginning, SG-1 was about Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c. It was about their lives, their jobs, who they are as people, and, most importantly, how they have effected each other for the better. The four of them are stronger because of each other, the world is better off because they're together. That was the real message in Moebius, that was the reason it was such a memorial and would have been such a fitting finale to SG-1.

I also suspect that it was such an intense focus upon the four leads that has held the interest of so many of us for nine seasons. Fandom in general is pretty intense for Stargate, we all feel like we each know what is best for the characters. We get pretty upset when something that happens onscreen doesn't jive with how we each individually feel about one of the four main characters. That sense of familiarity, the feeling that we know Carter or that we know Teal'c is derived out of the show's basis upon only those four people. We tune in every week not to see what happens with the Goa'uld or the Replicators or the Jaffa, but to see what part Jack,Teal'c, Daniel, and Sam play in it. Whether it is to be happy or sad, at peace or conflicted it is THEM we want to see. More cast members may expand SG-1's future, but it would also dilute its poignancy.

Lastly, TPTB got extremely lucky with the casting of SG-1. RDA, AT, MS, and CJ gelled almost instantly as a cast. They are the proverbial lightning in a bottle. Their repoire with each other has been so solid over the years, their onscreen chemistry so fluid, that we wail and moan whenever the team is split up. We complain bitterly when stories focus on only one team member and a "guest character of the week". IMO, Atlantis didn't do nearly as well with casting, and as such has had to rely far too heavily on SFX, technology, and one-on-one pairings to drive its stories. It lacks the team feel and character focus SG-1 has had. Still, it's found an audience, so TPTB must know what they're about. But for me, that difference in feel is the big difference between the two shows and why I still enjoy SG-1 while being rather ambivalent towards Atlantis.

So, yeah a bigger cast may have made things easier for Stargate, but for me, the struggle has been more than worth it.

golfbooy,
I love what you said and so agree with you. SG1 will ALWAYS be my favorite because of the effect each team member had on the other. Thanks for saying it so well.

[ann_sgcfan]

Golfboy and Chocdoc, you both make excellent points! golfboy you described the team dynamics perfectly. I think they will try to recapture the magic they had with the original SG-1 team. (Can it be done? Not to that level, IMO) At this point the show is seriously lacking without team dynamics. As much as I want my old SG-1 team back, it's not going to happen. (Unless there is a movie which I would love to see).

Okay here is me being upbeat, despite some of my misgivings thus far for S9. You can read my pervious posts to see what they are. So I take the next best thing, and hope the writers treat all the original/new characters with care and insight. I hope they think about the fans no matter how many or how loud we are. I hope they think about the history and the essences of the show and not a number to beat. I hope they stay true to SG-1 and one of my remaining favorite characters ... Sam.

[golfbooy]

Originally Posted by chocdoc:
Already he has been introduced in a very different way than Jonas!! Mitchell is a "hero" and not someone associated with a main character death! I actually liked Jonas, and I thought it realistic that he was not easily accepted by the team right away.

Surprisingly enough, I never, not even once, had a problem with Jonas being associated with Daniel's death. I watched Meridian and just about all of season six without it even occuring to me that there was a such thing as fandom for a show, or that forums such as this one exist online. It wasn't until well into season seven, and after I explored some, how shall we say, rather colorful Stargate websites that the idea that Jonas' inaction with regards to Daniel's death could forever cripple the character for some people. I couldn't then and still don't see how Jonas' failing to act or later defend Daniel equates to Jonas pushing Daniel through the glass and murdering him. That act of heroism was Daniel's choice, and it was the right one for the character.

Sure, the rest of SG-1 made a big deal about not being able to trust Jonas after he balked at defending Daniel. And in Redemption that worked great as a plot point because it was completely in character for SG-1 to not want Jonas on the team. If I remember correctly, and it's been a while, on one of the extras on the dvds there's talk of a scene between Carter and Jonas where Amanda Tapping wanted to play Sam as rather angry with him, but it was cut in favor of a more toned-down version. I'd have liked them to keep the harsher one.

And I wonder if all four of them will ever go through the stargate together at the same time!

The producers are definitely taking the opposite approach with Mitchell. We've already seen and learned more of his history than we ever got with Jonas. And wheras Jonas was used, at first, as a means of dividing SG-1, Mitchell is being used to bring them together. That's absolutely guaranteed to make him more palatable to most fans. For me, the jury is still out on Mitchell, and it probably will be until at least the end of the season. But, as for your last comment, I'd be surprised if they didn't wind up through the stargate together a great deal. Though, for me, simply the act of going through the gate together or being on the same mission isn't going to make them a team. It's how Carter, Teal'c, and Daniel associate with Mitchell, how they work as a unit, how much the other three care about Cam, that will ultimately decide how I feel about him. For me, if the three of them are inclusive of Cameron, then the team part will take care of itself.

