Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[GaterGina71]

I've had mixed feelings about s9 all together. I hope they put Sam up front where she should be, she is the integral part of the team. They did not use her to the best of her abilities imo.
In s10, bringing Vala in can work in both directions, good or bad. I am not a big Vala fan, but there was something about the last ep she was in (can't for the life of me remember the name of it) that showed the side I'd like to see, which in turn could work well together with Sam's character. I don't think Sam and her would get along well if Vala mantained her previous attitudes, look at how Sam reacts to Mitchell sometimes. How can we expect her and Vala to get along with a situation like that? I don't want to see Sam po'd all the time because of Vala either. Seems like they are trying to replace the seriousness of characters with silliness and banter. I like those bits occasionally, but it won't work if its a common occurance. I'll give it a shot, hopefully won't be disappointed.

[ParadoxRealities]

I've had mixed feelings about s9 all together. I hope they put Sam up front where she should be, she is the integral part of the team. They did not use her to the best of her abilities imo.
In s10, bringing Vala in can work in both directions, good or bad. I am not a big Vala fan, but there was something about the last ep she was in (can't for the life of me remember the name of it) that showed the side I'd like to see, which in turn could work well together with Sam's character. I don't think Sam and her would get along well if Vala mantained her previous attitudes, look at how Sam reacts to Mitchell sometimes. How can we expect her and Vala to get along with a situation like that? I don't want to see Sam po'd all the time because of Vala either. Seems like they are trying to replace the seriousness of characters with silliness and banter. I like those bits occasionally, but it won't work if its a common occurance. I'll give it a shot, hopefully won't be disappointed.

i think the reason it annoys us now is because it was so natural before. AT, RDA, CJ, and MS were so natural together, and so much of their friendship carried over, even in the early seasons. we've been spoiled by grandmas cookies, and now that she's gone, mom's giving us a boatload of oreos.

[Simhavaktra]

But the spoilers could be very misleading. Some episodes could be very Sam focused, but the spoilers are just twisted to promote Vala, you never know.

Unfortunately, when it came to spoilers being misleading with regards to Sam for various eps in season 9, it seemed to me that the spoilers were misleading (with only one exception) by making things sound better - often far better - for Sam than they turned out to be when the ep was broadcast. (That whole business about "Fourth Horseman" being 'Sam-heavy,' springs immediately to mind, along with the idea of "Ripple Effect" being a really cool Sam story.) So, when I hear the idea put forward that spoilers may be misleading, it isn't automatically a positive possibility, for me.

[Coley]

I too am worried about the lack of Sam in season 10 - but to be honest mainly for Amanda.

I really do not like the new show. It just doesn't sit well with me - for a number of reasons. I'm really not interested in the new format and probably won't watch the show unless Sam is actually featured much more than advertised and in the positive way she was in seasons 1 to 6.

I'm just hoping that Amanda is okay with everything that is going down and if she is less than happy - then I really feel for her. Her enigmatic portrayal of Sam Carter - along with the excellent humour from the writers -have given me a great deal of escapist joy. SG1 was a pure joy to watch after a very trying day at the office.

Amanda has given so much of herself to the show and is such a talented actress that the changes that have taken place have upset and amazed me - I'm mainly upset for Amanda as it seems that it is her and her character which has lost out the most - but also for MS and CJ.

Whoever has made these unnecessary changes has neither the heart nor grace that Amanda possesses in spades and they should really be ashamed of themselves - not necessarily because they have made changes, but in the way these changes have been brought in.

I myself hope that when Amanda feels it is time to move on from the show she finds success elsewhere - where her heart lies - perhaps in theatre.

If the general viewing public are as disappointed as I in the direction of the show it won't be carrying on much longer anyway. I think the person in charge has lost the plot.

The title of the show is Stargate SG1 but it isn't focused around the team much anymore and they don't seem to focus on the Stargate much.

