Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[Skydiver]

scifi and sony aren't that in depth. they're more into immediate gratification, not a lasting impression.

vala does have a knee jerk appeal. she is funny. and if her humor appeals to your sense of humor, then you will enjoy her. and, for me, if she was in another show, i'd probably enjoy her more.

however, her appeal isn't quite the type that has staying power, not the way she is now. for her to be sustainable, she'll have to change. and only time will tell if her fans still find her appealing after her character changes. or if it doesn't, if she k eeps her appeal.

as to sam, well it's out of our control. maybe they will use the characer well. maybe sam will have some great parts on atlantis and boost that show. mabye we'll get some good sam/vala interaction, some real girl power episodes that will have a wide appeal. maybe not. only time will tell

as to the credits...yeah, if amanda gets bumped for anyone else i'll be ticked. But as long as it's cool with her it's none of my business. it's her career notmine

[chocdoc]

I'm just tragically disappointed that they seem set on making it an either/or scenario.

I love Sam. She's my favorite character.

I like Vala. She's got lots of potential as a recurring character.

I think the two of them could have a really great friendship develop and could be a force to be reckoned with.

But right now it seems that they can't fathom a strong capable leading female like Sam while Cam's around or Vala's around.

And that's just sad.

Well, IMO, while Carter is around, Mitchell doesn't look too good. It makes no sense that he is leading these other three with so much experience, and these three act as if it doesn't make alot of sense either. Ahhhhhhhhh---the writing is so bad about this leadership issue!!!! And the writers are too chicken to write Sam as the leader. It is really really sad. Now we have this "compromise" which is what again?

I'm less sure about the writers' problem with Sam and Vala. There could be some good stuff there, but the writers seem to have such a difficult time writing female friendships (look at Weir and teyla). Maybe they are threatened by them. Except Janet and Sam were written very well, thank goodness---but those were in the good ole days.

[Skydiver]

janet and sam was also back before bridge had suits at scifi or mgm dictating casting decisions and plots to them

traditionally, executives are not creative folks, and when they start telling the creative folks the decisions to make, it never ends well

[ChevronSeven]

Well, IMO, while Carter is around, Mitchell doesn't look too good. It makes no sense that he is leading these other three with so much experience, and these three act as if it doesn't make alot of sense either. Ahhhhhhhhh---the writing is so bad about this leadership issue!!!! And the writers are too chicken to write Sam as the leader. It is really really sad. Now we have this "compromise" which is what again?

I totally agree. They shouldn't have made Mitchell a Lt. Colonel. They wanted to bring him in as a hero that everybody knew. Mitchell flew an F-302 while SG-1 saved the world. I'm not saying that Cameron's contribution wasn't valuable, but it was basically his duty that he and several other pilots performed that day. The writers did a horrific job. There was a way to handle Amanda's maternity leave. If they so wanted to focus on Vala and Daniel, then they still could have - but make Mitchell a Captain or Major. No one with zero off-world experience should get to be "leader" of the flagship unit of the SGC.

I'm less sure about the writers' problem with Sam and Vala. There could be some good stuff there, but the writers seem to have such a difficult time writing female friendships (look at Weir and teyla). Maybe they are threatened by them. Except Janet and Sam were written very well, thank goodness---but those were in the good ole days.

The writers need serious help - or some fresh new writers. Hey, here's an idea! Why don't they hire another female writer. That would be something new. A female writer that could write both female friendship and romance (okay, so that's my little shipper voice talking, but a girl can dream right?)

[Myrth]

Completely agreed Uber... I still have my fingers crossed that it won't be as we fear...

I'm just tragically disappointed that they seem set on making it an either/or scenario.

I love Sam. She's my favorite character.

I like Vala. She's got lots of potential as a recurring character.

I think the two of them could have a really great friendship develop and could be a force to be reckoned with.

But right now it seems that they can't fathom a strong capable leading female like Sam while Cam's around or Vala's around.

And that's just sad.

[Uber]

janet and sam was also back before bridge had suits at scifi or mgm dictating casting decisions and plots to them

traditionally, executives are not creative folks, and when they start telling the creative folks the decisions to make, it never ends well

When the execs and suits start telling the creative types what to do to the detriment of the franchise and the logic of the show, the creative types should tell the execs and suits to shove it where the sun doesn't shine and close shop.

When is it no longer worth it to continue a show if you can't do what you know you need to do to be a quality show?

[NearlyCircular]

I just read an interview with Poppy Montgomery, who plays an FBI agent in the show Without a Trace. This year they’ve brought in a new character, Elena Delgado, played by Roselyn Sanchez.

