Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[Skydiver]

i think her personality is one place where geek sam is very similar to our sam. Geek sam was defintely not a social butterfly
she had very few social skills and zero confidence.

i THINK that a lot of the differences between geek sam and our sam is that our sam had someone/something bolstering her confidence. and as she grew, her confidence in her abilities grew even if her confidence in herself didn't

[astrogeologist]

First eps I ever watched properly were Serpent's Lair and Serpent's Grasp. There was a woman in it who bit her boss in the hand. How could I not tune in and watch again the next week?

Her finest hour so far was Foothold. She had to be really brave and resourceful, and she quite probably saved the entire planet. Also she called Maybourne an idiot in a particularly witty way.

Her finest moment so far has been blowing up the tok'ra's sun. Not many people can put *that* on their CV.

Best acted bit has come in Meridian, the moment alone with Daniel.

Best line (that I can think of at the mo): "Welcome to my life"

Strix has been sending me the numbers of previous posts to include in The SaGC Collection for AT ('Posted Comments' in the Table of Comments) - and I think these are wonderful additions to our collection. We can't print out the entire thread, but representative posts are wonderful.

The quote above, by Madeleine_W, is post #10 on page 1 and I think that it's a great representation of the comments and content of this thread.

What other posts do you think we should include?

[astrogeologist]

Man, I'm glad this thread is here. :thumbsup:

OK, I think we have to include this post in the collection!

[Rogue]

i think her personality is one place where geek sam is very similar to our sam. Geek sam was defintely not a social butterfly
she had very few social skills and zero confidence.

i THINK that a lot of the differences between geek sam and our sam is that our sam had someone/something bolstering her confidence. and as she grew, her confidence in her abilities grew even if her confidence in herself didn't

Thank goodness, they have different taste in clothes.

[astrogeologist]

When i first started watching the show, rda was why i turned the set on....Sam and amanda is why i've kept watching.

I love the fact that she's a smart woman, who isn't afraid to be smart and isn't yet another scifi bimbo in a bikini and tight pants.

Love this quote too.

[astrogeologist]

Nice thread guys!

I have to say that I agree with pretty much what everyone's been saying about the character and the actor. Both are really great role models.

I have to say that I really like being able to look at the first season and comparing Sam's characteristics to now. It's so cool to see what they did to start the character off, and how AT adapted the character over the years.

There was a bit of a chip on her shoulder (though not too large) in the beginning, but she proved to be a competent and integral member of the SGC.

By Season Two and ITLOD, it was clear that Sam had big things ahead of her. The characters are extraordinary, and Sam's extraordinary characteristics go beyond her intelligence, and right down to her soul. She's got a heart, and she really wants to do the right thing.

Having a character who is "next to perfection," but manages to maintain humility is awesome in my book. Sam has managed to show beauty, superb character, and intelligence that far surpasses that of the Classic SciFi bimbos (i.e. Anise, etc.).

Then you look at the actress, and it's no wonder that everyone loves her! When you have so many fans, co-stars, producers, etc., who openly compliment an actress, there's no doubt that it's all true. There's no doubt that she really is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. And I think her genuine girl-next-door mentality totally translates on screen. She doesn't care if she's the most important person in the show, but she is willing to fight for the integrity of her character.

Sam is still the soldier WHO HAPPENS TO BE A WOMAN, but there's no mistaking the bond she has with these men. At the end of the day, I believe Daniel and Teal'c, her teammates, will always feel that brotherly obligation and privilege to protect Sam at all costs, and it's really sweet to know that the feeling is mutual and well-deserved.

While I am definitely a hardcore team fan, I have to say that AT/Sam are my favorite actor/character duo on television, because I can honestly watch her work and not wonder if, at the end of the day, she really is the kind of person she says she is. She truly does care, and she really is concerned about what we, as fans, think.

It has been really cool to see the character's transformation from a competent officer and scientist, with childlike awe, to a matured and somewhat weathered soldier and scientist, with an experienced outlook on life. She deserves the command she has been given, and she definitely deserves some happiness - no matter where that may be.... Although, I'd prefer it was with a certain General.

Again, great idea with the thread! Very cool!

Another great post for the collection!

[astrogeologist]

I hope that AT finds her way to this thread just to read the wonderful praises - she deserves them!

Many of my favorite Sam Carter episodes and moments have already been covered. But let's see if I can pinpoint a few more:

Tok'ra Part One - the initial stroll on the sand dunes with Martouf was so rich with meaning - the closeups of her and him and her reactions to his revelations about Jolinar, etc. Just marvelous acting - so natural and believable. I thought she never looked more beautiful and vulnerable.

Grace - the entire episode was a showcase for AT's acting but, especially, the conversation with Jacob was particularly powerful and moving.

AT can do more with a look, a tone, a gesture than any other actor. To borrow a phrase: she runs the gamut of emotion from A to Z In fact, I think it's hard for many of the other actors to keep up with her intensity and talent at times. I'm so glad that she has won the two Leo awards for "Ascension" and "Grace". She is a hidden treasure, not yet discovered by a wider audience. And, from all reports, she is the "real thing". Much of AT is incorporated into Sam Carter - I think this is what has hooked all of us on the character - AT's own warmth and down-to-earth personality.

I hope she is able to return and continue to grow as Sam Carter in S9 if she is able to juggle both motherhood and her career. It would be lovely to see her taking Sam to new heights if the writers would provide the opportunities to get her back to her character's true arc: a strong woman warrior who is now a leader.

Whatever AT chooses to do, however, will be respected by her fans. She has given us so many memorable screen moments by making Sam Carter truly "come alive". For that alone, we should all be grateful.

Wow! It's such fun to go back and read the earlier posts in our thread. So much good stuff for our Collection!

