Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[tsaxlady]

[ReganX]

Thor becomes distressed because his ship has been boarded and Sam's first reaction is to run and hide. No? You don't remember it that way? GOOD. Because her first reaction was to reach for her P-90 so she could blow away enough bugs to stall for time for Thor. I love that about her...always ready to do what has to be done even if it means putting herself in harm's way.

One of the many things I love about Sam is the way she puts others first instinctively (that's the only reason I can think of for her not to object to losing command) and this was evident very early on; when she went back to fight Turghan rather than allow Nya to die and especially when she went back to stay with Cassie in the bomb shelter.

She couldn't have known beyond the shadow of a doubt that Cassie wasn't going to explode and, even if they lived, it was very possible that she would have found herself in some very hot water with Jack for disobeying orders when they got to the surface but this didn't matter to her as much as it did that Cassie wouldn't be left alone and scared.

It takes an amazing person to be capable of such selflessness.

[Uber]

Here's a neat review of the Season 8 DVDs. I pretty much agree with it all but this one paragraph really stuck out. See if you can figure out why:

One of the most notable aspects of Season 8, for me, was how it showcased Amanda Tapping's acting talents in episodes like "Gemini," "Reckoning," and "Moebius." I've always liked the character of Samantha Carter, but it's a fairly "normal" character that doesn't obviously show off the actor's skills. In Season 8, Carter not only gets to play her regular role, but also appear as the "replicator Carter" and an alternate-reality version of herself, and she does a fantastic job of creating characters who have subtly different personalities than Carter, complete with different reactions, intonations, and body language. Some of the minor threads throughout the episodes also pick up on the unresolved issues in Carter's personal life; fortunately, these are handled effectively so that they never take over the episode, and give a satisfying insight into Carter's character without being overdone and becoming soap opera.

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=19036&__rd=1

I think that for me is one of the reasons why Season 9 felt like such a failure comparatively. Season 8 had me dining on a feast of Amanda!Genius and then enter the dearth of Season 9.

I hope that next year TPTB remember how great she is and how much she adds to the show...and quite frankly, how much the show suffers when they toss her to the background.

I know, I know. Save the whinging for the Whinge!Nut House thread, right? Well let me end on a positive note by saying that Amanda's brilliant characterizations of 3 Carter variants in Season 8 is one of the highlights of the season, if not the series. TPTB would do well to remember that there's a reason she's received so many awards for her work.

[chocdoc]

So... I went and gave the Scifipedia a go...

http://scifipedia.scifi.com/index.ph...nel_Sam_Carter

I think anyone can add to it, so how about everyone chips in? Everyone writes some great stuff for Carter and AT? I got it started with a bunch of links that I thought folks might find useful

Wow, AstroG, that was great!! Thanks for doing that!

[Uber]

So... I went and gave the Scifipedia a go...

http://scifipedia.scifi.com/index.ph...nel_Sam_Carter

I think anyone can add to it, so how about everyone chips in? Everyone writes some great stuff for Carter and AT? I got it started with a bunch of links that I thought folks might find useful

Just use anything I have ever written on this thread because it's all gold...but you all know that already, right? RIGHT?!??

Oh wait...everything ÜberSG-1Fan writes is gold...I'm still a schizophrenic non-entity.

[Tracy Jane]

Just use anything I have ever written on this thread because it's all gold...but you all know that already, right? RIGHT?!??

Oh wait...everything ÜberSG-1Fan writes is gold...I'm still a schizophrenic non-entity.

How did you get the umlaut to work? I tried to post something in French and none of the accents would work for me!!

[chocdoc]

Here's a neat review of the Season 8 DVDs. I pretty much agree with it all but this one paragraph really stuck out. See if you can figure out why:
I think that for me is one of the reasons why Season 9 felt like such a failure comparatively. Season 8 had me dining on a feast of Amanda!Genius and then enter the dearth of Season 9.

I hope that next year TPTB remember how great she is and how much she adds to the show...and quite frankly, how much the show suffers when they toss her to the background.