The interviewer asked: Is Elena going to spark competition among the other characters? And Poppy’s answer: No, we actually talked with the writers – Roselyn and I – and said, “Instead of the stereotypical, ‘Oh now they’re feuding,’ why can’t they become friends – two women who are on each other’s side?” And the writers thought that was great.

Sounds a lot like what Amanda and Teryl established with Sam and Janet way back at the beginning, doesn’t it? Why can’t the writers do the same thing with Sam and Vala? Make them into allies, and allow them both to be characters that we can look up to instead of merely staring at.

By the way, Without a Trace now has 3 women on the team, along with 3 men. Unfortunately, IMO, the black female character is underused . Does that sound familiar?

NC

[ChevronSeven]

janet and sam was also back before bridge had suits at scifi or mgm dictating casting decisions and plots to them

traditionally, executives are not creative folks, and when they start telling the creative folks the decisions to make, it never ends well

Let's not forget the suits over at NBC, too. They own Skiffy and they certainly know how to ruin a good show.

[Myrth]

Here's hoping for a positive season 10 with this dynamic.

[sg-1fanintn]

More likely cold water on our next MTB ride....just a little nudge on his tyre from mine at the appropriate moment. You can swim can't you 1s?

go up town for me butties:-

Tear myself away from the current financial conudrum, go downstairs and clock out, walk briskly up to the high street - 3 mins, head for "Greggs" Get sidetracked into WHSmiths and read latest sci fi mags. Restrain myself from snarling and ripping up yet another Rob Cooper article where he salivates profusley over Claudia Black and mentions all the main cast apart from Amanda. Leave WHSmiths in a miff. Go to Greggs and get my usual tuna and salad sandwhich (buttie). Walk back to the office forgetting to post letters in letter box along the way.

Well you did ask!!!


Many thanks for the instructions on cookie cleaning!!!

Translation complete! Now it makes perfect sense! And it also made me laugh (especially the RC part!!!)!

[sg-1fanintn]

I agree with Kat, Coley, CG, Sky et al and see the same thing happening too. All I need to know is if we're right or not and I can clear up my Friday viewing habits pretty quickly.

I am so frustrated and angry by what I sense is happening to both Amanda and Sam that I'm refraining from posting here lest I go from Royal Pain in the Mik'ta to Royal Whiner Extraordinaire...

So instead let's come up with some designs, sayings, etc. that would look great on t-shirts, mugs and so forth. We can even make it a little contest if we'd like and the winners get...well, something. Maybe an autographed picture? A DVD? A keychain?!???? I don't know. Something though.

So let's come up with some concepts. I first would like to suggest mini's Sam Carter picture...although I'd like to see it in another color than brown. Blue perhaps? And I can tell there's more detail in the clothing too. Maybe she can do several different pictures with that same style! That'd be cool.

And a little twist...what if it had a positive/negative affect, like sliced down the middle? What do you think minigeek?

I wonder how much leeway we have with copyrighted images too. Since this is not for profit and since it's just for us, maybe we have more wiggle room with this regard. I'd love to see some of our banners as bumper stickers for instance...

And maybe we can send some of our completely original designs to RCC as a little reminder as to what he has because clearly he's forgotten the fact that SG-1 needs to have strong, competent leading women on his show that are based on things other than their sexuality. Whoops...there's that negativity again...

So much eloquence on this thread tonight--Über, Coley, ChopinGal, Skydiver, Nearly Circular, ann_sgcfan! I don't see that I can really add a lot to what's already been said. However, I will add that it's hard not to be negative when you've been put through as much as we have these past few months. TPTB say they tied up loose ends, and according to LOL4JACK on the S/J Ship Thread, the director commentaries on the DVDs include strong indications that our fave pair are together in canon. So, with that being said:

1. Why not one honest-to-goodness, our timeline, our Sam and Jack kiss?
2. Why not tell us where Jack went?
3. Why not respect the people and characters who made the show a success for so long? It would make the new characters more palatable.
3. Why act like BB and CB are the second coming? Too much hype is suspicious, and from my view, it has proven to be overkill.

RDA left, but SG-1 wasn't broken. They've acted like they had something to fix! I just don't want to see AT suffer in the process. If they can't respect her, then I have a one-word recommendation: Hollywood.

I don't mean to be negative, but sheesh! They haven't given us a very smooth transition! Instead, they've just found new ways to drive us crazy. It is very hard not to be negative in that type of situation.

TPTB must be amnesic if they take up Vala and Cam as the significant lead in the show. Forgive me if I'm wrong but BB and CB Were a pair and the main characters in Farscape - and didn't that show get cancelled???

