I must say, I'm a late fan of this show and have really gotten into it in reruns on Ion. I love everything about it - the writing, the direction, the acting...but I can't stand the blonde agent. I'm not sure if it's her acting or the charachetr or both, but when she's the center of the story, I tune out. I really like Viv tho. : )
shareThat's unfortunate for you fonte because the character of Samantha is a big part of the show. As the show progresses, the majority of the storylines revolve around Jack and Samantha. The remaining characters receive disproportionately less screen time and storylines.
I, too, hated the character of Samantha. For me it was primarily the character itself; it wasn't really the acting. I didn't like the actions that the character took or the way she treated other people. Samantha was a selfish and annoying.
kd - I agree completely. I just like the show so much and all the rest of the characters that I am determined to watch in spite of her. LOL. I must say I didn't care for the Spanish young lady at first but then there was a great episiode about her child being kidnapped by the father and she moved me to tears; her scenes with Jack seemed real and raw. So she really won me over.
shareThe same could be said of characters in other shows.
Specifically, the female detectives on LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT.
Watching that show, I have to ask, "Why the hell are they there? They add absolutely NOTHING to the program!"
And the female ADA's on the flagship L&O seem to be more set decorations than people.
But you were ok with d'Onofrios acting habits and gestures?
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Cici: "Oh, I'm sorry my bad, I thought you were someone else".
Ghost Face: "That's OK, I am"
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I must say I didn't care for the Spanish young lady at first but then there was a great episiode about her child being kidnapped by the father and she moved me to tears; her scenes with Jack seemed real and raw. So she really won me over.
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Yea, Samantha didn't appeal to me at all. I found a lot about her character offensive (her attitude towards men, her affair with Jack, bringing her drama always into the workplace, her neediness, her treatment of Martin). Just didn't root for Samantha at all.
Roselyn Sanchez who is Puerto Rican played Elena. A LOT of fans hated her character being added to the show and felt that adding a fifth agent ruined the team dynamic. I personally felt that the show went wrong in a lot of ways and that Roselyn's addition was not the main problem or way the show went wrong.
I, too, loved Vivian. The actress playing Vivian was in my opinion, the best actress on the show and totally deserved a real storyline; ANY storyline. I watched all seven seasons and wondered why the actress stayed. But than I realized of course that despite no screen time and no juicy storylines, that the actress playing Vivian would be making incredible money and plus she was under contract so why would she leave.
I love Vivian. Although others may think that her character toughened over the seasons, I feel the opposite. When I saw the first couple of shows (I had started watching kind of mid-season and then saw the first episodes in syndication) I chuckled to myself because she seemed so "New Yawk" (I'm from Brooklyn, so I can poke fun at us...lol) I find she softened as a character and the actress allowed her real self to come through more and more. I really like all the cast of agents. Except for the blonde young lady; she just leaves me cold.
shareThe actress who plays Vivian received an Oscar nomination for a film called Secrets in Lies. This was several years before joining the cast. Why WAT did nothing with her character, I'll never understand. Vivian was the only agent who truly acted professional in the workplace without bringing her personal drama/crap/love woes into work.
I, too, thought Vivian was a great part of the show. Unfortunately, she was totally wasted on the show and not just one season, but every season. It was SO noticeable. I wish the actress would comment on it, but she's likely too classy to speak negatively.
The character of Vivian only had two real storylines in the seven year run.
The problem IMO is that Vivian got no storylines, while Samantha (the blonde, but her hair is orange in the final season, you'll see), got too many storylines that presented her character in a bad light.
If Samantha leaves you cold now (don't know what season you're on), OH wait FONTE...IMO Samantha gets much worse and more psycho as the show goes on. View Season six and come back on this board, and I'd love to discuss it with you. Samatha is a joke for sure.
You made the point that was in my mind. If you dont like Samantha in the early seasons, hold on. It gets much worse. She never grows in character and "the world revolves areound her". There were scenes where she was so nasty and snide, I could barely tolerate her.
BTW, IMO the writers also damaged/ruined the charactere of Vivian. I loved her until the last few sessons. I thought she became selfrighteous and annoying.
The team dynamic was just destroyed and that dynamic was what made the show, for me, so great in the beginning.
Nice reading your post alpfanatic.
At least ALP continues to act. I'm sure you are thrilled he didn't actually retire as he indicated he would.
Yep, its sad how poor WAT became. Even watching on ION television, only the first two seasons really hold my attention. I can't believe how crappy it got...But yea, Samantha does get more petty as the show continues, no doubt about it
She drives me INSANE! The character, not the actress. I think the reasons have already been explained pretty well, so I won't go into it again, but...
WHY did they take away time from other characters to focus on her crappy storylines that no one cared about anyways?!
Also, she looked RIDICULOUS. Her long hair- I don't have anything against long hair, but I was ALWAYS just waiting for a suspect to yank it and damage her neck. Also, her hair changes colour from blonde to reddish to orange. It's bizarre.
And her clothing! I remember one episode, I thought it was a guy daydreaming because she had so many buttons undone on her shirt. It wasn't- she legitimately was walking around the office with her breasts on the verge of spilling out of her shirt. Literally should have had three buttons more done up to be considered decent, then another two to be professional. I wouldn't wear clothing like that if I was modeling slutty clothing for fun with friends!