On the upside no one can take away Amanda's contribution to the show, her acting ability, her great personality, her huge kindness to her fans and the fact she has delivered one awesome character to the sci fi viewing public. These are the things which really mean something. If season 10 sucks it sucks - I'm just thankful I found seasons 1 to 8 and then this great thread - where have have met some wonderfully kind and generous peeps. I'm sure whatever Amanda does she will continue to have a positive effect on a large number of people in all sorts of ways. She's the only star in my eyes - that's for sure

[jckfan55]

Seems like they are trying to replace the seriousness of characters with silliness and banter. I like those bits occasionally, but it won't work if its a common occurance.

Exactly. and it's not like it's even *clever* banter. Silliness is it. That's not SG1.
Real humor is harder to do than silliness, I guess.
And re: Vala etc. Why did we need "6 leads"? anyway? Didn't they notice how hard it was to give characters time with all the ones they have on Atlantis?
RCC bugs me.
Before I get too much in a funk , I guess I can just keep reminding myself of the Sam moments we did get and AT's professionalism in the face of it all. And of course, past seasons that live on my DVDs.

[Deejay435]

honestly, i don't know enough about this stuff. but those little spots, do they have more to do with the actor's availability or with the character? if it is about the characters, i'll reconsider and do my happy dance. but, if not.

honestly, i haven't seen any signs that TPTB even WANT to change their screen-time ratios. in fact, in the interview:

i HOPE they figured out we'd like more sam (and daniel and teal'c). but from the spoilers and interview, i get the feeling they REALLY want to see sam reacting to vala and REALLY don't care about sam as a character. they mentioned vala almost as much as they mention the ori.
i'd like to see sam/vala scenes, as long as they're done right, and don't take up too much time, but i'd also like to see SAM. honestly, i've missed SAM. good lord, i actually have tears in my eyes. how lame is that?
i used to be all for sam/vala interactions, but the vala-heavy feeling emanating from all directions is starting to turn me off of her all together.
when they said they were going to "wipe the slate clean", i didn't realize they would lose all the character development i've loved for 8 years. i'm tired of seeing sam hurt like this. i'm tired of not seeing sam genius (and AT's, for that matter) at all. ...annnnnd i'm crying again.

I don't think it has anything to do with actor availibility. The spots I'm talking about aren't the interviews. It's the promo/commercial for Monday Theme Night. It appears as if everyone's bits were filmed at once. AT, MS, and CJ are all seated in the same places and wearing the same outfits. (They're the only ones I've seen in the commercials to appear more than once.) But more of AT's are peppered throughout the commercials than anyone else's.

But I am with you-I don't want to see Sam/Vala interaction if that is ALL they're going to use Sam for. If they're going to limit her time because they see Landy and Vala as a "leads" (ridiculous, imo) then I'd rather Sam's limited time be with Teal'c then Daniel. Then Mitchell, as he's her teammate. Frankly, I'd rather see her time spent with Landry, because it makes more sense story-wise than Vala.

One way for them to figure out we want more Sam is for us to tell them. I think we should try to rouse SAm fans into sending letters to tptb and tell them that we want to see more Sam.

[Forestia]

i think the reason it annoys us now is because it was so natural before. AT, RDA, CJ, and MS were so natural together, and so much of their friendship carried over, even in the early seasons. we've been spoiled by grandmas cookies, and now that she's gone, mom's giving us a boatload of oreos.

I like that analogy. There's also a certain bond that people develop when they work together for 8 or so years. I do think the chemistry that they had carried over in the early seasons, but I also think that there is something built up, which can't be brought out in acting, it is just there, and when you've been watching the show for as long as most of us have, you notice it, even if you don't realize that's what you're noticing.

I'm not commenting on what I want to see as far as seas. 10 (other than I want Sam to be in it a lot ) because I'm waiting for it. I didn't read the interview with RCC for fear of too many spoilers (yes I'm really trying to stay spoiler free!). Whatever happens, good or bad, I want to find out as it happens. I can't handle it otherwise I'm trying to stay optimistic about it all however, even if it's difficult at times...

