Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[Coley]

I won't be surprising anyone when I say I won't be watching season 10. I may watch an ep if it is dedicated to Carter - but that is because I like her character so much.

The show which I love has been dismantled and the show they are creating - well they're 10 a penny. SG1 was a little different being mainly about a small team looking out for each other - and yes a fantastic female character in the cast.

I may start watching Atlantis. I dislike the Vala character for all the reasons stated and think in principal I can't watch. As long as people keep watching they will carry on serving women up like this.

I'm mainly dispointed for Amanda who has worked too hard on the show to be treated like this. Some may say that this is what the business is like, but it is only like this as long as the people within it behave that way.

Now I'm wondering whether to watch the rest of season 9 - the last 2 eps will be dedicated to establishing Vala as a regular character - so I won't be watching those.

Bitter and Indignant of Preston!!!

As I have said before this is no reflection on CB - I just wish they had made a better role for her.

[sg-1fanintn]

Fly-by post:

If you haven't seen the news yet, here are links to two articles. It appears our worst fears have been realized.

Claudia Black Joins SG-1 Cast:
http://www.gateworld.net/news/2005/1...sg-1icas.shtml

SG-1 Cast Signs Contracts
http://www.gateworld.net/news/2005/1...nonforne.shtml

Althought I am doubtful given the current trend we've seen the past few months, this may not be all negative. I'm mulling it over. Back after work!

[minigeek]

Good for Claudia Black! I think she'll be an excellent addition to the cast.

...

And I guess that was pretty inevitable, right?

ON EDIT: And I stand firm behind the belief that radical Sam/AT fans should NOT blame CB for the stuff that's going on. I like Black. I only hope that together, she and Tapping can have some pull in the long run.

Well said. And very true.

[tara3583]

After reading the news that CB will indeed be joining SG1 cast my first thoughts were, so Sam gets pushed aside like last years favourite toy and Vala takes Sam's place on the team, looks like i'm heading over to Atlantis only next year!
But the more i think about it the more i want to see Amanda and CB working together as they both have a very strong screan presence, but what tptb really need to do is tone down Vala alot and make Sam's story in what they plan for her interesting.
I guess the ratings next year will speak for themself and if Amanda is happy then i am also.
Just a little question about the actors contracts if i'm allowed to ask this, does anyone know if tptb put in the contracts wether the actor would be in the main cast credits or just as say Teryl was placed in her cast credits?
Just wondering thats all

[minigeek]

Fly-by post:

If you haven't seen the news yet, here are links to two articles. It appears our worst fears have been realized.

Claudia Black Joins SG-1 Cast:
http://www.gateworld.net/news/2005/1...sg-1icas.shtml

SG-1 Cast Signs Contracts
http://www.gateworld.net/news/2005/1...nonforne.shtml

The news there says that AT has signed back on as a regular and that CB has done so as well. That wasn't my worst fear for SG-1. Frankly, that's not necessarily bad news at all.

I'm not a big fan of Vala as a character right now; I'm hoping they tone her down a bit (but apparently even Michael Shanks is hoping that, so maybe there is hope there). Beyond that, the news seems good.

She's a regular who's probably doing only 10 episodes (or so).

I missed that part. Ten episodes? For sure? Or is that just a guess? If it's just a guess then with respect, you might consider rewording, lest it be lifted from here to start more "broken-telephone" type gossip that could end up headlining a host of other forums who knows where.

Also, keep in mind that Amanda did only 15 episodes this season and we're all still here, right? World didn't end. And that's not counting the episodes she did appear in where she was (as AD so eloquently put it) "wallpaper" during the episode rathter than playing a significant role. Even if she does 15 more next season, and 5 on Atlantis, it might not be an entirely terrible thing. Perhaps she'll have a lot more to do as a character in the front lines by trading back and forth. I still think it's possible the story itself could end up crossing into Atlantis/Ancient-land due to the Ori threat against the Ancients. They probably need technology at the very least. So if we have some of those neat SG-1-into-Atlantis type arcs (similar to what CSI does sometimes, crossing over cities/cast members to find a serial killer?), it might even be cool. Potential is there, at least. Lets not slaughter all our chickens before they're hatched, hey?

mini

[Strix varia]

Vala full time is the kiss of death for Carter.

If SG-1 lives past next season, anyone want to take bets on the likelihood of AT being a part of it? I wouldn't...

[minigeek]

Vala full time is the kiss of death for Carter.

If SG-1 lives past next season, anyone want to take bets on the likelihood of AT being a part of it? I wouldn't...

Ok, I'm really sorry but I have to disagree. By no means am I a fan of the Vala character (as you all know). But I don't think Vala is the kiss of death for Carter either.

I think Vala was too over the top for ALL the actors this season. Even her "beloved" Daniel. One snarky thing I read from that MS convention talk was that Vala needed to be toned down because she never gave ANY of them a chance to talk. So if she's not toned down, he'll complain (even if Amanda is too nice to say anything, because - MS isn't ). Apart from that, both actresses have their own sparkle. If Vala is the kiss of death for Carter, it'd mean that essentially any other female regular cast member would be, and I don't buy that.

They'll use Vala as the sex-icon (which they already have been), there's no question of that, but I don't think that means Carter would be thrown out, unless she was previously nothing more than a sex-icon, Vala can't take her place. She's no scientist. She knows nothing about the Stargates, she can't solve problems the way Sam can, etc etc. Vala's nothing more than "another girl" in the cast.

