Richard Hatch Talks Galactica Season 2! On Tom Zarek and sci-fi’s mainstream evolution July 14th 2005 04:32am | Posted by: Robert Falconer HNR Senior Editor Interview by Robert Falconer | HNR Senior Editor Forget the mysterious hatch, those desperate housewives of Wysteria Lane, Paris Hilton’s Carl’s Jr. commercial (okay, it’s hot), a lackluster summer box office, the final Star Wars chapter and Tom Cruise’s newly revealed “expertise” in psychiatric medicine (who knew?). The big entertainment news is that a resurrected 27-year-old science fiction series is emerging as the new chic, the new hot topic of conversation around the water cooler that is capturing the imagination of audiences, and stirring – perhaps even more than it has already been stirred – socio-cultural-political debate amongst viewers. We are, of course, referring to the new Battlestar Galactica, which has rebooted the science fiction genre through a combination of realism and gritty drama.   More achingly honest than any science fiction series that has come before, Battlestar Galactica relies not on space anomalies and gee-whiz visual effects (though it certainly contains plenty of the latter), but rather an approach that has hitherto been absent in science fiction: naturalism. It’s an approach that began as one producer’s grand experiment to change our perceptions of what a science fiction series could be, and ultimately ended up on Time magazine’s list as “one of the six best dramas on television.” But what’s new, what have we learned from this experiment? Well, quite a bit, as it turns out. Despite its ubiquity, science fiction, as a prism through which we can obliquely study our own humanity, still works remarkably well, particularly in the tumultuous times in which we live. In a world where four, well-educated individuals with everything to live for are willing to blow themselves up in a devastating attack upon the London Underground, it’s clear that our Western society needs a new perspective, a new paradigm to challenge our deeply held beliefs about the world around us. Coupled with believable, flawed human beings suffering through a recognizable and archetypal crisis, this new Battlestar Galactica tackles these weighty issues by shaking the audience out of their complacency and forcing them to look at real issues from alternative – sometimes uncomfortable – perspectives. This was the hallmark of Galactica’s first season, and season two ramps up the approach even further. One of the characters who has come to epitomize the aforementioned complexities of this series – and who has engendered tremendous polarity amongst fans – is Tom Zarek (played by original series actor Richard Hatch), a charismatic political dissident whose agenda and motivations are never quite clear, perhaps not even to him. With season two set to kick off on July 15, Richard sat down to chat with HNR about Galactica’s success, what’s in store for the enigmatic Tom Zarek during the first 10 episodes, and other things… Robert: Looking back with 20/20 hindsight over the past year-and-a-half, why do you think this new version of Battlestar Galactica is resonating so strongly with both audiences and the mainstream press? Richard Hatch: A good show is a good show. No matter what you think, or like, or don’t like…a well-written, well-acted, well-produced show is going to win over the majority of the core audience eventually. I also think that sci-fi fans are starving for truly good science fiction…and I think the press happens to like this show because it’s extremely well written and acted. Usually, when it comes to science fiction, the press tends to put that in quotes, you know, “it’s ‘science fiction,’” and they relegate it to a place where they really don’t take it seriously. Here, Ron Moore has created a show that in a sense is for our times, and mirrors the sociological, political situations of our day—and actually speaks to this generation. I also think that when you add interesting characters and story plotting to phenomena that anybody today can relate to, then I think your show will move beyond the confines of ‘genre’ or ‘demographic’ and reach a broader, larger audience. And in the case of this show, anybody who likes good drama will find much to enjoy about Galactica. The characters, the relationships, the politics – everything that takes place – are elements that anybody in this day and age can identify with and find compelling. I truly think that Galactica is building a bridge between the world of science fiction and the world of today. Robert: How would you characterize the tone of the show this year vs. last year, as far as the stories are concerned? Richard Hatch: I think any new show has to lay a lot of backstory and foundation for the characters and their relationships; a lot of emoting relating to each other, dealing with each other…a lot of issues and conflict, and yet at the same time – not unlike real life – you really don’t know these people yet. It often takes a show till its second or third season till you’ve gotten to know the characters and bonded to them. Then as they get into difficult situations, you care about what happens to them. In the first season, the show started out under