Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[ChillinTheMost]

Just dropping in to give my opinion on the "news" about Amanda/Sam and her Stargate future. Maybe it's not much of an opinion because I really just want to say that I hope it all works out to be what is best for Amanda and what is best for the character of Sam.

Well, I'll be selfish for a minute and say that I really don't want her character to be minimalized so that Vala can join the cast. I have nothing against Vala and would like to see some interaction between Sam and Vala, but not to the detriment of Sam's character.

If TPTB decide to divide Sam between the two Stargate shows, that would be fine with me as long as Amanda has no problems with it. I'd prefer her to be fulltime on SG-1, though.

Mostly, I'm waiting for the final/official decision.

[1speed4Sam]

Is this the outfit?

http://img285.imageshack.us/img285/4571/at96ya.jpg

http://img285.imageshack.us/img285/1170/at106gb.jpg

Yep, that looks like it - just the undergarment though, I don't know whether the box contained the jerkin over the top as well.

[1speed4Sam]

OK, this is my parting shot for tonight, and shows our esteemed Court Jester, just leaving for the Cocktail Party, being accosted by our equally esteemed Royal Accountant, who appears to have now adopted the role of Royal Paparazzi.

Caption away...

[ann_sgcfan]

Although I've posted elsewhere I generally lurk in this thread because it's just so massive I can't keep up.

That being said, I had to delurk to say that I'm very disappointed by the news from Gabit. Not so much that AT's time may be split between SG-1 & SGA, as this could be a good thing for AT seeing as SG-1 is most likely going to tank next year. But more so because of the way the issue was handled.

IMO AT should have been approached before CB. Sure CB came in and filled a spot while AT was on maternity leave, but she's been in what, 6 episodes, well 8 if you count the season finale, the idea of which makes me shudder. AT on the other hand has been in 150 plus. Who should have the most pull? Who should get the most consideration?

I'm not totally anti-Vala. I saw some depth in the last couple of eps she was in. I saw potential. And I felt that she could come back as a recurring character, interact with Sam, and be rather enjoyable.

AT along with CJ has stuck with the series from the get go. When MS left, she was very positive, very supportive of his choice and gave her best to S6. When RDA left, AT was the only one who really seemed to miss his presence, but still, despite having a baby and pulling double duty, she came back to the show and again gave 100%. And what did it get her? Not even enough respect to approach her and let her know what was going on at the same time everyone else was approached.

I'm always hearing on the DVD commentaries what a great person AT is. How she's a team player, how she's a joy to work with, etc. The problem with being a team player is that sometimes, because you seem so easy-going people think that you'll take whatever they dish out. Trust me I've been there and it's rather disconcerting to realize that your hard work and loyalty aren't appreciated but rather taken for granted.

I for one will miss Sam if she's no longer on SG-1. At least it will free up an hour on Friday night to do something else.

If she's on Atlantis, as long as the character has an integral part, I'll enjoy seeing her there and I'll watch regardless as I like Atlantis a lot, much more so than SG-1 at the moment.

And if she decides to leave the Stargate Universe entirely, and go do Whistler, then I guess I'll upgrade and get Noggin on satellite/cable.

Whatever happens, I hope AT stands up for herself and makes whatever decision is best for her. And if that means no more Sam, I'll live happily in the land of denial, believing that she and Jack are off somewhere living happily ever after.

Oh, and congrats on hitting the 1000 page mark. Way to go guys.

Thanks for posting KatG! I couldn't have said it better myself!! As long as AT and her family are happy then I'll support her in whatever she does! I too will have to find out about this network Noggin if AT decides to go with a new show.

[sg-1fanintn]

Wow! What a time to be away from the Kingdom! While our pals were in London, hubby and I went to the mountains for the weekend. I had hoped I would have online access in the room, but alas, it was not to be! When we got back last night, I was so tired that I just fell into bed (hiking, shopping, etc.). About two hours ago, I logged on to GW and just about fell out of my seat at the "news" from London!

