Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[ShimmeringStar]

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!

At soon to be 40, that puts me at Sam and AT’s age, give or take a year. We were children in the ‘70’s and entering adulthood in the ‘80’s. I see my age group as a transition generation. We’d benefited greatly from earlier movements (suffragettes/voting, the proving of equal intellectual and physical capabilities during WWII, the civil and reproductive rights movements, etc.). We were being encouraged in greater numbers to go to college and to achieve professional success in fields that mattered to us (not just those that had been stereotypically ‘female’). I say transition because there still weren’t a lot of opportunities out there to exercise, practice, and test the boundaries of these new options. It was heartening as I left high school and went through college to see opportunities on a larger, societal scale open up and the attitudes of many (male and female) change toward women and their function/place in society.

I have to agree with you about many young women (and men) not appreciating the current openness of society and society’s general acceptance of women in a wide range of roles. The freedoms and opportunities accorded to most of us are taken too lightly and very much for granted, as if they’re a God-given right. At least they are until major life-altering events (like hurricanes, earthqueakes, civil unrest, 9/11, etc.) occur to remind us that these freedoms and ideals aren’t set in stone forever, but are instead carried in our hearts and minds and that it takes all of us as individuals coming together… listening, learning, compromising, and teaching it to the next generation to keep these freedoms of choice available; an endless cycle, but a worthy task.

RE: the bolded part – Amen! And those traits are ones I admire and consider desirable in either sex in RL and in fictional characters. And it just wasn’t that Sam was some extraordinary token of femaleness - what she did was normal and it was acceptable for her to be an integral, valued, and respected member of their premiere team.

And for whatever reasons we all come to fandom, I appreciated that the viewers were exposed to a female roletype that was strong and intelligent but who could still kick-butt and be sexy to boot. It further subliminally reinforces the ideal and the reality of women like Sam.

[ann_sgcfan]

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.

(snip)

RE: the bolded part – Amen! And those traits are ones I admire and consider desirable in either sex in RL and in fictional characters. And it just wasn’t that Sam was some extraordinary token of femaleness - what she did was normal and it was acceptable for her to be an integral, valued, and respected member of their premiere team.

And for whatever reasons we all come to fandom, I appreciated that the viewers were exposed to a female roletype that was strong and intelligent but who could still kick-butt and be sexy to boot. It further subliminally reinforces the ideal and the reality of women like Sam.

You both make excellent points. In a world where both TV and internet are viewed and surfed as a means of entertainment and passing of time, I think it’s important that positive role models and meaningful discussions are mixed in with the laughter and silliness. As a woman working in a male dominated field I think Sam is a great leader and has all the qualities you mentioned above. She is a great role model. I completely agree with you!

[the dancer of spaz]

Is Amanda too nice??

I've been pondering over this question for days now trying to figure out what is going on at Stargate and why Sam/AT seem to always be at the center of controversy.

I keep hearing how Daniel or Jack are the heart of the show and that they are the reasons for people to come back. I hear people shout and scream how much they detest the character of Sam and recently people have been actively posting vile comments regarding Amanda as well. However, one thing I have noticed with much of the controversy is that much of it always seems to revolve around Sam.

Will Sam and Jack ever get together?
Will Sam dump Pete?
Who will lead SG-1? Mitchell or Sam?
Who will be the leading lady on SG-1 come season 10? Sam or Vala?

When was the last time you really heard any controversy regarding any of the other characters?

Sure people post questions and comments regarding their favorite characters, but television has been a medium where controversy and cliff-hangers draw people's attention. It's what keeps people talking during the down time and draws them back in. There are always two sides, those people who enjoy what they are seeing and those who don't and it's that difference in opinions that keeps things interesting and alive. And for Stargate that seems to involve Sam a great deal of the time.

For the past four years, the writers have written Sam to create havoc among the fans and much of what is written has been against Amanda's personal opinion. She has vocally expressed her concerns about particular storylines and the ways the writers have written Sam and yet TPTB choose to do it anyway.