circumstances where you got to know these characters dark side…their conflicted personalities and each one’s issues and agendas. This year, the biggest change that I’ve observed is that they seem to be creating more of a sense of extended family with the characters, something with which I was familiar during the run of the original Galactica series. These characters do pull together to survive and they do care about each other. And you’ll see that this season. They’re also starting to deal with the spiritual and philosophical elements of the original show more this season, and the entire issue of the 13 tribe and Kobol and the ancient ‘root’ race. In effect, they’re starting to explore some of the core mythology that drove the original series. They’re just doing it with greater depth and in their own unique way. They’re going full bore into things that we barely touched upon in the original series. Robert: So will we see the whole Egyptian, Mayan, ancient Earth civilizations thing going on this year, then? Richard: Well, I can’t get into the specifics, but I will tell you that they are seriously exploring the mythology this year. And I think that fans of this new show who have enjoyed it on its own merits – but who also enjoyed the original series – will be very happy with this second season. All the elements in this show are gelling. Robert: You appear in six of the first ten episodes of season two. In your estimation, based upon observations, is the cast becoming closer, more cohesive, more trusting of taking chances with each other dramatically? Richard Hatch: Yes. One of the things that many people don’t realize, is that when people meet for the first time and begin acting together in a new show, it takes time to develop rapport and trust…and after a while, once the chemistry between the cast has grown, it translates into their roles. But it’s definitely something you’ll see expanding this year. Robert: Tell us a little about how Tom Zarek is different this season than last. He was a particular kind of character at a particular point in his life last year - how has he, or his circumstances, changed...and why? In other words, how has Tom Zarek's character evolved or grown this season? Richard Hatch: I think Tom Zarek is going from being a very dark character who we came to know as somewhat unredeemable, to a multifaceted individual who definitely has humanity within him. There’s an idealistic human being in there who’s learned a lot of heavy, painful lessons in his life – and we learn more about what those lessons were – and he’s seeking new ways to initiate change from within the system, as opposed to outside of it…despite his continuing distrust of the current government. Obviously, as a member of the Council of the Twelve, he’s taken a turn to become a political figure, but when you’ve been locked away in prison for a long time for your beliefs, you can become so wrapped up in forwarding your agenda of what you think people should want, that you’re only seeing the narrow view. And I think Zarek might have gotten caught up in the narrow view because sometimes we think that what we want is what everybody wants. And of course, that’s not always necessarily so. So in season two Tom Zarek is a very smart man who is having to become a pragmatist; to challenge his beliefs about what he did in the past and ground his political beliefs and agendas and look at the bigger picture if he’s going to succeed in the future. This is a time of reevaluation for him. Robert: Do you see him as a sociopath, a humanitarian…or a little bit of both, perhaps? Richard Hatch: I think he’s a little bit of both. When you’ve suffered enough for your ideals, you sometimes cross that line. Sometimes in seeking to find solutions, what you’re really doing is lashing out at the world for the pain that you’ve suffered. Anger and suffering can lead to vengeance, and sometimes his agendas get colored by his need for vengeance, even though he may try to rationalize that. Robert: This series has spawned a great deal of political debate on Internet message boards. On the SciFi Channel's website, scifi.com, one fan called Tom Zarek "a cowardly, self-serving toad." Another fan responded, "My only regret is that I cannot vote for him." A third poster said that Zarek reminded him of politicians who sound good, but offer no constructive alternatives and can't be trusted. How do you respond to these wildly opposing viewpoints? Richard Hatch: I think they’re all true, frankly. From different points of view, you could probably say any of those things. He’s not any one of those things, he’s all of those things, and more than that, people see things through the lens of their own viewpoints and the beliefs that they hold. For myself, I don’t see Zarek as a bad guy, and yet a lot of people come up to me and say, “God, you play a bad guy so well…wow.” And I say, “But I’m not playing a bad guy.” And a few people get it. It all comes down to your perspective, which is what this series tries to show. Robert: Tom Zarek spots an attractive woman, and asks you, Richard, his closest friend, to go over and make an introduction for him. How do YOU describe Tom in a single sentence? Richard Hatch: [Laughs] That’s a