[ReganX]

RCC: It's been a challenge to try and balance the storylines between that many characters. And, of course, the other aspect is the other person is General Landry -- really five leads on the show, and now six. You want to make sure everyone gets their time in the limelight, and I think we've done a pretty good job of that so far.

Is he making a very bad joke or does he actually believe this?

It's a poor lookout for Season Ten in either case.

[ParadoxRealities]

Is he making a very bad joke or does he actually believe this?

It's a poor lookout for Season Ten in either case.

ha. ha.

RCC's been a funny guy lately, eh?

[ReganX]

ha. ha.

RCC's been a funny guy lately, eh?

I'd be prepared to forgive him if the first episode of Season Ten brought us back to Jack's cabin and the end of 'Moebius, Part II' and it turned out that Season Nine really had been a bad joke that went too far.

[Skydiver]

they could be misleading.

however the way they are phrased, if ya ain't watchign it for vala, might as well bugger off and die. Because that's how i feel when i read the spoilers. It's VALA-GATE and anyone who isn't watching it for vala, well they don't count, don't matter and just aren't worth mentioning.

well, if i as a sam fan ain't worth it to them, then are they really worth it to me?

If those handful of vala fans are all they care about, then fine. take them and enjoy trying to pull ratings from that small group.

Sam has been an integral part of the show since day one, as has daniel and teal'c and i find it beyond annoying that all three of them are being basically written out and wall papered because RCC has a love affaire with vala/claudia. (in the not-physical sense)

Shanks is being told that the franchise is bigger than any one actor/character....yet the whole franchise now seems to be vala. screw everyone else but the lying thief because she's fun and witty and fun and silly and fun and fills out a busiter and fun and fun and fun and fun

grrr

the way to keep a show alive is to give it a WIDE appeal. the way they're goinig, they're narrowing the appeal so much that they're turning off 90% of htier audience. They're making the show into a nitch show jsut when they need to be broadening its appeal to draw in MORE viewers, not telling a good chunk of the audience to bugger off.

VAla IN the show is ok, but vala AS the show is silly and just one more step on the road to cancellation

[ParadoxRealities]

They really should have changed the name of the show with season 9. This way less people would be complaining now about the changes to the formula. Not 4 leads, or 3 actually like in season 8, but 5 in season 9 and 6 now. I really hope it works for Amanda and she has no reasons to complain about less screen time for Sam's character. Don't forget btw, that Michael is not present in 4 episodes this season, bigger chance for more Sam in these episodes, don't you think?

i wish they'd changed the name, but i know a good deal of people that simply would not have watched "stargate command".
i hope it AT is ok with the situation as well, and i really wish she'd tell us (though i know why she doesn't), because her opinion on this whole...thing really matters to me.
do we know when is MS going to be gone? is it at the beginning? and in answer to your question: no. i haven't yet found a reason to believe that.
<stares at glass and wills it to be half full> ... <turns glass over so it will be half full> <gets soaked>. i sure there's some amazing symbolism in there somewhere.

[Skydiver]

Is he making a very bad joke or does he actually believe this?

It's a poor lookout for Season Ten in either case.

the sad thing is, i think he believes it.

i remember a con report from vancouver, someone, martin gero i beieve, asked how folks feel aobut the ori, and the audience reaction was decidedly negative....and he was surprised. I think htey honestly and truly believe that they're doing a great and fantastic job and that everyone loves it....and can't/won't consider that they're not doing a great job and everyone doesnt' love it

[ReganX]

Don't forget btw, that Michael is not present in 4 episodes this season, bigger chance for more Sam in these episodes, don't you think?

More Sam would be wonderful, but I'm not going to get my hopes up.

I wonder if Jolinar knew whichever Goa'uld it was lived in Vala.

[jckfan55]

Don't forget btw, that Michael is not present in 4 episodes this season, bigger chance for more Sam in these episodes, don't you think?

But that's too logical --increase Sam, Teal'c and even Cam time while MS is away. I'll believe it when I see it.