But, I can't help but add that, again, for me, no matter how well they do with Mitchell, I'll probably always wish it was O'neill instead.

[ForeverSg1]

I understand where you're coming from with this statement, and agree wholeheartedly that a wider pool of cast members would alleviate some of the pressure put on the four leads.

But for me, the fact that there have only been the four main actors is SG-1's greatest strength. Generally speaking, the show has always known where it's going and where the focus of its stories should lie. From the beginning, SG-1 was about Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c. It was about their lives, their jobs, who they are as people, and, most importantly, how they have effected each other for the better. The four of them are stronger because of each other, the world is better off because they're together. That was the real message in Moebius, that was the reason it was such a memorial and would have been such a fitting finale to SG-1.

I also suspect that it was such an intense focus upon the four leads that has held the interest of so many of us for nine seasons. Fandom in general is pretty intense for Stargate, we all feel like we each know what is best for the characters. We get pretty upset when something that happens onscreen doesn't jive with how we each individually feel about one of the four main characters. That sense of familiarity, the feeling that we know Carter or that we know Teal'c is derived out of the show's basis upon only those four people. We tune in every week not to see what happens with the Goa'uld or the Replicators or the Jaffa, but to see what part Jack,Teal'c, Daniel, and Sam play in it. Whether it is to be happy or sad, at peace or conflicted it is THEM we want to see. More cast members may expand SG-1's future, but it would also dilute its poignancy.

Lastly, TPTB got extremely lucky with the casting of SG-1. RDA, AT, MS, and CJ gelled almost instantly as a cast. They are the proverbial lightning in a bottle. Their repoire with each other has been so solid over the years, their onscreen chemistry so fluid, that we wail and moan whenever the team is split up. We complain bitterly when stories focus on only one team member and a "guest character of the week". IMO, Atlantis didn't do nearly as well with casting, and as such has had to rely far too heavily on SFX, technology, and one-on-one pairings to drive its stories. It lacks the team feel and character focus SG-1 has had. Still, it's found an audience, so TPTB must know what they're about. But for me, that difference in feel is the big difference between the two shows and why I still enjoy SG-1 while being rather ambivalent towards Atlantis.

So, yeah a bigger cast may have made things easier for Stargate, but for me, the struggle has been more than worth it.

Wow, this is so close to how I look at the show that I almost felt tingly when I read your comments. It was like someone was looking into my mind and reading it out loud for me to hear. *shiver*

That probably sounds strange doesn't it? Oh well, I'm tired and it's been a long day. It's just not very often when you read someone's comments where you find yourself agreeing on every point. Just struck me as weird in a cool way.

[ForeverSg1]

I found myself bored this evening and thought to myself what better way to keep myself entertained than to play with Amanda. (get your mind out of the gutter AD)

So here's a little photo montage. Basically I was just tinkering with lighting and backgrounds tonight. I like these pictures of AT but I didn't care for the original background color choice. It just seemed too busy to me behind the skirt AT was wearing.



Pretty in Pink

[Agent_Dark]

(get your mind out of the gutter AD)

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/2612/amanda9br.jpg

Too late!

Great pic too

*stares at pic*
*wants to play with Amanda too*

[melpomene]

I just stopped by to say something that is probably going to sound superficial but, maybe not, (It's late and my brains are a little fried) anyway. Rick Dean Anderson is my one true obsession. And what with all the other changes they've made Season 9 doesn't really appeal to me in any way whatsoever. But I do have to say when I saw the TV Guide cover... I was (in a completely heterosexual way) stunned by how gorgeous Amanda is. Something about her new haircut just set off her face and it was like really seeing her for the first time in a while. I'm always seeing how smart, strong, perfect Carter is, but with the haircut the effect was just wow. She really is beautiful. Anyway, I just wanted to say that because I really admire her. But I'm almost always talking about how great and gorgeous Rick/Jack is. And I've never really expressed my admiration for the woman of the show.

[SamFan31]

I just stopped by to say something that is probably going to sound superficial but, maybe not, (It's late and my brains are a little fried) anyway. Rick Dean Anderson is my one true obsession. And what with all the other changes they've made Season 9 doesn't really appeal to me in any way whatsoever. But I do have to say when I saw the TV Guide cover... I was (in a completely heterosexual way) stunned by how gorgeous Amanda is. Something about her new haircut just set off her face and it was like really seeing her for the first time in a while. I'm always seeing how smart, strong, perfect Carter is, but with the haircut the effect was just wow. She really is beautiful. Anyway, I just wanted to say that because I really admire her. But I'm almost always talking about how great and gorgeous Rick/Jack is. And I've never really expressed my admiration for the woman of the show.

I so totally agree with you about the TV Guide cover and the new haircut. That pic was so good it caused a change to the Samanda Plaque. If you haven't seen it, it's here...

Samanda Plaque #2