I know, I know. Save the whinging for the Whinge!Nut House thread, right? Well let me end on a positive note by saying that Amanda's brilliant characterizations of 3 Carter variants in Season 8 is one of the highlights of the season, if not the series. TPTB would do well to remember that there's a reason she's received so many awards for her work.

Ditto. I too really think the show has suffered quite a bit in season 9 because Sam was not highlighted, compared to previous seasons. I keep telling myself that it was a good thing for AT in season 9, though, because she was very tired, as expected. But now, given AT's latest comments, there is no excuse to not have Sam front and center with the other characters. If TPTB don't do this, I believe that they'll continue to face less than stellar ratings in season 10, as in season 9. And if they end up addressing the leadership issue in a way that hurts Sam, this will hurt the show even more. I find it telling that they ARE going to address the issue which means they know it's a problem, but how they do it is the important thing now.

I agree with what this reviewer said about AT and Sam Carter. AT was given a great opportunity to do something different on the show, and she excelled at it (and yes, was honored with awards for her performances). Let's hope she gets to stretch her acting wings in season 10 as well.

[astrogeologist]

ok folks, last chance to vote for hte best sam eps of s4

right now i have 23 votes for 6 eps wiht 7 separating #1 and #2

My vote goes for 2010. Hands down a Sam Carter SciFi episode!

The following is Post 1550... and I hope it's OK with everyone to repost these pics and quotes... it just seems to fit the current topic... and I think it's wonderful to go back and champion Sam's highlights

Season 4 Best Carter Episodes

2010 had some great Sam/Janet moments as well as Sam sacrificing herself for a greater good

"2010" Nice little look into a very scary future, what i liked with this is just seeing that Sam wanted a normal life of husband and child as well as her science side.

Since we're doing some of our favorite moments/scenes, let me add three more of mine from 2010:When Sam goes to Jack's cabin to ask him to help them in their plan to return to the past. AT and RDA did a great job in that scene - his being so snarly and angry at her (for not believing his original warning about the Aschen and for marrying Joe) and how she finally realizes he won't help, and she leaves in a huff. I read somewhere that AT wanted to end the scene by Sam walking out on Jack and not the other way around as it had originally been written. And, then, the bedroom scene with Joe when he confesses that he was aware of the Aschen's plans ... that was powerful ... both actors played that scene very well. Of course, the funny scene at the SGC "and we're walking" - her and Daniel's looks were so right on as they followed the tour guide into the Gate (er, "embarkation") room.

.Have been thinking about my season 4 choices for Best Carter episodes, and I was going through the episode 2010... and found myself enjoying it so much... here's an episode that includes a look at the private life (and softer side) of Sam Carter, and yet keeps her in the thick of things with regards to the main scifi plotline of the story. Sam gets to make the 'final heroic act' as she dies throwing the note through the 'Gate. In many episodes, such final scenes would go to O'Neill. In this episode, he doesn't quite make it - and Sam gets to finish the job.

There were actually so many well-written and well-filmed scenes
Sam and Joe - when they discuss their inability to conceive and then the Aschen plot and Joe's knowledge... and then his help with what they are planning
Sam and Janet - when they discuss their 'obselescence' by Aschen science, and then later when Janet tells Sam that her ovaries are damaged and that she'll never be able to have a child
Sam and Daniel - in the "Embarkation Room"... those glasses and Daniel's hat... 'and now we're walking'... 'not her favorite team'...! LOL!
Sam and Jack - where Jack was written as his cranky, sarcastic self... and yet, they allowed some of his heart to show through
The ending scene - where they are all involved - it's a team effort to pull it off

.
For Season 4's episode 2010


Sam and Joe meet for lunch. Sam tells him that she's not pregnant -again.


Sam and Janet after the award ceremony. Janet encourages Sam to come to Janet's office in Washington so that Janet can check into why Sam and Joe are having difficulty having a child.

2010 : I loved this episode. I know it's a really tragic one but I truly thought AT did a fantasic job in this episode. The scenes between Sam and Janet were wonderfully done and I honestly felt Sam's pain and betrayal when she found she couldn't have any children.

Janet has to tell Sam that Sam can't have children - ever.