After reading every post from p. 967 to 984, I looked down at the bottom of the page and saw that several GABIT attendees were online right now, so I jumped up to 1011 to see what was up! I guess I'll be reading to catch up most of the evening, but just wanted to check in briefly to say that I thought about you all during the weekend, and now, I'm thinking about our entire group, as we cope with the latest unsettling news. I've already posted a comment on Joe's blog, and am considering a letter to Nora O'Brian at Skiffy.

But right now, I'm just going to go back and see what those of you who were actually there have to say.....and what other photos you'll be sharing. Great stuff, Kat! And I love the pic of Coley and CG right before the big cocktail party! I'm sure there are more goodies in these pages, and I'm off on a quest to find them.

All hail, Samanda, greatest of all the threads!

[binkpmmc]

Although I've posted elsewhere I generally lurk in this thread because it's just so massive I can't keep up.

That being said, I had to delurk to say that I'm very disappointed by the news from Gabit. Not so much that AT's time may be split between SG-1 & SGA, as this could be a good thing for AT seeing as SG-1 is most likely going to tank next year. But more so because of the way the issue was handled.

IMO AT should have been approached before CB. Sure CB came in and filled a spot while AT was on maternity leave, but she's been in what, 6 episodes, well 8 if you count the season finale, the idea of which makes me shudder. AT on the other hand has been in 150 plus. Who should have the most pull? Who should get the most consideration?

I'm not totally anti-Vala. I saw some depth in the last couple of eps she was in. I saw potential. And I felt that she could come back as a recurring character, interact with Sam, and be rather enjoyable.

AT along with CJ has stuck with the series from the get go. When MS left, she was very positive, very supportive of his choice and gave her best to S6. When RDA left, AT was the only one who really seemed to miss his presence, but still, despite having a baby and pulling double duty, she came back to the show and again gave 100%. And what did it get her? Not even enough respect to approach her and let her know what was going on at the same time everyone else was approached.

I'm always hearing on the DVD commentaries what a great person AT is. How she's a team player, how she's a joy to work with, etc. The problem with being a team player is that sometimes, because you seem so easy-going people think that you'll take whatever they dish out. Trust me I've been there and it's rather disconcerting to realize that your hard work and loyalty aren't appreciated but rather taken for granted.

I for one will miss Sam if she's no longer on SG-1. At least it will free up an hour on Friday night to do something else.

If she's on Atlantis, as long as the character has an integral part, I'll enjoy seeing her there and I'll watch regardless as I like Atlantis a lot, much more so than SG-1 at the moment.

And if she decides to leave the Stargate Universe entirely, and go do Whistler, then I guess I'll upgrade and get Noggin on satellite/cable.

Whatever happens, I hope AT stands up for herself and makes whatever decision is best for her. And if that means no more Sam, I'll live happily in the land of denial, believing that she and Jack are off somewhere living happily ever after.

Oh, and congrats on hitting the 1000 page mark. Way to go guys.

Thanks for delurking to make such as nice post - stick around a while.

[the dancer of spaz]

Hey guys!

I just wanted to say hello and let all of the posters in this thread (old, new and fly-by) know that all of you guys are serious class acts! I know this has been said before, but thanks again to Kat, ChopinGal, Coley, 1Speed and the loads of other GABITEERS who made it over here with your amazing insight. That was so nice of you, and I'm sure we all look foward to a full report later this week.

And if there's gonna be a con in the US, I am so there. I don't even have to think about it. If she's not gonna be a full-time cast member of the show anymore, if she's not gonna be on the shows at all anymore, and/or if she's not going to do many cons anymore... well, let's just say that I consider this one of my very last chances to buck up and save for a really awesome experience! Plus, who can pass up an opportunity to meet other SG-1 fans?!

Despite how cheery I may sound, I'm still disturbed. Don't let the smileys fool you, as I have bad habit of overusing them...

See? Bad habit.

Everyone's been so good at expressing their feelings, that I feel like I could just post one huge, "Ditto!" and that'll be enough for me.

There was one question I had that I wanted you guys' opinion on, though:

Do you think that TPTB (from WAAAY up) will be mad at AT for this explosion? It's not that I particularly care about what they think or feel or anything (except for how it affects AT's future treatment in regards to the franchise), but I honestly don't think she realized how BIG this thing would become within a 2-day period.