[Uber]

i think her personality is one place where geek sam is very similar to our sam. Geek sam was defintely not a social butterfly
she had very few social skills and zero confidence.

i THINK that a lot of the differences between geek sam and our sam is that our sam had someone/something bolstering her confidence. and as she grew, her confidence in her abilities grew even if her confidence in herself didn't

Our Sam had so many things that Geek Sam didn't. Our Sam had Jack, Teal'c, Daniel, the Air Force and the SGC. She also was able to flesh out and develop a strong relationship with her father...My guess is that Geek Sam never got close to Jacob. He was in a completely different world...a military world, and she couldn't relate to that.

I think that Geek Sam also kinda gives an insight into some of her specific needs and deficiencies. For instance, without her father, without the military, without that grand cause of saving the earth...Sam is not the strong kickbutt person that we know and love (although she's a lot funnier...albeit unintentionally).

Sam...in ANY reality...needs to have a master cause, something much bigger than herself. Geek Sam was the first Sam we saw where she didn't have that kind of meaning. And look how she turned out? Wishy washy and nerdy. However, once she HAD a real meaning...once she saw what she was meant to do and be, she changed. She had more confidence and a better sense of self.

[jckfan55]

I think that Geek Sam also kinda gives an insight into some of her specific needs and deficiencies. For instance, without her father, without the military, without that grand cause of saving the earth...Sam is not the strong kickbutt person that we know and love (although she's a lot funnier...albeit unintentionally).

Sam...in ANY reality...needs to have a master cause, something much bigger than herself. Geek Sam was the first Sam we saw where she didn't have that kind of meaning. And look how she turned out? Wishy washy and nerdy. However, once she HAD a real meaning...once she saw what she was meant to do and be, she changed. She had more confidence and a better sense of self.

Yes--it was as if "geeky Sam" had just not had the opportunity for the "real her" to emerge.

[jckfan55]

A couple of great Sam moments in Chain Reaction the other night.
When the new general insists on using the new naquadah bomb despite Sam's warnings & he says something like: "What's going to happen?
Sam says: "I have no way of knowing, sir." She says "sir" like she really means, dumb ****. Also when he's hightailing it up the surface. "I'm sure it'll be much safter there, sir." She really argued with him in that episode.

[deepspace]

majorsal: you're beautiful.
thank you for sharing.
sally

thankyou sal .
though I have to wonder if you’d say the same thing if they weren’t blurry!

Just letting folk know I’m still around, just haven’t had anything interesting to add to the interesting stuff everyone else has been posting.

Charlie, hope you had a wonderful birthday .

[ForeverSg1]

Well I spent the afternoon today continuing my little journey in watching my least favorite episodes and today the lucky one was Watergate. I have to say, the first time I watched this one I pretty much went brain dead. I know I watched it, but none of the scenes really stood out in my mind. So this time I tried to find something about the episode that I really liked and oddly enough the thing I like about it the most is the fact that the team seemed so utterly out of place and uncomfortable with the situation, especially Sam. Through the entire episode she looked as if she were totally out of her element and was really regretting it. I mean normally even when things look bad, it's Sam who everyone turns to; however in this case, Sam had to just sit on her hands and let someone else deal with the situation and I don't think she enjoyed it much.

I really loved all of their facial expressions when they find out they have to jump out of the airplane.


Doctor Markov: We're going to have to jump.
Daniel: Out ... of ... the plane?


Not even Sam looks very happy about this idea.

Then just before the sub enters the gate, Jack gives them a send-off...

Jack: Good Luck.
Sam: (looking up into the camera and sounding a bit nervous) Thank you.

Her thank you sounded so much more like ...'I think we're gonna need it.'



And then when the sub stopped moving she had these looks like she was thinking 'Dear Lord, how did I get myself into this mess'.

Unfortunately even after watching the episode a second time, the plot still lacked something... it just didn't do much for me. I just didn't feel anything for the water entity, good or bad, nor did feel any real threat to the team. I did like the water shots. Those were cool. But overall, I guess you can't expect every episode to be a winner.

Kat

[jckfan55]

I did like the fact that Dr. Markov's ideas were mostly based on Sam's research. It was cool for her to be working with another scientist who wasn't a total dweeb. But I agree, I didn't care one way or the other about the water entity.

[tsaxlady]

Anyone familiar with the Myers-Briggs and Keirsey personality/temperment descriptions based on Jungian psychological types? (Okay, besides Lida...)

http://www.typelogic.com/
http://keirsey.com/

I took the Myers-Briggs in every Ed. Psy. class, Psy. of Music class etc. in college while getting both Bachelors and Masters - always tested as a ENTP.

[ChopinGal]

i think her personality is one place where geek sam is very similar to our sam. Geek sam was defintely not a social butterfly
she had very few social skills and zero confidence.

i THINK that a lot of the differences between geek sam and our sam is that our sam had someone/something bolstering her confidence. and as she grew, her confidence in her abilities grew even if her confidence in herself didn't

This reminds me of something I've been meaning to mention on the thread. There is a moment where you can see that introverted shyness especially well ... in the real Sam:

In end-of-S7, Lost City, when Sam goes to visit Jack and it becomes very awkward very fast for both of them ... I was very aware of her nervous gesture with the hands and sleeves of her denim jacket. After Jack shoots down her questions about Sarah and whatever, she's standing there with egg on her face and deciding that it was a mistake to come over. And, then, watch her hands - she does the "geeky Sam" thing (only this time it's the real Sam) - she nervously pulls on her sleeves, pulls them down and I think then Jack indirectly hints at her staying because of the beer ... honestly ... those two ... will they ever just get it on?!!

The little gesture with the sleeves only became apparent in hindsight after having seen her wonderful use of physical humor in Moebius.