difficult one. I would probably say something like, “I want to introduce you to a very intelligent, provocative, enigmatic and highly volatile human being who is totally unpredictable, yet compelling and mesmerizing.” Robert: Sounds like the kind of guy that most women gravitate to anyway. Richard: [Laughs] Exactly. Robert: Episode three, "Fragged," is the first season two episode in which you appear. Can you give us just a hint of what Tom Zarek is up to in that episode? Richard Hatch: Tom Zarek is challenging Tigh’s authority and leadership, and his declaration of Martial Law. The storyline speaks to the huge issue of balancing individual freedom with survival, something those of us in the United States are all familiar with right now. And even though Zarek’s highly competitive with Laura Roslin, he has tremendous respect for her, and in this case it’s civilian vs. military, so I’ll let you guess where he falls in that struggle. Robert: By the time we reach episode four, “Home, Part I,” the fleet has been split into rival factions, and you and Laura Roslin have joined forces as part of a separatist fleet. Is this a strained relationship of convenience, or have you and Roslin reached any kind of political, social or spiritual understanding? Richard Hatch: All I’ll say is that there’s very little trust between Laura Roslin and Tom Zarek. I think you need to realize that Tom Zarek is still looking to gain power and Roslin is looking to hold it. Robert: Of all the main characters on the show, with whom is Tom Zarek best able to relate, or develop an understanding? Richard Hatch: I’m not sure that’s applicable. I’d have to say that he’s pretty much still operating with his own people. His “family” is still pretty much the people with whom he spent 20 years in prison. Obviously he’s reaching out – after all he reached out to Tigh’s wife last season – but I don’t think he’s seeking to form relationships of any depth…I think he’s still very much a loner. Robert: Speaking of Tigh’s wife, will more of Zarek’s “interactions” with her be revealed this season? Richard Hatch: Yes, I think there will be, but the emphasis so far this season is primarily the split within the fleet. So there are a lot of major issues to be dealt with first. Robert: Does your character have any personal run-ins with the Cylons this season...either humanoid or centurion? Richard Hatch: Yeah, I do. Robert: Human or centurion? Richard Hatch: All I can say is that I have an encounter with the Cylons. You’ll just have to wait and see. Robert: The much talked about Pegasus episode is finally a reality this year. What are your thoughts on how the story has been altered from the original? Richard Hatch: I think that pitting Adama against a female admiral is a fascinating idea, given the far more competitive nature of women in this day and age and their essential contributions to military service. I think this episode will probably resonate on many levels, as well as being a nice ode to the original, “Living Legend” episode. I think that once one dissociates oneself from making comparisons between this and the original series, the better one is able to enjoy those storylines from the original that are being resurrected…since they’re being told in new and interesting ways with a more contemporary resonance. Robert: Do you expect to appear in any of the last 10 episodes, or have the producers talked to you about that yet? Richard Hatch: I have no idea what’s happening with that at this point. Robert: Do you think Tom Zarek is a Cylon? Richard Hatch: [Laughs] It doesn’t matter what I say, because that’s up to the writers, but wouldn’t it be great if he was a Cylon? That means I could have multiple lives—die and come back, die and come back. Robert: At a recent convention in London, Glen Larson allegedly announced that he plans to begin a big screen continuation feature of the original series in about 18 months. Have you heard about this or have you been approached about it? Richard Hatch: No, I haven’t heard anything about him mounting such a project. It’s news to me. I honestly don’t even know if he has the rights to do a feature, so I find it a little suspect. But who knows? Stranger things have happened. Robert: You'll be appearing at Gatecon here in Vancouver between July 25 and August 1, where you'll be on stage with Dirk Benedict for the first time in about five years. Are you looking forward to that? Richard Hatch: Yeah, I’m looking forward to it a lot. Dirk is a very intelligent, interesting individual who has been through a lot in his life, and I always enjoy conversing with him. We’re both very spiritual people who have always sought to understand the deeper mysteries of the world, and on that level we have some synergy and share a lot in common. We’ve also both had ups and downs in our careers and had to raise our children alone, and so there’s a lot of similarities between us. Robert: Good chatting with you again, Richard. We’ll look forward to watching season two of Battlestar Galactica, beginning this week. Richard Hatch: Nice chatting with you too. All images © 2004, SCI FI Channel Source: HNR In: Interviews |Visit the HNR Forums

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