Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[astrogeologist]

TPTB are still trying to steer RDA away from SG-1. And truthfully, without him, the show never would have gotten off the ground and I wouldn't have gotten to see Amanda and watch her work effortlessly and beautifully with him.

And I haven't seen any explanations for RDA not spending his 5 episodes on SG-1. Has anyone else seen anything in any official statements? And why in the world are they using him in an Atlantis episode where

Spoiler:

he's only in someone's hallucination? Talk about a waste of opportunity!!! They are using him as backdrop fodder! Go figure! It's like... they don't know what to do with his character... ? Hmmm... Because they've moved on? Does this all sound familiar... like Carter/AT was painted with that same brush when O'Neill/RDA left?

[Gate gal]

ok it is true that the show has changed a lot, and I don't like it in season 9. But I think that TPTB now know it and that season 10 will be better. And it is true that once you start loosing vieuwers it is hard to win them back again because they are sceptic about it but I think we just have to give them a fair change. I will keep watching till the end. And will by the dvd's. Just because for me stargate, even with it not being that good, is still one of the better sci-fi shows. Or maybe it was my really first love in the sci-fi genre after X-files.

Well said! Sorry I couldn't green you!

[astrogeologist]

So the new viewers don't see how good the characters work together???

So's not to increase the old fans hankering after the SG1 of old?!!!

And you have to really wonder if the second one there isn't at least part of the real truth!

[astrogeologist]

The way I see it, the longer somebody has been watching a show, the more drastic a downturn it has to take to get them to stop watching. If you get attached to the characters in the early seasons, odds are you're going to care about them and want to know how the story turns out, even if there is a slight decline in quality over the years.

Based on the ratings for Seasons Eight and Nine, an average of almost three hundred thousand viewers, some of whom may well have been watching the show since Day One, stopped watching. The more people started watching in Season Nine, the higher the number of lost viewers.

I'm sure that most of those who stopped watching weren't expecting Season Nine to be identical to it's predecessors and would have stuck with the show despite the changes to cast and storyline had those changes been well handled.

I'd say that it is difficult to drive a longterm fan to stop watching, but harder still to win them back, even if TPTB were prepared to make the changes necessary.

Well said, ReganX! I watched every single episode of every single Star Trek series - there were episodes that I didn't care for, some that I found humdrum or not that interesting... things I didn't like (Seven of Nine).. things I didn't get (Chakotay getting paired off with 7of9 at the end)... etc... but I didn't stop watching simply because I didn't like everything they did on every single episode of every single series. I enjoy scifi, and I usually take the good with the bad. Stargate Season 9 had me tuned out completely from watching the episodes. That's very unusual for a long time scifi fan such as myself. Season 10 gives me some hope (with what we've heard about Sam bits)... but as said earlier, it may be way too little, waaaay too late.

[astrogeologist]

I've been watching some Old School SG1 to remember the old days and I've noticed that Carters character either seems to have gone under a drastic change or someone's sabotaging the character from the writers desk.

In the past, she was always in the know. And if she wasn't in the know, she'd at least try to figure it out while keeping up the facade that she knew, know what I'm saying? No-a-days, I notice a whole lot more "duh" moments with her - and Daniel for that matter. It seems like to bring forth Cameron shining into glory, they have to downplay the talents of Carter. I could just be hopelessly biased, but I have tried to like Cameron (sort of) but I'm just not seeing what distinguishes him as a leader.

[...]

Was it so hard to put Carter in the lead, get a new Major, and keep the save-the-universe game going? Was it so controversial? Carter has to come full circle, dammit!

Just a thought. *resumes watching Old Skool SG1*

Wow - so many great posts tonight! So many posts that are dead-on target - and I couldn't agree more with all of you!

[Gate gal]

Guys, I have the perfect job for Amanda when SG1 finally goes off the air (hopefully no time soon)! Eureka's opening was approx. 4 mil (according to the radio) and it is a show about geniuses. Nobody can technobabble like Amanda, and it's a comedy. When SG1 goes off the air she can join the cast. Both shows are filmed in Vancouver, so she wouldn't even have to move Allan and Olivia.

Of course, I don't want SG1 to go off any time soon. I'm still thinking positive about the new season. Can't wait for the next episode. I really think it is going to be a heavy Sam ep. I know that can be good or bad depending on the writing, but hope springs eternal!

[astrogeologist]

I, too, am afraid that Sam is going to be playing damsel in distress this season, and much though I love Sam whumping, I'm afraid it won't be to showcase her inner strength and fortitude, but rather to make Mitchell appear all the more heroic for saving her.

I wonder if the writers hope that this will make Sam fans like Mitchell better.