I just don't think actors - let alone an actor who doesn't believe she deserves all of the attention - are aware of how insane the Internet can be. I wouldn't be surprised if she had gone into the con expecting ONLY the people there to be relatively interested in what was going on there. I don't think she realized that some people (not gonna name names... *cough* Mary Beth) had made a play-by-play report a REQUIREMENT of all GABITEERS. Did she even know we called those fans, "GABITEERS?!"

I have to admit that I, a member of the fandom, didn't expect the news to become this widespread, though looking back, it should have been expected. Duh... people lurk EVERYWHERE, and it was only a matter of time before news was leaked to the general fandom. I'm sure that the Skifferific PTB were not pleased.

That said, I'm sure that AT didn't disclose anything that she wasn't legally allowed to say, but do you think it may have any negative bearing on how the agreements proceed over the next few days/weeks? While some people might've already started their snail mail letters, and a few might've already emailed the bigwigs, I don't think TPTB have gotten a lot of letters from fans - yet I would bet BIG that they've been alerted of the "situation," so to speak, and are currently working out a way to... deal with it.

What if they use this against her? Will we ever know? Will it make a difference if we do?

On the flip side, is there hope that this will positively affect her? I think only time will tell, but I think that several honest, but respectful letters can go a long way... Oh, and by "several," I mean 300.

Just kidding.

Actually... no, I'm kinda not...

OK, I am... But if 299 of you take me up on that offer, I won't complain.

[Uber]

Wha-hunh?

I hear my name...

Am I being spoken of in some "not good" manner??? Spaz?????

[ann_sgcfan]

Ok, I've got about six more pages of the thread to read, but I thought since I seem to have been the one to have caused all the latest chaos on this thread, I thought I'd post a little note regarding my original post.

First off, Amanda never ever EVER made any comment what-so-ever about any other members of the cast, nor did she make any negative comments about TPTB at Stargate.

She did mention she had heard that the other members of the cast had already been approached, so in my humble opinion that could only mean that someone else from the cast had indeed spoken with her about it. Or else how would she have known?

As for RCC's comments that 'They do not know what to do with her character', I do not believe this was said as a means to suggest they[ the writers] are incapable of writing for the Sam character any longer or that they don't feel they can find a place in the Stargate universe for Sam. The way I see this, it is not the a decision coming from Bridge at all, I believe this is a decision coming from higher up.

A few months ago, someone posted a comment on JM's blog about Jonas coming back on the show and JM posted that they couldn't bring Jonas back full-time because it was a matter of money and budget. I think in part he was being truthful. The producers of Stargate only get a limited amount of money each year and they have to spend it wisely. Spreading it among the salaries as well as using it for filming. I can't imagine that after nine years of hearing nothing but wonderful comments about Amanda, by cast members, guest starts, as well as directors that anyone at Bridge is excited about snubbing her in this way. In my opinion, Sony or Scifi, have pushed the producers into this corner by either requesting that Vala be added in part to the cast or by suggesting that, due to public opinion, they believe that Carter is not a well-liked character and find it best to not use her any longer.

I tend to believe it's the former, which leads us to the problem of money. If Sony is pushing Vala, the producers of Stargate now have to figure out a way to add one more regular salary to their budget. So how can they fix this? Well, if Sam is used on both Atlantis and SG-1, then Amanda's salary will be split between both budgets. Atlantis is the newer show; therefore, Sony may be willing to put more money into Atlantis as they want it to succeed and if they have a bigger budget then they may be more capable of adding another character to their salary.

I think this may have been what RCC meant about it's not a problem, we are just trying to figure out what to do with the character.

Why Amanda and not someone else? Well honestly, I don't see any other character, other than Daniel, being capable of going to Atlantis and still fit into the storyline. Stargate SG-1 has always been a team of four men and one woman. If Claudia is really pregnant( I don't want to assume what I read in a blog is true), she will more than likely be in much of the same situation as Amanda during the first part of the season. So, if Amanda is in the first few episodes of SG-1, the show will not be lacking a team member. It would also give them time to actually work Vala's character into SG-1, when she joined the cast. Then they could write Sam as either taking command of one of the new Daedalus class ships and traveling back and forth between SG-1 and Atlantis.