SO many things about her drove me INSANE. Could have easily done without her!
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You're making me- you're making my stomach sick.
Honestly NinjaNinja your post is one of the best I've read on imdb. I agree about the hair, and ESPECIALLY the clothing.
I remember in Season 7 she was wearing this long sleeved silky looking top and it was open to the middle of her chest! I truly have viewed other shows and films by Jerry B so i get his whole sex sells, but it was comical. I mean no government FBI agent could get away with that. It was so laughable.
Plus, in the earlier seasons the show was designed as every minute counts to find the missing person...well if that's true, the agents would race to work or to the scene. There hair wouldn't be styled in long waves...I mean it was truly so unrealistic...too glossy, too dumb.
So many things about Samanthat drover you insane, I think EVERYTHING about her drove me insane. Samantha was offensive to me on so many levels and she was just a character.
(and the actress getting her real life boyfriend a job on the show didn't endear the actress to me at all. I thought it was unprofessional but that's another thread I guess).
Her hair was an issue for me also and her make up which in the last few seasons was very bad. Sometimes she looked as if she had lip implants. Her lips took over her face and they put that gaudy red lipstick on her.
I am a firm believer that long, straight hair looks good on someone young. After the age of 35 or so, it has to go!
And, you are correct about the wardrobe. Not only Samantha's, but Vivian's also. I remember one scene where Sam was sitting at her desk and Jack was looking down at her. She was hanging out of her top. Not very FBI=like! It is funny, but IMO Roslyn was the sexiest of the ladies and for the most part her wardrobe was the least offensive, exceptfor the 5" heels that weren't very good for running after a perp )(LOL)
I've read many posts blaiming Poppy for getting Adam cast. I don'tknow that is true. Considering the stupid ideas the show runners came up with, it could have been their idea. To cast him as the ONS in At Rest was okay but to continue that storyline with the pregnancy and their relationship was a major mistake and drove the destructon of the show.
Her look is also a problem for me but it's similar to that blonde in csi Miami. First their blonde hair looks bleached blonde, therefore giving them a very superficial and shallow bimbo look. But it doesn't help that she lets her long hair down untied while doing police work. I've had long and thick hair my entire life and long hair needs to be tied to do any work, whether you're looking into a microscope or outdoors.
shareI really loved Samantha-- and Poppy Montgomery is a wonderful actress....checkout
her movie on Lifetime it somewhat a comedy/drama --- the name of the movie is
"Lying to Be Perfect". It was a cute movie, and I had no idea she could do comedy, but she was awesome. She also played in another movie for Lifetime named "Murder in the Hamptons", her character was NOT so nice in this one, but she was fantastic in her role as Generosa Rand..Check these movies out if you get a chance, Lifetime runs them every now and then or it maybe loaded up online on the Lifetime website. Anyway, she rocked on "Without a Trace"...
I love all of them, though I can see where people may get irritated by Samantha (Poppy Montegomery).
"I am the ultimate badass, you do not wanna `*beep*` wit' me!" Hudson in Aliens.
I liked Samantha and I'm a big fan of the actress that played her, but maybe that's why she didn't bother me so much. My sister hated her though. For all the same reasons everyone here has mentioned but what she hated most of all was that "Samantha" always used to run out screaming "FBIIIII!!!". Everytime. I don't know if anyone else noticed this lol but my sister would get mad every episode.
I didn't like the spanish lady either. I forget her name... she just bothered me.
Sam long blond hair has cut very short like a boy She will have very short hair
shareBit late to this thread I know but I just wanted to say thank god I'm not alone in despising Samantha.
My biggest peeves were;
Her affair with Jack and how she couldn't or more likely wouldn't let it go.
Her attitude to men and how she seemed to see any man she encountered as bad news in general. She seemed to particularly have a thing about philanders which was quite ironic.
The way everything was a drama with her and how everything had to revolve around her particularly when she got too involved emotionally in cases.
Her dress sense(totally inappropriate for an office environment).
How she treated Martin. Now this is my biggest hate of all as he was always my favourite character. It always felt as though she was punishing him for the name she made for herself and for how other men have treated her. She was also clearly using him as a way forget/get over Jack. She knew how he felt about her and I think she exploited that to an extent.
I also found her very cold and self righteous at times while at others she the tough FBI agent thing.
Like others I tended to zone out when Sam was the center of attention and honestly if it had been up to me I would have seen Sam go before Elena.
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis
I can't stand her either and it's becoming a problem. I never watched the show much when it was on, only a few times, now I catch it at least twice a week. She is the bane of this show's existence, or mine. She's just annoying, unprofessional, irritating, self-absorbed...I could go on and on. I remember one episode she went around to everyone in the office telling them she was pregnant and I'm like, "Who gives a damn?" She just grates on my nerves and brings the quality of the show down.
Not only is the character annoying but I have never liked Poppy Montgomery.
II Timothy 2:15
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Agreed. She's like a less interesting and less stable Lilly Rush from Cold Case.
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