Baywatch - Season 2  

Paul Cajero | Douglas Schwartz | Parker Stevenson | Frank South | Lewis Stout

Baywatch , television's most-famous "jiggle series" and by some counts the most-watched show around the world, did more for slow-motion beach joggers than anything since Chariots of Fire --just replace the British Olympic athletes with young women in high-cut red swimsuits who look like Playboy models. The premise of Baywatch is straightforward: a Los Angeles-based team of lifeguards saves swimmers and occasionally fights crime, led by beefcake Mitch Buchannon (David Hasselhoff). And those Playboy models? This season marked the debut of the quintessential Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson as C.J. Parker. Also debuting were Nicole Eggert as Roberta "Summer" Quinn, and Alexandra Paul as Mitch's old flame, Lt. Stephanie Holden. Future Showgirls star Elizabeth Berkley and surf champion Kelly Slater appear in a short-lived love triangle with Summer, Gregory Alan Williams continues to make appearances as Sergeant Garner Ellerbee, and David Charvet plays newcomer lifeguard Matt Brody. Throughout the season, Mitch and Stephanie dance around rekindling their relationship (but the attempt to use Mitch to evoke Bogie in Casablanca is just silly). Other events and encounters of the season include pirates ("Masquerade"), a basketball slaying ("Lifeguards Can't Jump"), a diamond smuggler ("Strangers Among Us"), a cruise hijacking ("Vacation"), an escaped convict ("The Tower"), a devastating injury to a key crew member ("Shattered"), and an Australian crew member (Trevor Goddard) in the season finale ("Fatal Exchange"). Just as with the previous set, calling this set "season 2" is a misnomer. It's really the final 20 episodes of the third season (1992-93), which was the second season the series had been in syndication. Noticeably absent are the first two episodes, the two parts of "River of No Return," which were previously released on DVD by another studio and are not included here. That's significant because those episodes marked the departure of former regulars Erika Eleniak and Billy Warlock, as well as the series debuts of Pamela Anderson and Nicole Eggert. However, the second and third episodes of the real season 1, "In Deep" and "Heat Wave," are included as bonuses. Also, co-creators and executive producers Greg Bonann, Doug Schwartz, and Michael Berk discuss the creation of the show and its move from NBC to syndication in a 13-minute segment. Another drawback, however, is that much of the original music has been replaced, including "I'm Always Here," Jimi Jamison's theme song. --David Horiuchi

swimsuits who look like Playboy models. The premise of Baywatch is straightforward: a Los Angeles-based team of lifeguards saves swimmers and occasionally fights crime, led by beefcake Mitch Buchannon (David Hasselhoff). And those Playboy models? This season marked the debut of the quintessential Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson as C.J. Parker. Also debuting were Nicole Eggert as Roberta "Summer" Quinn, and Alexandra Paul as Mitch's old flame, Lt. Stephanie Holden. Future Showgirls star Elizabeth Berkley and surf champion Kelly Slater appear in a short-lived love triangle with Summer, Gregory Alan Williams continues to make appearances as Sergeant Garner Ellerbee, and David Charvet plays newcomer lifeguard Matt Brody. Throughout the season, Mitch and Stephanie dance around rekindling their relationship (but the attempt to use Mitch to evoke Bogie in Casablanca is just silly). Other events and encounters of the season include pirates ("Masquerade"), a basketball slaying ("Lifeguards Can't Jump"), a diamond smuggler ("Strangers Among Us"), a cruise hijacking ("Vacation"), an escaped convict ("The Tower"), a devastating injury to a key crew member ("Shattered"), and an Australian crew member (Trevor Goddard) in the season finale ("Fatal Exchange"). Just as with the previous set, calling this set "season 2" is a misnomer. It's really the final 20 episodes of the third season (1992-93), which was the second season the series had been in syndication. Noticeably absent are the first two episodes, the two parts of "River of No Return," which were previously released on DVD by another studio and are not included here. That's significant because those episodes marked the departure of former regulars Erika Eleniak and Billy Warlock, as well as the series debuts of Pamela Anderson and Nicole Eggert. However, the second and third episodes of the real season 1, "In Deep" and "Heat Wave," are included as bonuses. Also, co-creators and executive producers Greg Bonann, Doug Schwartz, and Michael Berk discuss the creation of the show and its move from NBC to syndication in a 13-minute segment. Another drawback, however, is that much of the original music has been replaced, including "I'm Always Here," Jimi Jamison's theme song. --David Horiuchi  (less)