CSI:NY -- Thoughts on Sam Flack

[partly]

I was re-watching "Veritas" (love the CBS streaming video) and I realized that they did a great job in creating the character of Samantha Flack. CSI:NY usually does a fair job of making minor characters interesting, but with Sam there are some great possibilities.

She is a perfect example of a rebellious girl in a "good" family. She's pretty, cool and has just the right amount of anger and hurt to make her real. I also like that she was presented ambiguously. She could just be what she appears to be -- a nice person just trying to get by -- but she does run with a bad crowd. She poses an interesting dilemma: If she didn't know the type of person she loaned her car to, she's remarkably (and dangerously) naive for someone who lives the way she does. If she knew more about what was happening then she said, exactly how much did she know? Either scenario works for the character. I personally think that she knows more than she let on -- not that she was involved, but just that she "don't ask, don't tell me" policy when dealing with people: she doesn't care if you are breaking the law, she just doesn't want to know.

I look forward to seeing what they are going to do with the character in the future. There is so much potential conflict with her. What I'm looking forward to -- what I'm HOPING to see -- is a flawed Sam.

Her hurt in the show was very real. She obvious does have a lot to live up to and just as obviously feels that she can't. She feels left out of the family -- worse yet, she feels judged by her family. And she's not completely wrong. She lives life on the edge by choice and has been in trouble before. I'd like to see that continued. I'd like to see her as someone who gets in over her head, who makes impulsive "rebel" decisions that get her in trouble. Someone who is so stubborn, so determined to prove to her family that she is right in her choices, that she digs her own grave and does so with a determined smile, claiming all the while that she hadn't made a mistake.

She has so much potential to be an interesting character full of a great many conflict possibilities. I don't want her to be "bad", I just want her to be the wonderfully interesting, conflicted, not-perfect character she has the potential to be.

I have pretty good faith in the writers. I'm hoping that Sam gets the same type of "family" status that Reed has. The writers did good by him, I'm hoping they do good by Sam, too.

Comments

[kellysparrow.livejournal.com]

I agree with you :)

I was kind of surprised at how they threw her into the show, but I liked it. I was intrigued by her, because as you say - she's pretty, but she runs with a bad crowd. And things could have gone - or could still go - both ways. I think they did a great job at how they let her into the show, I thought it was a nice touch when Flack said "I'm not bailing you out this time, and neither is Dan."
So it's obvious she knows Danny too. I love the implications here.

As for the family part. I think she thinks her family wants her to be more like Flack (which is why she nearly ran out at the end, finishing his sentence with a "you wish I was more like you?") and she tries desperately to prove to them all that she can live her own life.

I'm hoping to see more of her, actually.

[partly.livejournal.com]

"I'm not bailing you out this time, and neither is Dan."

I thought he said "...and neither is Dad." I will have to go back and watch it off the DVR with the subtitles to be sure. "Dad" would go with the later comment, when she is asking Flack not to tell their father because he wouldn't "stay off my ass if he hears about this."

I love the fact that her character is so ambiguous.

[partly.livejournal.com]

Checked the subtitles... It definitely says "Dad". Since Danny did the interview of her in the station, I doubt that they had any sort of relationship. I'm surprised that he got to question her, actually, since he and Don are friends. I suppose since she was only a *witness* and not a *suspect* it would be allowed.

[citymusings.livejournal.com]

I like what they did with her. I thought Don was really good in his big brother role. Really good. She was a good character, like you said, very real. Lots of potential. I'm glad we'll be seeing more of her.

[shanachie13.livejournal.com]

I was pretty sure he said "Dad" too... and I figured Danny did the interview because he and Flack are friends. She wasn't a suspect in the traditional sense and he knew from Danny's past that Danny would either go hard on her (if need be) or easy on her. I thought they did an awesome job with her... she's going to be great and I hope she shows up frequently this season. I think she was greatly cast and she and Eddie play well off each other... Can't wait to see more of Sam!

[theactualworst.livejournal.com]

AGREED.