Again this is only my assumption of what is going on. I may be really far off, but I'm trying to make some sort of justification in my own head as to why this sort of thing would happen. Do I want it to happen? Not really. I love SG-1, I truly thought I would be a fan of the show forever. When the show ended for me, I had hoped it would be with a big bang and I would wait patiently for the movies to come to the big screen. I hate the idea that a character and an actress that I enjoy deeply may not be a part of the show anymore. With RDA, I could deal with the loss of Jack, because I knew this was something RDA really wanted. Jack was gone because RDA wanted to leave the show. However, I do not feel this is the case with Amanda; but Amanda needs to do what is best for Amanda. If she decides to re-sign with Stargate, I will watch every episode she is in...be it SG-1 or Atlantis. And if she decides to call it quits and go on her own new adventures and try to make it outside of the Stargate universe, then I will be just as happy with her decision and follow her career as best I can. She truly is a remarkable lady, so perhaps this is her time to show the world, outside of the Scifi community, just how wonderful of an actress she really is.


Kat

Your ideas and take on the situation seem possible Kat, and like you said we don't know what is going on with the Sam character or why she may be split between SG-1 and Atlantis. Here is a question that I have, not necessarily for you to answer just one I'm throwing out there, because I don't know the process... If she has her contract, and like others have said she hasn't had time to really go through it and read all the small print, when will she know what Sam will be doing if she decides to continue on with Stargate? Is it in the contract (it doesn't sound like it is) or is it part of contract negotiations? The contracts that I am use to seeing cover monetary issues and general summary of work that is expected. I realize they will not have scripts as of yet, but when will they decide what they are going to do with the Sam character? Shouldn't the producers or who ever is making decisions know by now? I realize this may not be an appropriate question, and probably only JM would be able to answer. It just seems to bug me that contracts have been issued and the character still doesn't have a definite path. Are they waiting to see what the other actors are going to do and what their contracts will entail? I am sure AT will not sign a contract without knowing all the details. I just worry that the process will be long and drawn out while TPTB decide the direction to go.

[the dancer of spaz]

Oh yeah, one more thing:

I'm gonna be totally honest and transparent here when I hope beyond all hope that she stays with SG-1. Some people may think that the series is a sinking ship, but I've signed on for the long haul (with every jumped shark known to man), and I want her to be there with the ol' Titanic when it takes its final bow. The show simply won't feel right without her to me, no matter what capacity she takes on. As selfish as it is, that's my knee-jerk reaction.

That said, the sensible side of me knows that a sinking ship is NOT a good aspect of one's career, all longevity aside. And a stressful work environment isn't good for anyone. I will respect whatever choice she makes and follow her as much as I can, because I'm sure that her decision will be made with the best interests of everyone at heart. Really, I think she should ONLY be thinking of herself at this point, but that's evidently not her way...

Also, if TPTB from all points are unwilling to treat her with the respect she deserves as a veteran actor, then to heck with them. I'm not saying that TPTB definitely aren't or won't; I'm just saying that we've been worried for a few months now, and those worries have just been confirmed with one statement.

It's good to know we're not all paranoid, eh? We definitely called it...

I've never wished to be wrong like I do right now.

[LaCroix]

the dancer of spaz wrote

On the flip side, is there hope that this will positively affect her? I think only time will tell, but I think that several honest, but respectful letters can go a long way... Oh, and by "several," I mean 300

Oh yes I do agree with the above. Thank you very much.

[SnoggingPicard]

I wish I could say that time has sanded off the rough edges, but sadly it has not.

This is...it seems to me...an active effort to kill SG-1. For me, Carter is an integral character to what made SG-1 special. Without her, it's just...SG-whatever.

What's funny is reading posts by people who like Sam or kinda like her, she might not be their favorite but they get what she's worth, and they hate this too.