The scene in Janet's office after being told she could never have children was so very heartbreaking to watch and really moved me to tears that for the first time in my life i found myself writing to Amanda.

Sam and Janet check the Aschen database for information on why the Aschen lied and told Sam that she was OK and that she and Joe just had to 'keep trying'.


Sam visits Jack to enlist his assistance. He basically says 'I told you so, and now you're going to have to live with the consequences.' And... they did a great job of making O'Neill look scruffy!

Daniel and Sam join an SGC tour group - gotta love those glasses, and Daniel's hat! I loved the little kid, who correctly identified the level they were on as the one where the Gateroom was... but the tour guide says 'No... it was more correctly called the "Embarkation Room"' (complete with finger quotes) - the kid's expression is great - and so are the expressions on AT and MS's faces!

GUIDE: All righty everyone, everyone please step all the way out, we've arrived at level 28. Can anyone guess at what special room is on this floor?
KID: The Gate room?
GUIDE: That's very, very close... Anyone else?
DANIEL: He's right. It's the Gate room
GUIDE: What I'm sure many of you don't know is that officially it was known as the (making quotes) "embarkation " room because, that's where the SG teams (making quotes) "embarked" from. Okay, now we're walking... This way.
Click here for NC's audio clip

And then it gets better, when the group is lead to a large display photo of SG-1... and the tour guide says that SG-1 wasn't *her* favorite SG team! Again, AT and MS had great expressions! "And we're walking..."

The Guide stops at a photo of SG-1.
GUIDE: And these people comprise the famous SG-1, arguably the most important -- although not my personal favourite team of the entire command.
Daniel and Carter exchange a look...
GUIDE: And we're walking...
Click here for NC's audio clip


Sam talks with Joe - and finds out that he knew about some of what the Aschen were doing. Joe realizes that he was duped.


Predicting solar flares. Smart techo-Sam.
Daniel has a great line: Um... the sun is beeping...


Teal'c dials the 'gate and Jack and Daniel try to get the note through.


Sam runs through the Aschen electrical bolts, despite Joe's shouts for her to stop.

2010 sam, saving the world one more time...and paying the ultimate price to stop the aschen

Sam gets the note through as she dies and joins the rest of SG-1.
.

Post 1510

And after reading that quote, what I loved was that RDA allowed the scene to be done following AT's suggestions.

This was great. One thing I would add. I heard in an interview that Anderson is unlike other "stars" in that he doesn't insist that all the heroic scenes go to him. Yay, RDA.

yeha, he's a very supportive lead actor from all i've heard

RDA already had already gotten to say "I told you so, and *I* like things the way they are - even if you can't have kids and humankind is going to die out! Go get your husband to help you!" (he basically told her to stick it). I'm glad that RDA allowed AT to end the scene showing Sam with some backbone - she and the others had made a mistake... a big one... but Sam is usually willing to admit that she doesn't know everything and she can admit her mistakes. Hey - here was another case where they showed Sam 'making a mistake' because she trusted someone... sound like any Season 8 episode? Hmmm...
.
.
Photos are screen caps from the episode '2010'
Transcript excerpts are from the Stargate SG-1 Transcript website

[Skydiver]

i don't think we can say that ALL of hte faults with s9 are a lack of sam. However i do think that a near total lack of focus on the three existing characters in favor of a focus on the 'bright and shiny new toys'....which also are barely accepted, shallow and flawed characters, only exacerbates the issue.

Lack of focus on sam is only one element of a poor season.

unfortunatly, they seem to be continuing down the garden path again for s10 since i have yet to read a spoiler that doesn't start 'vala.....'

Amanda has won all those awards for a reason. she's one hell of an actress playing a fantastic character. and while i know that the new toys need to be focused on, i do think that the focus needs to be more balanced.

right now the show seems to be polarized. it points one way or another, focuses on one small aspect or another...but with such a narrow focus, there's not a lot there to appeal to any but those that like that narrow focus.

