RICHARD'S LATEST
Greetings!
Well, here we are, once again, having to wait
and see what Universal and the powers that be
will do with our beloved Battlestar. I don’t
know why it’s so painful, but it seems that
like every story, novel, movie, etc. we have
ever grown to love in this world, we CARE what
happens to our favorite characters and the underlying
themes that support and motivate them.
I have always said that there are many viable
ways to explore the basic premise of "Battlestar
Galactica" and it’s endearing characters. And
that can be attested to by the many wonderful
stories written by fans around the world for
the past 25 years. The fact is: Everyone has
their own idea about what should happen in the
story and how the characters should develop
-- and they’re all equally valid.
The problem is: No one is going to satisfy everyone.
I’m sure we would all agree that our deepest
hope is whomever ends up creating a new "Battlestar
Galactica" series will at least honor the original
story and characters that we all fell in love
with many yahren ago. Where the story picks
up and where the characters are now is of *prime
importance* to the vast majority of the fans
who want to see what has happened for the past
25 years. The risks with re-imagining a classic
like "Battlestar Galactica" are that the producers
are essentially saying (to the now-three generations
of fans who have bonded to the story and actors)
that they and the original story and characters
don’t count. I know in the producers' minds
they truly believe that they are still paying
homage to the original show. They are trying
to stay true to the underlying original theme
of "Battlestar Galactica." Unfortunately, on
a physiological and metaphorical level, they
are still (by all accounts) throwing away the
very elements the fans of all ages fell in love
with -- and deem most important to the integrity
of the show.
It’s difficult for any television show to become
successful these days. No matter how well produced,
it is due to the fact that programs rarely have
the time to build an audience before they are
yanked from the schedule and replaced by yet
another unknown entity desperate for instant
success. It’s even more difficult when you take
a classic like "Battlestar Galactica" with a
well-established story and characters that is
still very much alive in the fans hearts...
and just throw it away for no apparent reason
other than to seemingly put one's own stamp
on it. Now you are running the risk of alienating
the very fan base that you need to keep you
alive while you try to build a new audience
and bond them to your show and unknown characters.
One of the arguments I’ve heard over and over
from the studios is that they want to appeal
to a new and younger audience for their programs.
I understand the commercial agenda, but in the
case of a classic sci-fi show like "Battlestar
Galactica," the bulk of the audience they supposedly
want to discover is already defined, established
and crosses all cultural ethnic, age and genre
demographics. Three generations of fans, ranging
from the teens to the thirties, forties and
fifties are waiting to see the show they fell
in love with over the past 25 years.
"Battlestar Galactica" has always been about
family and when you replace known characters
and actors with people you’ve never met you’ve
than lost that sense of family and continuity
that is so hard to establish and than have to
start all over again. The question is why? What
is the reason that they want to start over again
and how does it limit the risk and serve their
financial and commercial agenda?
It seems to me that the larger risk for the
studio is, in fact, starting over. Instead,
they could so easily bridge the past with the
future by simply evolving the characters and
storyline than by adding new characters and
a new generation of our children born in space
carry us into the future. Would this not equally
serve both the commercial, financial and artistic
agenda, and at the same time, honor the fans
of the show that will in the end ultimately
determine the success or failure of the new
series?
The fastest way I know to bond new characters
to the fans is to have the characters they love
and respect... and introduce them and be related
to them. Studios these days are trying to minimize
their risks by mining the past for successful
shows and titles that they can remake because
they feel they have a better chance of succeeding
with a format that worked before. What they
have difficulty understanding is that "Battlestar
Galactica," like "Star Wars" and "Star Trek"
has developed a vast and continually growing
loyal fan base reaching into all generations.
These fans are emotionally involved in the stories
and characters and will feel slapped in the
face if the studios just take the title and
re-imagine the story to their own liking. I
and many of the fans all over the world have
done our best to convey this message but the
powers that be seem determined to go against
the polls and overwhelming fan support for the
original show and do their own thing. My quandary
is what do we do at this point? We don’t want
to see the show fail but how do we support their
efforts when they seemingly care little about
our feelings and continually disregard our feedback
and ideas. In spite of all this, I still truly
want the new "Battlestar Galactica" series to
succeed.
