Some TV series deserve an encore, a trip down memory lane to revel in all its glory and keep the memory alive. If you hadn’t read the title, all that needs mentioning is David Hasselhof and those slow-motion runs across the beach – and you would almost instantly arrive at Baywatch. If you didn’t, have you been living under a rock the past few decades?
There’s much more to the history of Baywatch than beaches, broads, and other words beginning with B. Most notably, Baywatch, when first launched, did not make a great impression on the public. Its first season suffered from dismal ratings, causing its cancellation after its debut on NBC in 1989. Among the seasonal ratings, it ranked 73rd out of a total of 103 shows, ouch. But that’s not the only reason it failed. The studio, GTG, also shut down.
And so, in walks Hasselhoff, with a lot of belief in Baywatch’s potential, and a plan to give it a second shot. The Hoff put in his all, as an executive producer, and his literal self in the series, as the main actor, which arguably propelled the program to success. Okay, he didn’t do it entirely alone. Other essential creators in the mix included executive producers Michael Berk, Greg Bonann, and Douglas Schwartz. After applying a touch of magic and devotion to the series, they brought the show back to life for the syndication market in 1989. From here, Baywatch progressed and became a global phenomenon.
Eleven series, a short bout of ‘Baywatch Nights’ (a Baywatch spin-off), and three videos later, Baywatch is still ingrained in the memories and creative pursuits of notable artists today. The most recent rendition of Baywatch is a comedy film, called Baywatch, in 2017, starring Zac Efron and Dwayne Johnson. And that’s not all, among these NJ online slots, there is a Baywatch game, and let’s not forget the admirable red merchandise with yellow trim, somehow it’s classic design has never looked out of place in the past few decades.
According to Bill Carter from The New York Times, on average, 1.1 billion viewers tuned in to Baywatch every week. Gender wise, women were the biggest fans, with 65% of viewers being female. Moreover, Entertainment Weekly referred to Baywatch as ‘the most popular show in the history of the planet.’ In turn, its adored actors and actresses, such as Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra, Yasmine Bleeth, and Jason Momoa, shot to stardom.
However, the Baywatch journey has not always been smooth sailing. Los Angeles production prices began to grow in 1999. In turn, the syndication market started to recede. As a result, Baywatch needed to find a new, more affordable location.
They initially intended to move their filming to Australia, and become ‘Baywatch Down Under.’ But dreams of moving to Aus were crushed following filming a pilot episode. Avalon residents protested against the program being filmed. Due to concerns, it would affect the area’s wildlife habitats and environment. The local council had no choice but to step in and put the needs of the ecosystem before Baywatch; in turn, further filming was banned.
Following an unsuccessful attempt to move the show to Australia, Baywatch set its sights on Hawaii’s enchanting islands. Baywatch was invited with open arms and substantial financial rewards. However, there were a few stipulations Baywatch producers were required to follow before gaining the key to paradise. These were;
- To change the name to Baywatch Hawaii
- To film in Hawaii for at least 48 months
- To hire Hawaii locals
- And for each episode, to spend 60% of its cost in Hawaii.
Baywatch Hawaii, filmed from 1999 to 2001 and created two seasons.
Fast forward to 2018, and FremantleMedia International (Fremantlemedia produces and distributes Baywatch globally) were utilizing advanced technology to upgrade and remaster the picture quality of Baywatch to HD. In pursuit of reigniting the franchises’ previous long-reigning success worldwide. It took ten months to remaster the show’s picture quality and sound. To ensure the upgrade did the show justice, the original executive producers from Baywatch were brought in to oversee the process.
What We’ve Learned About Baywatch
If Baywatch’s launch and success have taught us anything, it’s that you should never give up on your pursuits. Had Hasselhoff not took a chance on Baywatch, it may have ceased to exist.
Furthermore, regardless of LA’s production fees hiking up, the producers of Baywatch persisted in finding beaches across the seas to keep the show running. They failed, of course, but this hasn’t stopped Baywatch from continuing to live on. For instance, through the comedy film Baywatch in 2017. And, of course, most recently Fremantles remastering of the series to revive the Baywatch franchise. You’ll be keen to know that Baywatch has once again captivated countries worldwide. It’s made waves around the world, so to speak by selling to 110 territories in 2019.
With better picture and sound quality on what was once the most-watched TV series in the world, it’s most certainly worth viewing. Baywatch is still very much alive, 31 years later, and it appears to be going nowhere. Here’s to the next remodel in another three decades!
