Richard Hatch : Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

I got a chance to meet him at a Sci-fi convention back when the New Battlestar Galactica mini-series had emerged, before he was even offered a role on the new BSG as Tom Zarek. He was a very good man, my only problem was is he spoke down upon the Sci-Fi channel and upon the new mini-series, he said he had viewed the new BSG and thought it did not deserve the name Battlestar Galactica and it was ridiculous to make Starbuck a female. But then what do you know despite his strong stance on the new show and his determination for finding a channel to air his own mini-series he so 2000 ld out and joined the cast of the new BSG. Now I love the new BSG, and enjoy him as the character of Tom Zarek, just don't like how he shut up so easily when thrown some cash.

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

It's a big man who can admit he made a mistake. Critics of the new BSG who reacted without giving it a fair chance have been proved wrong in a lot of respects.

He now supports it and has a good part in what is a very good series. He was obviously quite upset when his own plans for BSG didn't come to fruition.

I have respect for people who are big enough to admit they where wrong and change.

"Even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day"

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

This is true, I agree

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

This is the kind of reaction you get when emotions get stronger than reason. It's human. Sold out? I don't think so. The man tried and gave it all to bring his version to the big/small screen but he's just too small.
I admire his passion for BSG and hope this will help him to ressurect his acting carreer, as well maybe his version of BSG some day.

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

I think it's a shame he had to give in on the new Glactica, but he's an actor, and it's good work. I don't think any of his earlier criticisms were wrong, and the new series has just born that out. I think he still feels the same, from what I've read. He's just toned down the language, and tried to make it sound less negative. He had to really, once he had a part on it. As far as I know, he still feels the new one should not be called Galactica, and still feels the changes were un-necessary and pointless.

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Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

"I admire his passion for BSG and hope this will help him to ressurect his acting carreer, as well maybe his version of BSG some day."

Very, very well said. Couldn't have said it better myself.

A LOT of people automatically flew off the deep end when it was announced that a reimagining of the series was forthcoming. If it wasn't the original cast, it was going to stink no matter what.

Well, I went into the new series with an open mind, and it's my favorite show on TV. TOS was my favorite as a kid growing up, I still love it, and the new series kicks ass.

BSG is a franchise now, and it's alive and well. The new series also brings a renewed interest in TOS, and maybe that will give Richard a chance to get his continued storyline before people that want to see it (myself included).

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

I agree. Which is more than I can say for Dirk Benedict, whose article I read and found to be quite unsettling in his regards of Starbuck being a woman (or is it women in general?).

Anyway.

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

Did he ever admit to "making a mistake" though? Now, I personally have tried the new Galactica a number of times, and to me it totally sucks. No heart, lousy camera work, bad FX...it sucks. If Hatch actually admitted he made a mistake, then fine, but I personally hope he didn't. I hope he DID join the new show for the money and the money only. No sell out - he's an actor, has to make a living. And his name is beneficial to the show too. I hope he does have some master plan to bring the TRUE Galactica back - and that doesn't necessarily mean the original cast using canes still flying their vipers (although bringing them back in their roles to be used somehow WOULD rule) but just that a new Galactica would be finally done RIGHT. Even if it is after this slop of a Galactica is long gone.

The new Galactica sucks. I hope Hatch gets all he can out of it.

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

For Richard it is not a mistake to have taken the part of Tom Zarek. It put him back on the acting field. Regardless whether one likes the new BSG or not, Zarek is an interesting character to watch and probably to play. It gave Richard a good chance to show his acting skills again.

So he can only come out of this a winner.

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

I'll admit to not being totally sold on the idea when the new BSG came out, watching it, I came around. Totally sucks? Come on now, you're just trying too hard to not like the new version.
I used to watch the same original BSG that you did, it wasn't exactly the same, but somehow I think you're one of the same that'll disagree to disagree just because it wasn't the same hokey show we watched as kids.
Hokey was great at the time, I'm guessing nothing will give you the same feelings, or be done CORRECTLY (not RIGHT, that's just bad grammar)
don't *beep* on this recent take of this world.
Respect it, cause without Eick and Moore you wouldn't get any Galactica at all, much less whinge about it.

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

Yap, and its very easy to size you up as well. You are one of those people who like all the new age, CGI, cardboard character development crap, just to go along with the "in" cr 1908 owd b u l l s h i t.

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

RICHARD?? Sold out? You have obviously never met the man. Not really.
He changed his mind, which means he still has one.

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

Exactly!
I'm no fan of the new show, but it's horrid to accuse Mr. Hatch of selling out because he once critized the show.

So he didn't like it at first, but that's hardly binding. To him maybe it got better.

Lord knows I've come to love things I started out hating or had to eat crow because I insulted something without relaly knowing what it was about.

I've never met him, but from interviews and such, I agree with you, he doesn't strike me as someone who would be on a show he hated just for the money.

And besides, even as someone who can't usually watch the new BSG, I have to admitt . . . Tom Zarek is a good character and an excellent role.

Heck Tom Zarek was one of the few things I really liked about the new show, and this was years before I had even head of the old one, so there was no bias there.

