Kenneth Hutchinson
| Character | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Kenneth Hutchinson |
| Occupation: | police detective |
| Title/Rank: | Detective Sergeant First Class |
| Location: | Bay City, California |
| Status: | alive |
| Relationships: | partnered with David Starsky, was married once (perhaps twice) |
| Fandom: | Starsky & Hutch |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Kenneth Hutchinson, more commonly known as "Hutch," is half of the crime-fighting duo Starsky & Hutch. He is played by David Soul[1].
Some Brief Canon Facts
- went to the police academy with David Starsky, his partner
- mentions an ex-wife named Nancy in the pilot
- his ex-wife, Vanessa, appears in the third season and is murdered in Hutch's apartment
- grew up in Duluth, Minnesota
- skilled in disguises
- health nut
- plays guitar
- likes driving beat-up Ford sedans, and claims not to like Starsky's Torino
- talks to his houseplants
Fanon
- his middle name is Richard, also his father's name
- he is afraid of needles and having morphine administered to him due to his ordeal in the episode, "The Fix"
- has a cold and disapproving family
- attended, or planned to attend, law school or medical school
His Devotion to Starsky
[oh, where to start]
Some Hutch Tropes
Pairings
- almost always: Starsky/Hutch
- Hutch/Huggy Bear, rare but there
Examples of Hutch-Centric Fiction
Some popular fan fiction topics: the trauma of having heroin injected into him by force, his past with Vanessa Hutchinson, speculation about his family and upbringing, the ordeal of seeing Starsky shot in the fourth season, helping Starsky with various canonical misfortunes, how he copes with things after the end of the fourth season, and of course, his intense relationship with his partner.
Season Four
The show's fourth season features a Hutch whose physical appearance had noticeably altered. Many fans claimed they saw major changes in his behavior as well, feeling that he was more bitter and depressed, and more abrasive towards Starsky. Near the end of the season, he became so disillusioned by his job that he temporarily quit (Starsky did as well, but only after hearing Hutch's decision). He also slept with Starsky's girlfriend Kira behind his friend's back, which nearly destroyed their friendship and which many fans saw as OOC. A great many fanfics (particularly character studies and Angst) are dedicated to exploring or explaining Hutch's behavior during this season, as well as Starsky's concern for (or contribution to) it.
Family and Background
- Parents: There is almost no canon on Hutch's parents, but fanfic leans heavily towards writing them--especially his father--as an upper-class couple who are demanding, materialistic, and emotionally negligent or abusive towards Hutch. Frequently they are shown to disapprove of his job as a police officer and his relationship with Starsky. Even stories with positive portrayals of the characters sometimes mention that they are not emotionally demonstrative, usually set up as a contrast to Starsky having a warm relationship with his mother or extended family.
- Sister: Hutch is commonly written as having a sister (occasionally more than one) due to a mention of one in an unfilmed script and Hutch's claim to have a brother-in-law in the episode "Starsky's Lady".
- Brother: In the episode "Starsky and Hutch are Guilty" Hutch says he doesn't have a brother. Fanfic usually abides by this, but a handful of stories instead suggest that he has a brother who is dead or presumed dead.
- Grandfather: Hutch mentions having a grandfather who was a farmer; this grandfather is frequently referenced in fanfic. He is universally portrayed as having a strong positive relationship with Hutch as a child, sometimes giving Hutch the love and guidance he didn't receive from his parents.
- Friends: Jack Mitchell was Hutch's best friend from high school. He was extremely wealthy, popular and successful.
Exampes of Hutch-Centric Vids
Examples of Hutch-Centric Art
interior art from Zebra Three #3, Deanna Lloyd
interior art from Long Road Home, Regina Marracino
back cover of Dangerous Lives, Dangerous Visions#3, TACS
front cover of Trace Elements, Courtney Grey
inside art from S and H #7, Cheryl Newsome
interior art from Blue Eyes and Blue Jeans #1, J. Jones
interior art from Boys in Blue, Enednoviel
interior art from Me and Thee #2, Connie Faddis
art by Ruth Kurz from Between Friends #7
art depicting Hutch's dark side from The Pits #2, by Connie Faddis
back cover of Ten Thirteen, a White Knight chess piece, in fandom, it is used as Hutch's symbol
art by Cheryl Newsome in Between Friends #10
art by Connie Faddis from Casa Cabrillo
art featuring Hutch's unpopular mustache from Nightlight #2 J. Jones
