Chris Hansen Evaluates Robert Pattinson’s “Primetime” as Detached from Reality

Weeks after publicly expressing his dissatisfaction with Primetime, Chris Hansen finally watched the biopic and remains unimpressed.

Hansen’s Dateline NBC segment, To Catch a Predator, aired from 2004 to 2007, pairing him with police and the digital watchdog group Perverted Justice to confront alleged child sexual predators on camera. While the program achieved widespread popularity, it attracted criticism for its vigilante tactics and the blurred boundary between law enforcement and journalism.

In a pre‑recorded segment for his podcast Have A Seat With Chris Hansen, Hansen is shown leaving a Times Square AMC after viewing the Lance Oppenheim‑directed film on Thursday night, offering his immediate thoughts: “Most of it is pure fiction, with occasional real elements.” He added, “I wasn’t particularly impressed either way. It’s a film, and I will continue my work; viewers can watch it and draw their own conclusions.”

During a discussion with Fox News’ Jesse Watters on his podcast, Hansen reiterated his criticism that the film is “detached from reality” and gave Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of him a “D” grade. He specifically condemned the scene in which a shirtless Pattinson recites lines before a mirror, describing it as “absurd.”

“In a sense, it feels like a hit piece on me and the series, which is odd since our purpose is to expose individuals who attempt to harm children,” Hansen said. “It is, in that respect, an affront to the countless men and women who work daily to accomplish what I do in Takedown and To Catch a Predator. I find it so exaggerated that it is difficult to understand their intent.”

Regarding Oppenheim’s creative choices, Hansen remarked that the director “had a dark vision for the project.” He added, “He aimed to craft a horror‑style film with striking cinematography and refused to entertain any positive aspects that the real events have achieved over the past 22 years.” Hansen noted that the film inaccurately depicted To Catch a Predator as a modest program seeking a primetime slot, emphasizing that the show has always aired during prime time.

Earlier this month, Hansen said he consulted lawyers to assess whether Pattinson’s exaggerated portrayal of him in a fictional film could constitute a legal violation. “As a public figure, the defamation threshold is high,” he responded to inquiries similar to Daryl Hannah’s objections to Love Story. “Multiple elements must be proven. Could other, more creative legal theories hold them accountable? Perhaps. Does this amount to identity theft, and what distinguishes it from identity theft?”

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