If Season 10 = Sam as Damsel in Distress, then the show deserves to be cancelled! It certainly won't endear me to Mitchell, it will drive me further away!

[majorsal]

Yeah... I thought it was odd that BW actually suggested that the next Stargate film could include the casts from Atlantis and SG-1. That was a bit of a surprise. At one point, I would've been cheering.

However, considering they have a hard time utilizing all of the actors and characters on the series separately, I honestly don't see how they could successfully utilize a combined cast.

please no. not that i don't think atlantis would be nice (i actually don't know because i don't watch it), but more characters means less time for the important ones (sam-jack-daniel-teal'c).





sally

[astrogeologist]

how did you do this??? i tried, but... i don't have the astro touch.

thanks!!





sally

Erm, I have to admit to doing nothing but using the Print Screen button on my keyboard.. and then pasting the screen image into Photoshop, where I cropped it, then saved it as a jpg. And I think several other folks (e.g. LA Doyle) did the same. Someone like AD might have some fancier software and be able to do it in a more impressive and cooler fashion. My method was pretty 'brute force'.

[majorsal]

sam: yes, teal'c. daniel and i are five minutes away.

daniel: teal'c enjoying his office?

sam: oh, yes. and he's especially enjoying his new title, 'show runner'.

daniel: i still can't believe we're working for bridge studios.

sam: and we're all working together, mr executive producer!

daniel: yes, miss vice president of programming.

*sam and daniel share a grin, while walking to their limos*





sally

[astrogeologist]

Mmm I don't know that it's excuse making. There is actually a business reality behind all this and Brad's comments are very valid.

For those who aren't aware, Sony is no longer involved in Stargate (or any MGM shows). MGM have decided to take tv back and make it an internally driven department rather than outsourcing the money. MGM are trying to rebuild their empire on the back of Stargate and a few other things... so that may be another layer of the comments from Brad and Rob. From a business perspective I can see the validity of the comments and it's an undeniable reality. But then overcoming challenges is part of the top job.. hope someone sent a memo to Cooper

I think a re-branding would have been a great thing too. With absolutely nothing different about season 9 or 10 other than the name, do you think we would be more accepting of it? I do.

Yes, if it wasn't called SG-1, they could have gotten away with what they did (putting Mitchell at the forefront and making him hero extraordinairre and the center of too much). They could have had Sam, Daniel and Teal'c as guest stars, rotating them through so that at least one of them was in each episode. Would I have watched? No. But then I wouldn't have kept looking at the weekly listing of new SG-1 episodes and feeling angry either. A new series, I wouldn't feel any disloyalty for not watching.

[astrogeologist]

ok guys, i'm obviously having as much fun as the next girl whining....but let's get this back about sam huh?

let's take the complaints to whingenuts or the rage thread and get this back to amanda and sam.

cause, you know, she's classier than the show ever will be, so we shouldn't let the show be dragging her thread down

I've been archiving folks' comments about the best AT moments in my pdf files Great idea for a thread activity - thanks, SunKrux

And if anyone wants a link to Whinge Nuts

However, I'm clueless as to the the 'rage thread'...

[astrogeologist]

And what's with all the anti threads all the sudden? You go away for a few days and everything changes!

Can you elaborate on this? I don't visit the anti threads very often... are they getting lots of posts.. not many posts... erm... going off topic? getting too combative?

[Myrth]

I think I'd watch anything Amanda was in regularly. I've mourned the loss of the SG-1 I fell in love with and am in that place where I'm standing back and supporting the remnants Sam Carter gets. There'll be brighter points this year, but I've accepted that no amount of complaining is going to bring back the quality lost, so I've just given up doin it. There's a silver lining there if you squint. It's blonde, 5,9', smart as hell and real pretty.. there in the back

Yes, if it wasn't called SG-1, they could have gotten away with what they did (putting Mitchell at the forefront and making him hero extraordinairre and the center of too much). They could have had Sam, Daniel and Teal'c as guest stars, rotating them through so that at least one of them was in each episode. Would I have watched? No. But then I wouldn't have kept looking at the weekly listing of new SG-1 episodes and feeling angry either. A new series, I wouldn't feel any disloyalty for not watching.

[astrogeologist]

I think I'd watch anything Amanda was in regularly. I've mourned the loss of the SG-1 I fell in love with and am in that place where I'm standing back and supporting the remnants Sam Carter gets. There'll be brighter points this year, but I've accepted that no amount of complaining is going to bring back the quality lost, so I've just given up doin it. There's a silver lining there if you squint. It's blonde, 5,9', smart as hell and real pretty.. there in the back