The only thing that could possibly spell the kiss of death for Carter would be if some narrow-minded idiot Sony executive decided she wasn't young enough or "hot" enough to be there, and that would happen with or without Vala. Because moron TV executives think like that regardless of who enters the cast. So I can't agree with the correlation.

[Strix varia]

The only thing that could possibly spell the kiss of death for Carter would be if some narrow-minded idiot Sony executive decided she wasn't young enough or "hot" enough to be there <snip>

And that is EXACTLY what is happening, IMO. Sorry mg, but I think the handwriting is on the wall. They're going after a different audience (Farscape, younger demographic, whatever it is, it's clear to me that Sam doesn't fit the bill). Time will tell, but my optimism about the future of the show is at an all-time low. Hate to be a downer, but...

[Strix varia]

But hey, mingeek, it sounds like you're willing to take me up on the bet. So, how about this... if there's a season 11, and Sam/AT is a full-time character, I'll send you an autographed copy of one of my stories published in Sword & Sorceress (the anthologies edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley). If she's not, you'll send me one of your AT/Sam sketches...

Deal?

[minigeek]

And that is EXACTLY what is happening, IMO. Sorry mg, but I think the handwriting is on the wall. They're going after a different audience (Farscape, younger demographic, whatever it is, it's clear to me that Sam doesn't fit the bill). Time will tell, but my optimism about the future of the show is at an all-time low. Hate to be a downer, but...

If that is indeed the case, then those executives have already made that decision and it isn't Vala as a character that's the kiss of death for Carter, it's their idiocy. Which would have come into play even if there was no Vala. In my personal opinion, CB doesn't even look younger than AT (I know she is younger, she just doesn't look it, to me). If they Farscape Stargate, the show will die of its own accord. I think I understand what you're saying a little better now in that the Vala character (as a regular) may be a portend of "things to come"; rather than that the character itself is directly responsible for the imminent loss of Carter. Am I off base in that assumption?

[minigeek]

But hey, mingeek, it sounds like you're willing to take me up on the bet. So, how about this... if there's a season 11, and Sam/AT is a full-time character, I'll send you an autographed copy of one of my stories published in Sword & Sorceress (the anthologies edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley). If she's not, you'll send me one of your AT/Sam sketches...

Deal?

DEAL.

See, I'm banking on the fact that network executives are essentially shallow and mindless. They've made all these vapid declarations after seeing CB in tight leather and chains while simultaneously knowing that AT had just delivered a baby. Now it'll be the other way around. I'm betting the moment they see CB as a human female (mother) as well, both she and AT might end up comiserating together in the lunch lineup at whomever they bring in to replace VALA MAL DORAN. (ahem)

(unless of course they then decide to dress Carter in leather and chains ...... in which case..... AD will be very happy.... )

[minigeek]

Hey, couple'a fairly recent photos of AT and CB (who is apparently 7 years younger (?!)). Amanda does not look older!



Eh ?!!

(and what's with the idea of replacing the blonde with a brunette? C'mon, that goes against every stereotypical male cliche I know of. )

[Daivy]

I'm glad Amanda signed her new contract. When I first saw Vala and Sam together I thought: hey, this could be fun, those 2 together.Brad Wright's also an exellent, exellent writer! For the Sam character I think it's an honour that she's in Atlantis 2, whenever that is. I think the Wraith should start to fear us, Tau'ri and their allies, cause we just launched our secret weapon: Sam. And she can kick butt! Military and scientificly wise. I hope McKay keeps his sometimes, idiot sayings of Sam for himself, like, Sam was a dumb blond, and very sexy? Yeah the second part is so true, also for Amanda. But the first? If it wasn't for Sam and SG-1 he'd be sittin' right there with a snack in his head, instead a snack in a special there for designed aquarium (little changed sayin' here, cause I actually like McKay, only not certain things about Sam that look her like a dumb blond). So not true. Sam's blond yeah, but by her smartness and genious is an example for the general society, and Amanda with her hard work and studying lines methods (like what was it, making scheme's of the scientific things Sam had to say, or look up things about the scientific part of the show) is an example of a hard workin' CUTE n BEAUTIFUL Angel, that loves her job and loves her live. Oh yeah she's for me also the Patron Saint of Fun, Love and Hapiness.

I hereby nomibate, Amanda Tapping, to greatest Canadian

We have an election for Greatest Belgian, for Canada I nominate Amanda for it, in the Top 10 here in Belgium, no single woman is in it.

[Strix varia]

If that is indeed the case, then those executives have already made that decision and it isn't Vala as a character that's the kiss of death for Carter, it's their idiocy. Which would have come into play even if there was no Vala. In my personal opinion, CB doesn't even look younger than AT (I know she is younger, she just doesn't look it, to me). If they Farscape Stargate, the show will die of its own accord. I think I understand what you're saying a little better now in that the Vala character (as a regular) may be a portend of "things to come"; rather than that the character itself is directly responsible for the imminent loss of Carter. Am I off base in that assumption?

No, you're not off base at all. But I do think that Vala turning out to be so popular has played a part in Sam's expendability.

We have a bet, then. Excellent.

[Strix varia]

Eh ?!!

(and what's with the idea of replacing the blonde with a brunette? C'mon, that goes against every stereotypical male cliche I know of. )

It has everything to do with Claudia's plunging decolletage.

On edit: Actually, I don't think it has much to do with the actresses themselves, both of whom are very beautiful. I think it has a lot to do with the characters they portray.