It's a shame that tptb are ignoreing the diamond they have in their own back yard in favor of continually turning thier attention to the newly acquired, used toys they picked up from the thrift shop

[Uber]

i don't think we can say that ALL of hte faults with s9 are a lack of sam. However i do think that a near total lack of focus on the three existing characters in favor of a focus on the 'bright and shiny new toys'....which also are barely accepted, shallow and flawed characters, only exacerbates the issue.

Lack of focus on sam is only one element of a poor season.

unfortunatly, they seem to be continuing down the garden path again for s10 since i have yet to read a spoiler that doesn't start 'vala.....'

Amanda has won all those awards for a reason. she's one hell of an actress playing a fantastic character. and while i know that the new toys need to be focused on, i do think that the focus needs to be more balanced.

right now the show seems to be polarized. it points one way or another, focuses on one small aspect or another...but with such a narrow focus, there's not a lot there to appeal to any but those that like that narrow focus.

It's a shame that tptb are ignoreing the diamond they have in their own back yard in favor of continually turning thier attention to the newly acquired, used toys they picked up from the thrift shop

Oh sure. And you're right.

I do believe that a lack of a strong Carter presence contributed strongly to why I believe Season 9 was a failure but that's not to say there weren't other factors. Heck, you know what I mean.

I guess a part of me sits back and is stunned that she's fresh from winning two awards for her work last season, right? And how do they capitalize on this? They foist her into the background.

It just makes no sense, I tell ya.

[Skydiver]

yeah, it makes no sense at all.

while i do know that they were trying to be nice about baby time...that doesn't explain the sidelining of sam and teal'c, and franly even daniel, in the last half of the season.

and it doesn't explain the total lack of ANY eps thus far that seem to focus on sam in any way, shape or form

Amanda kicks ASS when she acts. and always gives 110%...and has the added bonus of not only being talented but also being popular. It would make sense to use that advantage that you have.

instead of focusing on cam and vala to the exclusion of all others (cept for poor daniel who's only there to be vala's...ahem, witch) they should have used the existing characters to develop the new ones.

like they did with jonas. remember the scene in descent? teal'c and jonas in the teltac and the whole 'alien conspriacy' bit???? or sam and jonas in the hall while he's trying to coerce her into setting him up???

those scenes gave teal'c and sam fans a bit while also developed jonas by allowing and showing him ot interact with the others.

what interaction with vala and cam did we get???

let's see, other than vala harrassing poor daniel.

we get the cam/sam 'poor widdle me' bit with his friend. we get teal's slapping cam, we get...well...umm...there were a couple more right??? i mean there WERE 20 episodes, surely they managed one interaction per episode???

and they wonder why s9 is pretty much a low point.

what fans of this show seem to like, in addition to the spiffy sfx, are character moments. that's what makes it interesting and fun to watch

without them??? without them we might as well be watching cardboard cutouts with dubbedvoices.

[astrogeologist]

For anyone who's in the mood for some Sam Carter music video montages,

Carter Music Vids at Kawoosh

And... does anyone know where I can find a link to the fantastic Carter music vid: 'She's Not Just Another Pretty Face' by Shima?

Shima's website appears to be offline (and has been for some time now), so I was wondering if anyone knows of where I can find Shima's music vid on another website? -So I can update my links to it for others who want to watch it (I actually have a downloaded copy that I can enjoy anytime that I want to, but I wanted to be able to direct new folks to a place where they can view this wonderful tribute to Carter - and women in general).

[scarimor]

My vote goes for 2010. Hands down a Sam Carter SciFi episode!

The following is Post 1550... and I hope it's OK with everyone to repost these pics and quotes... it just seems to fit the current topic... and I think it's wonderful to go back and champion Sam's highlights

Oh lord yes, thank you!

[Skydiver]

My vote goes for 2010. Hands down a Sam Carter SciFi episode!

Janet has to tell Sam that Sam can't have children - ever.

first of all, i hope this isn't your official vote. cause i'm not counting htem outta the thread. too much discussion - which is good - but since i don't keep track of who votes for what, ,there's a chance that i can double count

second of all, the part that gets me the most aobut 2010 - and i'm not trying to get too personal here - but it's how sam's issues mirror at's own issues with having a child. That's the part that gets me every time

[scarimor]

Awesome