And yet from what I have seen on the DVD's and read in interviews, Amanda is a favorite among the directors and guests.

She is always on her mark, normally capable of filming a scene (even a complicated one ) in one or two takes. She is always paying attention to what's going on in a scene,even when the camera isn't on her, so that the director's know they can rely on her for cut-away scenes. She's capable of memorizing ungodly amounts of boring technobabble dialogue and goes out of her way to make sure she somewhat understands what she's saying. And from what I have read from many of the guest stars, they seem to truly enjoy working with her as she she goes out of her way to make them all feel welcomed.

So why does so much of the controvery seem to revolve around Sam/AT? My guess is that Amanda is just too damn nice. The writers/directors know that whatever they ask Amanda to do she will do graciously. She may not like it and she may question their decision, but in the end Amanda will be someone they can count on to get the job done. I truly believe this is one of the reasons they are looking at pushing Sam into a cross-over position. I believe that they are feeling heat from higher up to bring Vala on full time and they took advantage of the fact that they could always rely on Amanda regardless of what they did with the character of Sam.

For years she has had to put up with repeated questions regarding Sam and Jack be it from fans or magazines. Yet you rarely read about anyone asking RDA this sort of question. Why is that? The Sam and Jack issue involved two people, so why is it that Amanda is always the one to be asked? Did RDA just refuse to answer such questions regarding his character? Or were interviewers just too afraid to bring it up? And now she has the whole leadership issue with Mitchell to contend with as well as wondering if she's being pushed aside for a new character.

People may dislike, even hate, what the writers have done to Sam over the past few years and some may feel as if Sam has taken the limelight from other characters, but Amanda has nothing to do with this. She is merely a pawn being used by the those in command. I can not believe that people are being so hateful to the actress simply because they do not like what the writers have done with her character. They say that Sam is a horrible character and that Amanda is a poor actress and yet if this is the case why do the writers continuously put Sam into a position where Sam and AT are taking the heat for most of the controversy regarding the show?

Perhaps it's because they have always known they could rely on Amanda no matter what they ask of her and maybe she's just too damn nice.

I know I'm waaaay behind in all of this (or maybe not ), but I just wanted to say that you brought up some great points, Kat! I couldn't green you, but this post needs some consistent repeating, because it looks like "being nice" is EXACTLY the reason behind AT's treatment.

How disturbing.

[KatG]

http://scifibrain.ign.com/index.php?...k=view&id=1311

Whats interesting about this artical. Is you look at the #1 person on the list. Note that the show cut her lose for the final year, and note how the final year was not nearly as good as the previous years..... sounds kinda familiar.

You're right. That is interesting. When are tptb gonna get it in their heads that when you have a good formula you don't mess with it?

[chocdoc]

First off, here's a link to a nice article. Scroll down to see the writers #2 top scifi female.

http://scifibrain.ign.com/index.php?...k=view&id=1311

Secondly, I too liked Grace. I've always believed that Sam loves O'Neill, but I saw Grace and the events afterward as Sam trying to make sure that those feelings were real.

In her mind, and as we see from her conversation with Jack on the ship, maybe she was just holding onto the idea, because it was safe. As long as she used her feelings for Jack as a crutch, she didn't really have to take a chance at having a relationship, a family, etc. And while I don't think that she was conciously using Pete, I think he helped her see what was really important to her, and that she shouldn't settle just to have a family and a relationship.

So like some others have said, while some of the stories may have been handled badly, overall I think the journey made Sam more sure of herself and her feelings and that made her a stronger person.

Thanks for the link, KatG! A great read. I also agree that what Sam went through in seasons 7 and 8 made her a stronger person. And I really like Grace--I didn't interpret her words with Jacob or Jack as meaning that she has to have a man in her life. I interpreted them as she was too scared to love--and then she got over that, which I think is a good thing. And I keep remembering that she was, after all, very close to the possibility of dying all alone in space, and she was injured. I think when you are close to death, you have ALOT of thoughts about your life! I don't mean in a bad way, but more in a reflective way.