Gee, Coley, haven't you ever heard of "deja vu all over again?" No? Apparently TPTB haven't either.....be it at Bridge or Skiffy.

[Lexa Jayde]

Sam is a great character... i think ther was an unsettling time for the entire production, rick leaving, amandas baby, ben and claudia coming on... so they have to get back into the swing of things

[sg-1fanintn]

ChopinGal wrote

Why are some women happy with the overt sexualization of Vala and the non-leadership of Sam? What message does that send to girls?

I'm not aware of the ages of those who post here, but as someone who's been around the days of bra-burning, ERA, and the RvW Supreme Court decision, I am truly amazed and dumbfounded by this.

To me it's a de-evoultion of what women 40+ and 50+ struggled for the respect of thier peers, family and friends, only to be told that no matter what you lose. Watching Sam having to, in effect, tutor a fellow officer the ways and means of gate travel, and never really given the credit. It's hard. Also it's reaffermation of the Glass Ceiling module for all women.

A little aside, my son who's in the 18-24 demo. age stopped watching this year. Not because of Vala, but because of Sam's not the leader. Another loyal 8 year viewer gone.


As to Vala, if you look at MTV, Fuse, and VH1, Skiffy wants the male demographic that watches these music channels. But the one thing they forget is that women watch Stargate and SGA, looking for strong independent female characters that they can relate to. Vala as she is right now isn't for me.

I only hope that girls look at this season as for what it is and move foward.

Sorry I took so long.

Very interesting post. The women on this thread range in age from about 16 up to over 60. At 50, I'm in the upper end, I guess, and I too remember all the revolutionary events you listed. On this thread, the women of all ages seem very aware, and I think most appreciate what it took to get them the options they have today. However, I don't think this is true of society as a whole. I believe that once something is mostly achieved (but with American women still making only about 75 cents for every dollar earned by an American man, the gender battle still isn't won), people begin to forget the struggle it took to get "there." I remember being told in junior high that trumpet "wasn't a girl's instrument," and being steered to the clarinet instead. That seems silly now, but people still draw conclusions about what are appropriate and inappropriate roles for women in society. As a gender, we have come so far. But some people who don't remember what it was like before don't appreciate what they have now.

That's one of the main reasons I was first drawn to the character of Samantha Carter. She represented, for me, what American women have been through in the past three decades. She was obviously capable, but even had to stand up for her gender in her job interview at the SGC! However, her determination, intelligence and sheer refusal to shrink away won her the job she was seeking.....and it didn't take long after that for her to earn the respect of her peers. The original SG-1 view Sam as an equal. And they all know she's the one with the intellect to figure out the tough problems they face. Jack knows she's the smartest one--he has called her "a national treasure." And in Divide & Conquer, he was willing to risk his life so that she might live. He sees himself as just another soldier, but he sees her as something much more rare.

In my mind, Samantha Carter is one of the most important characters ever created in American television--intelligent, strong, capable, beautiful inside and out, brave, caring, insightful. She's the whole package, and, despite her social shyness (Hey, no one's perfect), she is the personification of everything my generation of women wants to be. I know the younger women on this thread want the same thing. As for the men on this thread--heck! You are among the enlightened (just like my hubby).

Some people just aren't as AWARE as others, and I'm sure fandom includes many who just like to see shooting and explosions. SG-1 has always been the wrong show for them.....but now, TPTB, because of whatever reason, seems to be creeping their way. TV has been called a vast wasteland because it often fails to challenge, and because it programs to the lowest common denominator. Let's hope TPTB see the error of their ways and back away from the lower rungs of programming before it is too late.

Gee! Didn't mean for this to be an essay! But you all inspired me!

[sg-1fanintn]

When the execs and suits start telling the creative types what to do to the detriment of the franchise and the logic of the show, the creative types should tell the execs and suits to shove it where the sun doesn't shine and close shop.

When is it no longer worth it to continue a show if you can't do what you know you need to do to be a quality show?

See, there's never any concern about women being brave enough to assert themselves here!

[pittsburghgirl]

what i find very odd is that i made the comment on the spoilergate group on yahoo about Sam being turned into the scifi bimbo-and nobody appeared to understand what i was complaining about. i got the "she blew up a sun comment" and so?-that was in season 5 and what have we received lately? Jack second guessing her in Gemini-did he really have to tell Teal'c to make sure he took care of things-just in case-like Sam wouldn't do what she needed to do-when has she never?
With all things being equal Sam ought to be in charge of SG-1 and Mitchell should be her 2nd. But all things aren't equal-because tptb refuse to put a mere woman in charge of anything. Kind of reminds me of Sam's comment in Hathor-about when have they seen another woman assigned to the SGC.

okay-my rant is now over.