Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[minigeek]

During that brief moment in time, where The Question was asked, she was very serious. She didn't complain or bemoan the producers (though, iirc, she did say she asked the producers what that was about), but she did say that she was confused as well

Well, Mitchell's automatic and immediate leadership of SG-1 was a stupid decision on the part of whomever was involved in making it, plain and simple and I'm afraid I'll never see it otherwise. Not only for the character of Carter but for the series in general. There was an opportunity there to take it in a fresh direction given a lot of potential "issues" that might have arisen, especially with Carter leading a team that wasn't just Teal'c and Daniel any longer. There were military storylines and military conflicts to explore - character issues of the internal kind that would have made a profound storytelling opportunity. It could have bolstered the respect that was due all the characters and their journies up to that point. Ben Browder could've done so much with a strong, intelligent character role. He didn't get one. The flippant insertion of an unskilled "newbie" as SG-1's new leader created a construct wherein the entire premise of the series followed suit and became that single stroke of idiocy. In short, it turned SG-1 into a joke. The Mitchell character was introduced from the get-go as (to use RCC's own words): a total screw-up. A NEW LEADER. And a total screw up. Wow. They might as well have all worn clown suits during a great portion of season nine so far as I was concerned. But that, I suppose, is a debate for another time and venue.

[jckfan55]

Yes, if they felt they *had* to give the guy command for network reasons they could have given us something within the realm of believability to explain it. As much as I love, AT I would have grudgingly accepted it if the new guy was competent and Sam was shown not to have command b/c she was doing something equally important.

I'd have even rather have had her busted out of command for doing something incredibly insubordinate under a jerky temp commander like Bauer, but which saved the planet. But politics made them punish her and when Landry came in he had to live with it.

[Gate gal]

I have been a fan of many celebrities through the years, but Amanda is different. My other celebrities were always great looking men, crushes. With Amanda, I respect what she has done for women in the industry. She is genuine with her fans, down to earth, and very talented. I became an Amanda fan, because my little girl looked up to her. Positive female rolemodels are hard to come by. Most of the celebrities that little girls want to imitate are pop sex divas whose personal life is covered by the tabloids. That isn't the kind of role model I want for my daughter. Amanda (and her t.v. character Sam) is intelligent and self assured. My little girl believes she can be whatever she wants to be, and she knows she doesn't have to dress like a pop diva to do it.

[chocdoc]

Well, Mitchell's automatic and immediate leadership of SG-1 was a stupid decision on the part of whomever was involved in making it, plain and simple and I'm afraid I'll never see it otherwise. Not only for the character of Carter but for the series in general. There was an opportunity there to take it in a fresh direction given a lot of potential "issues" that might have arisen, especially with Carter leading a team that wasn't just Teal'c and Daniel any longer. There were military storylines and military conflicts to explore - character issues of the internal kind that would have made a profound storytelling opportunity. It could have bolstered the respect that was due all the characters and their journies up to that point. Ben Browder could've done so much with a strong, intelligent character role. He didn't get one. The flippant insertion of an unskilled "newbie" as SG-1's new leader created a construct wherein the entire premise of the series followed suit and became that single stroke of idiocy. In short, it turned SG-1 into a joke. The Mitchell character was introduced from the get-go as (to use RCC's own words): a total screw-up. A NEW LEADER. And a total screw up. Wow. They might as well have all worn clown suits during a great portion of season nine so far as I was concerned. But that, I suppose, is a debate for another time and venue.

All I can say is brilliantly expressed. SG-1 turned into a joke.

Given that, I'm trying to find some hope in season 10. The biggest plus for me is that Sam is not missing in the first five episodes and then beyond-- that's already better than season 9 . She seems to have at least a solid place in the episodes, as far as I can tell from spoilers and spoiler pics. AT will give it her all--- she will play Sam brilliantly even though she is not the leader. She can do nothing less. I'll still watch because Sam is a strong military officer and a genius of a scientist. I'm hoping that the stories are at least more compelling than in season 9 as well.

Was that good for a little ray of hope?

[scarimor]

Uh oh, now she's dunnit. They're gonna work her out fer sure.

Oye. I guess the best we can hope for is that (if Mitchell doesn't manage to clean up his act and start behaving like a consummate professional), Carter then decides to make a career out of calculated insubordination. Lord knows SOMEBODY has to pick up those flailing reins and drive the d*mn cart to safety. Nevermind the horse...

Well that would be fine by me, because insubordinate Sam makes me squee.

(along with snarky Sam, ass-kicking Sam, whumped-Sam...)