Just saw this blog message at Solutions regarding MS, Sony, and actors' contracts. Interesting. Seems like none of the actors have has much bargaining power as they once had, from Sony's point of view.

http://stargate-sg1-solutions.com/blog/?p=413

I have noticed more positive Sam threads at Sony forum -- and I'm beginning to think more and more that that is a good thing.

Glad you are back on Coley! Gee I came on to the thread and the activity and great posts are fabulous!! Thanks, Samandans!

[the dancer of spaz]

As ChopinGal and Coley will attest, I've been struggling with how to deal with this message for several days. I have bad news, but I had to work through an ethical dilemma before sharing it with you. When the three of us reached a concensus on what constituted good judgment in this situation, we decided I should move forward.

Last week, I got this e-mail from Atteria's husband.

I'm sorry I haven't answered you sooner, but I've been unable too. Nikki is no longer with us. I'm sorry to have to bring you such bad news, but she did fight, right until the end.

Please thank everyone in Samanda for their prayers and best wishes. She loved you all.

Take care and please, don't announce this in the site. I don't think she would have wanted anything like this to mar the good feelings on the thread.

John

As you see, John asked me to let you know how much your prayers and good wishes were appreciated, but didn't want the news announced on the thread, because of the chance it would mar the good feelings here. I didn't know how to tell you one thing without telling you the other. But once ChopinGal, Coley and I realized that John's concern was for us, and not for his privacy, we agreed that knowing you as we do, we should use the thread.

I don't have John's address or any other details on what ailment claimed Nikki's life. I don't even know for sure exactly when she died, but I received his e-mail on November 2nd. I propose that today, as we discuss Sam and AT and enjoy the fellowship that is Samanda, that we also remember our friend Atteria, and the fun she brought to our little family.

I find it very strange to be mourning someone I never met in person, but I am. That's the nature of our internet friendships, I guess. Although some of us will meet in person, others never will. But many of us have become friends, nonetheless. And I know we will share a collective sorrow in this loss. Let's also celebrate the fun Nikki brought us, and remember her as the cheerful, caring and brave citizen of Samanda that she was.

That's my final post for tonight. I will rejoin you later in the day. Love to all.

Just wanted to thank you guys for letting us know this information. Honestly, I guess I always thought that Atteria would be back on the boards eventually. I didn't know the nature of her illness, but I just figured it would be a matter of time before she joined us again.

Thanks for being the ones to remain in contact with her husband, and, if you get the opportunity, please let him know that his family is in our prayers.

[the dancer of spaz]

In regard to Vala being more fun---yes, certainly that would make her more appealing for some. But just because Vala is more fun doesn't mean there isn't room for, dare I say it, TWO female characters on the show. There are FOUR main male leads, for goodness sake. Why in the world does there have to be competition for simply having TWO female leads! That is where the gender bias is coming to play. It is ridiculous that there is even this competition in the first place---whereas the male leads go merrily along. that is what upsets me. And this hurts CB too, because many fans will resent her character if AT is sidelined. The actresses have to pay---the actors don't even have to deal with it.

Exactly! I bolded this because... well, it needed to be bolded.

Grr... If this whole issue isn't a "gender thing" then someone PLEASE tell me what it is, because I'm very confused.

[KatG]

And I keep remembering that she was, after all, very close to the possibility of dying all alone in space, and she was injured. I think when you are close to death, you have ALOT of thoughts about your life! I don't mean in a bad way, but more in a reflective way.

Exactly. I think it was only natural. A wake up call if you will, to make sure that she was living her life the way she really wanted to. If that lead to deciding she didn't need a man or children and was content with her work and friendships, then that would have been great. If it went the other way, which it seems to have, then that's great too. In the long run, the important thing was that Sam be happy with whatever she chose.