If they want to have all Vala and minimize Sam then that's what they'll do and they'll lose me and a plethora of other longtime viewers who imagine tuning in on Friday and seeing the opening credits with CB featured and AT as a recurring and turn several shades of red at this mental image. I don't see why they can't both be there actively contributing to the show.

This is seriously a show killing idea. I have to do something. I can't stand by and watch them shove the cyanide capsules into the show's mouth and do nothing.

Now I'm not suggesting anything along the SDJ mindset...but there should be some sort of organized effort to at least get TPTB of whatever entity...Bridge, Sony, whatever...to see this is a SHOW KILLING IDEA. I know this might just be an exercise in futility because they'll do whatever they want...but I have to do something.

If this turns out to be more than just a rumor, I'm behind you 100%. I still can't believe that TPTB are actually treating Amanda in such a shoddy, unprofessional, and disrespectful manner, and the idea of seeing her reduced to supporting cast on two shows instead of having the well-deserved lead position on the show she founded burns me up as well. I haven't been able to stop thinking about this all day...I just...geez. This is scary. It is really frightening that they are even considering this, and they are putting a bullet into the collective heads of everyone involved in the franchise if they go through with it. Yeah, so I'm with you. I'm praying that the "proper authorities" in this matter have been paying attention over the past 48 hours. Just take a look into any thread on this forum and you'll see pretty much the same story as in this one -- an emphatic "no".

[ann_sgcfan]

If this turns out to be more than just a rumor, I'm behind you 100%. I still can't believe that TPTB are actually treating Amanda in such a shoddy, unprofessional, and disrespectful manner, and the idea of seeing her reduced to supporting cast on two shows instead of having the well-deserved lead position on the show she founded burns me up as well. I haven't been able to stop thinking about this all day...I just...geez. This is scary. It is really frightening that they are even considering this, and they are putting a bullet into the collective heads of everyone involved in the franchise if they go through with it. Yeah, so I'm with you. I'm praying that the "proper authorities" in this matter have been paying attention over the past 48 hours. Just take a look into any thread on this forum and you'll see pretty much the same story as in this one -- an emphatic "no".

Yes this is what makes me so mad!! I have thought about it all weekend and continued on today while at work! Why reduce her role on the Show!!!!!!!

[SnoggingPicard]

On the flip side, is there hope that this will positively affect her? I think only time will tell, but I think that several honest, but respectful letters can go a long way... Oh, and by "several," I mean 300.

Just kidding.

Actually... no, I'm kinda not...

OK, I am... But if 299 of you take me up on that offer, I won't complain.

Count me in. And gosh, I hope we didn't harm Amanda in anyway with this attention. That makes me even more nervous. But yeah, whatever you need me to do. I guess that's 298 to go.

[Traveler Enroute1]

Not to go all pollyanna, b/c I've been as upset as anyone about the shabby way the S10 issue was handled, but I spent some time strolling down memory lane with The Book and found this:
Originally Posted by chopingal
Hear Ye Hear Ye To All Who Live in the Realm of Samanda
A Royal Proclamation
Let the word go out from this date and time that, henceforth, all true followers of the esteemed
character, Samantha Carter, and her honorable creator, Amanda Tapping, will be known as
Samandans.
Furthermore, let all Samandans emulate the strength and dignity and poise of their respected
namesakes.
Let Samandans be sure of foot and quick of mind.
Let Samandans be slow to judge and fast to defend.
Let Samandans be loyal of friends and faithful to duty.
Let Samandans be refreshingly real and uncommonly wise.
Let Samandans be confident in victory and humble in defeat.
Let Samandans be comfortable with self and tolerant of others.
Let Samandans be curious of thought but dubious of rumors.
Let Samandans be kind of word and generous of spirit.
Let Samandans be ready to laugh and open to wonder.
In order to counter the negativity that oft appears elsewhere, let Samandans be defenders of truth
and integrity regarding all things Samanda.
Let all who dwell in the land of Samanda, prosper and be well.

A worthy reprint. Thanks, jckfan55.

Just sayin'.