I have talked to the producers of the new show
recently. They appear to be talented and caring
people who believe in "Battlestar Galactica"
and want to create a quality series. But it’s
very hard for the fans and I to understand how
they can love the original series and still
want to re-imagine it instead of updating it.
Someone at the top obviously doesn’t love this
show or understand it as so often happens with
sci-fi classics. I do understand that opinions
are personal and everyone is entitled to them.
Regardless of what I feel about the direction
the new "Battlestar Galactica" series is taking,
I believe "Battlestar Galactica" deserves a
real second chance to do what it could have
accomplished so very long ago when they ripped
the show's heart out by replacing the one and
only original "Battlestar Galactica" with "Galactica
1980." Stay tuned and please continue to make
your voices heard. Everyone of you count more
than you know. And believe me when I say to
you that no matter what they, the powers that
be, pretend to say or do in the future, YOU
are getting through to them. Sooner or later,
they will be forced to pay attention if they
want to succeed.
You are the ones with the power and when you
speak as one they have to listen. This is not
about me but what you feel and believe. "Battlestar
Galactica" belongs to you; I sincerely hope
that they have the foresight to bring you the
show that you deserve and can believe in.
In regards to my new "Battlestar Galactica"
novels, including the newly released "Battlestar
Galactica - Rebellion": I want to thank the
many fans of the series for their positive support
and feedback. Unfortunately, you can’t please
everyone, but we have done our best under extremely
difficult circumstances to bring you the most
entertaining and meaningful story possible.
For those of you who may be disappointed or
don’t agree with the direction we are taking,
I can only say: I honor your feelings and feedback,
but as in all cases with a story like this,
if you try to please one faction, you end up
displeasing others. There are many fans out
there with extremely different points of view
and ideas concerning "Battlestar Galactica."
Eventually you have to follow your own heart
and run the risk of criticism.
I can only say that everyone who has their own
ideas of where they would like to see "Battlestar
Galactica" go should write their own stories
and post them on the web. There’s room for all
of us out there, so go to it and let's see what
you can come up with. My only agenda is that
we continue to explore the original characters
and themes while a new generation of their children
joins them on their epic journey to find Earth
and the mythical Thirteenth Tribe. May your
endeavors be blessed and I wish you all the
best.
As to "The
Great War Of Magellan" project, we are finally
completing the trailer. It has been one of the
most challenging, fulfilling undertakings in
my life. I thought making the "Battlestar Galactica:
The Second Coming" trailer was difficult, but
this has been one epic adventure into the unknown.
The first version of the trailer will finally
debut at Dragon*Con in Atlanta, Georgia at the
end of August 2002. (We will be playing the
behind-the-scenes/"Making Of 'The Great War
of Magellan'" trailer at Comicon in San Diego,
California the first weekend of August 2002.)
We hope to see you all there.
It’s so nice to be able to work on something
you own -- and don’t have to beg permission
for. I will always love, support and believe
in "Battlestar Galactica." I must say I love
the journey of creating my very own heart-felt
story. It’s been extremely painful and frustrating
sometimes, but the joy of waking up in the morning
to devote my energy and resources to what I
truly believe in is the most exhilarating adventure
of my life -- and I wouldn’t exchange this opportunity
for all the money in the world -- and I also
wouldn’t change working together with fans and
artists from all over the world to create the
"Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming" trailer.
Every dollar I spent and all the time and energy
we all committed to bringing back this beloved
story was well worth it. I still hope in my
heart one day that maybe there will be a way
to help bring back the original series intact.
I pray for that! Just remember, your dream is
not just a dream. It’s your life. That’s what
I have discovered! Go for it!
May the Lords of Kobol guide and support you.
All the best,
Richard Hatch