[chocdoc]

I have been a fan of many celebrities through the years, but Amanda is different. My other celebrities were always great looking men, crushes. With Amanda, I respect what she has done for women in the industry. She is genuine with her fans, down to earth, and very talented. I became an Amanda fan, because my little girl looked up to her. Positive female rolemodels are hard to come by. Most of the celebrities that little girls want to imitate are pop sex divas whose personal life is covered by the tabloids. That isn't the kind of role model I want for my daughter. Amanda (and her t.v. character Sam) is intelligent and self assured. My little girl believes she can be whatever she wants to be, and she knows she doesn't have to dress like a pop diva to do it.

Great post, Gate gal. I agree.

[WhatFateAlmondRoca]

I have been a fan of many celebrities through the years, but Amanda is different. My other celebrities were always great looking men, crushes. With Amanda, I respect what she has done for women in the industry. She is genuine with her fans, down to earth, and very talented. I became an Amanda fan, because my little girl looked up to her. Positive female rolemodels are hard to come by. Most of the celebrities that little girls want to imitate are pop sex divas whose personal life is covered by the tabloids. That isn't the kind of role model I want for my daughter. Amanda (and her t.v. character Sam) is intelligent and self assured. My little girl believes she can be whatever she wants to be, and she knows she doesn't have to dress like a pop diva to do it.

Very well said - this is exactly how I feel. I wrote something very similar on the gift I gave her in the auto line. I do frequently point out to my daughter what Sam does and says in response to various situations on the show. And knowing that AT has had an influence on her character makes her as a person all that more heroic to me. I agree that our daughters need more positive role models and Sam is a terific one.

[chocdoc]

Yep. And when she kinda nonchalantly said, "Well, maybe people like Mitchell more," (or something to that effect) there was a huge DISagreement. I can honestly say that it wasn't just the crazy GWers, either. The room had over 1000 people - and that's a low estimate - and a majority responded with a resounding, "No!"

:shrug:

During that brief moment in time, where The Question was asked, she was very serious. She didn't complain or bemoan the producers (though, iirc, she did say she asked the producers what that was about), but she did say that she was confused as well, and that she agreed with sacme's perspective.

It'd be poetic justice for that kind of audience reception of the leadership issue, and AT's popularity at the con in general, to make it back to TPTB before Flesh and Blood airs. You know, just to remind them of the choices they've made for both seasons.


EDIT: I can count on one hand how many times she became so serious during her sessions. One was when she talked about the lack of a Daniel/Sam/Teal'c dynamic, despite her requests. One was when she did admit that the ship questions got old, because that seems to be all there is to her character sometimes. One was when she addressed the Emancipation Incident, as was brought up by one boistrous woman in the front. And the final one was when she talked about actresses being pressured into nudity in film/television.

There could be more, but it would seem to me that she does take the leadership issue very seriously. She then went on to talk about a S10 episode where the issue is addressed (we're pretty sure she forgot that it wasn't a S9 episode, because she went into spoilerish detail with it).

Thanks for this info, Spaz. Her serious moments seem quite appropriate.

When you say spoilers for an episode that she mentioned on the leadership issue, are you referring to:

Spoiler:

The episode Uninvited where Landry and Mitchell have a talk? And did AT say that Mitchell mentions that he cannot really lead Sam because she is the same rank, and cannot really lead Daniel or Teal'c either for various reasons? Is this what you are referring to?

[jckfan55]

I have been a fan of many celebrities through the years, but Amanda is different. My other celebrities were always great looking men, crushes. With Amanda, I respect what she has done for women in the industry. She is genuine with her fans, down to earth, and very talented. I became an Amanda fan, because my little girl looked up to her. Positive female rolemodels are hard to come by. Most of the celebrities that little girls want to imitate are pop sex divas whose personal life is covered by the tabloids. That isn't the kind of role model I want for my daughter. Amanda (and her t.v. character Sam) is intelligent and self assured. My little girl believes she can be whatever she wants to be, and she knows she doesn't have to dress like a pop diva to do it.

Great post. I would also say, her portrayal of Sam shows boys what a woman can be too. Competent and respected by male colleagues--not just liked for her looks.

[Gate gal]

Yes, if they felt they *had* to give the guy command for network reasons they could have given us something within the realm of believability to explain it. As much as I love, AT I would have grudgingly accepted it if the new guy was competent and Sam was shown not to have command b/c she was doing something equally important.

I'd have even rather have had her busted out of command for doing something incredibly insubordinate under a jerky temp commander like Bauer, but which saved the planet. But politics made them punish her and when Landry came in he had to live with it.