Just saw this blog message at Solutions regarding MS, Sony, and actors' contracts. Interesting. Seems like none of the actors have has much bargaining power as they once had, from Sony's point of view.

http://stargate-sg1-solutions.com/blog/?p=413

Wow. That is an interesting article. So if no one character is that important, if MS doesn't get what he wants and decides not to sign, it may just bring to light how much support Vala really has, as someone here mentioned earlier. It should be interesting.

[KatG]

But if I do say so myself, we do a damn fine job in this therad of giving plausible reasons for character actions and story arcs and making their writing seem darn good as a result!

Well somebody has to do it. Might as well be Samandans.

[AGateFan]

Exactly. I think it was only natural. A wake up call if you will, to make sure that she was living her life the way she really wanted to. If that lead to deciding she didn't need a man or children and was content with her work and friendships, then that would have been great. If it went the other way, which it seems to have, then that's great too. In the long run, the important thing was that Sam be happy with whatever she chose.



Wow. That is an interesting article. So if no one character is that important, if MS doesn't get what he wants and decides not to sign, it may just bring to light how much support Vala really has, as someone here mentioned earlier. It should be interesting.

Get rid of Danny and they have an excuse for some "fun" Vala\Cam ship. For that matter, what do they need Teal'c for, he just takes up space and is the iptome of no fun (at least as non-stargate fans are concerned).

Again, If ANY of the main characters go, I am also gone. I know that some of you arent the best of Danny fans but I love them ALL.

[KatG]

Get rid of Danny and they have an excuse for some "fun" Vala\Cam ship. For that matter, what do they need Teal'c for, he just takes up space and is the iptome of no fun (at least as non-stargate fans are concerned).

Again, If ANY of the main characters go, I am also gone. I know that some of you arent the best of Danny fans but I love them ALL.

I pretty much agree. I want to watch SG-1 with Sam, Daniel, Teal'c and whoever. Not Fargate or Starscape.

[Skydiver]

I pretty much agree. I want to watch SG-1 with Sam, Daniel, Teal'c and whoever. Not Fargate or Starscape.

same here.

i'm greedy. i like it when they're friends, not just people wearing the same patch

[chocdoc]

Wow. That is an interesting article. So if no one character is that important, if MS doesn't get what he wants and decides not to sign, it may just bring to light how much support Vala really has, as someone here mentioned earlier. It should be interesting.

To me, if the fan reported MS's words correctly, it shows that Sony indeed has no interest in the actual history and characters of the SG-1!!! It is the TEAM that made the show!! Now the team is Sam, Daniel, Teal'c and Mitchell. The dynamics -- the caring for each other-- has to be there. If Sony thinks that no character is crucial---gee whiz!! They have no idea what made this show work! Of course Daniel, Teal'c and Sam are crucial to the show -- all of them.

And yes, Vala would be dropped like a hot potato if MS didn't sign on by some (and actually I wouldn't blame them). I understand watching for a character--some fans do and that could be for Sam, Daniel, or Jack (honestly it seems less so for Teal'c). Fans who just watched for Jack are gone. I wouldn't blame the fans who watch just for MS to stop watching.

I think the success of the show had been based on the fact that there was something for lots of people (such as Jack/Daniel interaction, Sam/Jack interaction or Sam/Daniel Interaction, and of course Team interaction, and then just watching because of a love for a character within the team dynamic). What would be left if the originals don't come back?

Sony doesn't realize that the success of the show is because of the actors who made these characters come alive, so much so, that we care about them.

[Skydiver]

Sony doesn't realize that the success of the show is because of the actors who made these characters come alive, so much so, that we care about them.

what they care about is cutting the costs for s10 so that they can make as much money as possible while the show lasts

[Agent_Dark]

Haha, this has turned into open day on Sony And that's not a bad thing either, considering some of the other dodgy stuff they've been getting up to lately... (like Sony DRM installing malware on your PC. Someone needs to give Sony a swift kick up the backside. Or a big honking lawsuit)