Alpha male/male is fine (usually in fanon), but alpha male/female is icky (in canon)? Every time?
But how often do we actually have alpha male/alpha female? By which I mean, how often is the female lead on equal footing (narrative-wise) as the male lead? I've only seen Merlin S1, so correct me if S2 changes up the dynamics, but I wouldn't really consider Gwen to be equal to Arthur. (I don't mean this as a criticism.) Max from Dark Angel was a true alpha female. Buffy, Veronica Mars, Captain Janeway, and female leads from mainstream shows where the women get just as much screen-time as men--I consider those alpha females.
Sam is the lead female character, but I wouldn't really consider her the alpha female of the pack. That is, if there are two "alphas" on SG-1 I'd argue Jack and Daniel fill those roles. Sam is subordinate to Jack, it's in your face. This is why I love Sam and Cam together, and Sam and John, because in later season there's no question she is the alpha.
ETA: Which isn't to say you don't have a point, because Elizabeth was alpha female and yet I 'shipped John/Teyla in S1 and thought John/Elizabeth was bizarre and unrealistic.
Re: From metafandom
But how often do we actually have alpha male/alpha female? By which I mean, how often is the female lead on equal footing (narrative-wise) as the male lead? I've only seen Merlin S1, so correct me if S2 changes up the dynamics, but I wouldn't really consider Gwen to be equal to Arthur. (I don't mean this as a criticism.) Max from Dark Angel was a true alpha female. Buffy, Veronica Mars, Captain Janeway, and female leads from mainstream shows where the women get just as much screen-time as men--I consider those alpha females.
Sam is the lead female character, but I wouldn't really consider her the alpha female of the pack. That is, if there are two "alphas" on SG-1 I'd argue Jack and Daniel fill those roles. Sam is subordinate to Jack, it's in your face. This is why I love Sam and Cam together, and Sam and John, because in later season there's no question she is the alpha.
ETA: Which isn't to say you don't have a point, because Elizabeth was alpha female and yet I 'shipped John/Teyla in S1 and thought John/Elizabeth was bizarre and unrealistic.