Oh, that actually would have been pretty good. Sam could refuse to send a bomb through the gate, because many innocent lives would be lost. Better yet, she could refuse to send a bomb through, because the rest of SG-1 was on the other side and needed just a little more time. As long as her insubordination made her look good as a person, I could live with that scenario. I'd even settle for a conversation between Sam and Landry where he asked her to resume command of SG-1 and she told him no. At least then it would be her decision. Now, I'd want her to give a reason for saying no, but I can't personally think of one right now (at least not one I'd share off of the S/J thread).

[scarimor]

I'd have even rather have had her busted out of command for doing something incredibly insubordinate under a jerky temp commander like Bauer, but which saved the planet. But politics made them punish her and when Landry came in he had to live with it.

That could have worked extremely well - both controversial and plausible. It could have given all the actors something meaty to deal with, and created a theme for the season on which to hang the episodic stories and enrich the narrative (i.e. Ori) arc with something character-based.

And imagine how Sam would get on with someone like Vala after that. Woot!

But no woot. They wrote crap instead.

[WhatFateAlmondRoca]

Yes, if they felt they *had* to give the guy command for network reasons they could have given us something within the realm of believability to explain it. As much as I love, AT I would have grudgingly accepted it if the new guy was competent and Sam was shown not to have command b/c she was doing something equally important.

Re giving a guy command: As we were leaving AT's talk where she had discussed the leadership issue, I said to someone that it really reminds me of RL and how PROVEN and competent women frequently get pushed aside in favor of some shrub. I know I have related to the Sam character as a women in a male-dominated field and we've discussed that on this thread in the past. How many of us have given our best years in some job only to have that happen to us?

I'd have even rather have had her busted out of command for doing something incredibly insubordinate under a jerky temp commander like Bauer, but which saved the planet. But politics made them punish her and when Landry came in he had to live with it.

Yeah, me too. Good point!

[tara3583]

I'd been thinking of Voyager as a similar situation!

When I was watching that show, I was completely oblivious to online fandoms, threads, etc... so there was no one to bounce ideas and questions off of. I was disappointed with the way that they brought 7of9 into the show. Very disappointed. I remember Kate Mulgrew being quoted as stating that she wished that Voyager's PTB had let her (KM) try and pull the weight of the show (without the bombshell in lycra). I resented most of the episodes that focussed so heavily on 7of9 - they didn't need a female character clad in such a fashion.

and sliding off-topic RE Voyager

Spoiler:

What was the deal with Chakotay and Seven at the end of the series? That seemed like it fell out of nowhere to me! It just didn't fit at all.

Now, I must admit that I knew nothing of 'ship', nor of 'shippers', nor did I have any opinions of who on Voyager should get involved with anyone else. Wasn't thinking that way with that show.

Now Kate Mulgrew is someone i would love to see act with Amanda, two very strong actors who light up the screan if they had a chance of working together.

[minigeek]

And imagine how Sam would get on with someone like Vala after that. Woot!

I'm still cautiously optimistic about Sam/Vala in season ten. And about Vala in general. I like Ben Browder (the actor) but I'm sorry I just cannot get into Cameron Mitchell the character. He's too... fruity... for my blood. Ah well, guess we all have to have our character preferences, huh? Carter's still by far and away my absolute favorite.

[ForeverSg1]

Ok, I have to share a funny little story with you all involving Amanda, Dancer of Spaz and myself. I had hoped Spaz would have posted about it by now, but seeing as I just came across some more photos I had forgotten I had taken I thought I'd share them with you. Hopefully Spaz won't kick my @$$ when she reads this.

At the beginning of the year when Spaz and I decided we were both going to Shore Leave, I started making buttons to take to the con. After seeing a SG1 cartoon that Tracy Jane had made, I asked her if I could borrow it to make a shirt. Spazzy saw the shirt on my Cafepress.com shop and asked if she could buy one as well, but she asked if I could change the wording on the shirt a bit because she didn't want to offend anyone (especially Amanda). This was the original picture I had on the T-shirt...

Spoiler:

Anyway, during the autograph session Spaz asked Amanda if she would sign her T-shirt. Unfortunately I wasn't there with Spaz so I don't want to mistell the story, but I wanted to share what Amanda wrote on her T-shirt. I nearly died when Spaz showed it to me.

Spoiler:

Hopefully Spaz will post what Amanda actually said when she got the autograph, but if I didn't think Amanda rocked before, I certainly do now.