And considering some of the things I've heard him say about what kind of roles he likes, I'm not to surprised he accept the role. ^__^

I feel bad for him when people are unkind about it all.

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Re: bad guy

I actually met him the other day at a convention, and I asked him about what he thought of the new series. He said that he really understood what the show was about after a couple episodes, and that he really loved the character development and complexity of it. He said that he'd prefer a continuation, but he likes it the way it is.

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

He's got a pretty long interview on a podcast called geekson(i found it on digital podcast)that i liked in spite of the fact that i dont like battlestar. At least the first season dvd that i watched.(i plan on renting and watching season 2)
I think it gives a pretty good idea what he's all about.Judge for yourself.

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

I've met Richard in person, and believe me when I tell you this. He is definately not the type of person to sell out to something as crappy and bad as the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica. I'm sure he has his reasons for being a recurring character on the un-imagined series. We just don't know what they are...yet.

So, if anybody says that Richard Hatch had sold out, they are DEFINATELY wrong in that judgement.

There is a reason and he will share it with the fans in due time.

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

Um, he's an actor?

It takes a man to know when he's beat. I respect Hatch for never giving up for so long, even when it might have hurt his career and did cost him his house. Yet he made the right choice, and it's no secret why. He's an actor, and he was offered one hell of a substantial role in a major series. He was granted more than Colicos, Campbell and Ansara were in DS9, and you know they jumped at that.

Hatch is great in the new BG, and the role still has the prospect of becoming bigger. Hell, if Caprica were coming, and successful, I'd say he might have a shot at a spinoff of his own, but either way, he's lucky to have what he does, and shouldn't endanger it. The old series was great, but it lives on the printed word, and that is a lot in and of itself.

I think most of us would be grateful to be where he is now, especially after all the ups and downs.

http://www.xm202.info

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

When I met him, too, at a recent convention, his whole panel was on his experiences in BSG, and how much he loved it. He showed a lot of behind the scenes videos, my boyfriend said his panel was the best that weekend. Whatever his opinion of the new BSG was before, it certainly has changed and he seems to love it.

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

I have met Richard at several conventions in Europe. He's was my favorite actor for 26 years, I never stopped trying to follow him, and I must say that I don't feel Richard had 'sold-out' either. I think it must have been very hard for him to see that someone else, after all HIS work over the years, walked away with a new possibility for BSG. It must have hurt, at first, but he is honest enough to recognise a good thing when he sees it and went for the new series. And Tom Zarek must be a great character to play.
The way he was approached by the other actors of the series may have been an important factor as well. I guess it helped that he liked Jamie Bamber. If the actor playing Lee Adama had been some arrogant (bliiiep) Richard might have second thoughts about being so in admiration of the new series, as Apollo is still very dear to him.

As to people not giving the series a fair chance at first, don't forget that that went BOTH ways with people like Ron D. Moore talking down on the old series which didn't endear him or the others with the fans of the old series. It is a bit insulting that he talked about them being fans of an uninteresting series, where characters had no depth. Calmly forgetting that the actors playing these shallow characters were the ones who kept the torch alive for BSG with the help of those idiots who liked the campy series.
To Ron D.Moore Apollo, Starbuck, Boomer, Sheba, Cassie, Athena and Adama may have been of no importance, to me and many people like me they were characters with a rich past and full lives who sparked our imagination. And if it had been such a silly show it would not have had such a large (and growing) fanbase. Talking down on a series, also means talking down it's fans.

Personally I had to get used to the new series. Best way is not to compare them to eachother at all. BSG TOS for all his flaws had some very good moments, the new series, no matter how good it's reviews are, has it's flaws.
I respect and love them both.

But it will be cold in hell before I call Lee Adama Apollo. ;-D

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

I've met Richard about 12 years ago at a convention. I was struck by how georgous he was in person with no effort despite being in his 50's. I didn't care for the current BSG at the beginning. I watch it because it is one of the better series on TV. But if we look back on it in years we will probably think of it the same way as we do the old one as out of date. I loved the original. But we have to remember that was years ago. I haven't read any of Richard's books but he might very well be right. The current BSG has alot of holes in the plot line. But I'm glad they gave Richard a interesting character to play.

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

Any time I see a conversation like this I always think to what Kevin Smith said about selling out.

"Any time you accept money for your work you sell out."

I was a child when I watched him as Apollo on the original series and I'm now an adult watching him portray Tom Zarek. I can tell you that I am enjoying his performance now just as much as I enjoyed his performance then.

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

i wait and see him at st of san fransisco

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

Dang this is as fractured a thread as I've seen on imdb...

Richard Hatch is exactly where he should be, playing an outstanding character in an outstanding revamp of an outstanding series. It's not his revamp, and I think that is tragic, but major props to him for setting that aside and doing all that he has done to make it the great show that it's now become...

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

Why doesn't his very good acting on BSG helping him to get some more work?

Re: Good guy, Good Actor, but Sold-out

Because reality shows have taken over the airwaves. There's not that many TV shows anymore that actually require acting - so there are many great actors out of work - especially those known for more TV than for feature films.

Gabby Wolf
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