A much-needed reboot! Iconic '90s TV show 'Baywatch' in talks to return 22 years after it was axed
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Fremantle is looking to turn up the heat this summer with rumors suggesting that the British TV kingpin is "having talks" with a number of streaming networks and channels for a possible reboot of 'Baywatch', after twenty-two years. 'Baywatch' debuted in 1989 on NBC, but was not renewed for a second season. As a result, ITV bought the rights to the program, and by the middle of the 1990s, it had amassed more than a billion viewers, all thanks to the wildly successful beach drama that aired for a further 10 seasons.
Created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J Bonann, 'Baywatch' was a popular American television series that aired from the late 80s to the late 90s. The show followed a group of Los Angeles County lifeguards as they patrolled the beaches of California, depicting their daily lives and duties. The series gained widespread recognition for its slow-motion running scenes and focus on beach-based drama. It also enjoyed immense popularity, becoming a cultural phenomenon and launching the careers of its cast members, such as David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson, and Carmen Electra. Additionally, 'Baywatch' garnered international acclaim and was broadcasted in over 140 countries, cementing its place as one of the most-watched television programs globally.
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Why did the OG 'Baywatch' end?
After having an enormous run of 11 seasons, 'Baywatch' was announced to have ended after the show moved to Hawaii. President and CEO of Pearson Television North America, Brian Harris said, "The economics associated with bringing the program back could not be justified. It has been an amazing success story, but over the last couple of years, one wouldn't have been surprised by this announcement. This is a logical and natural end to the show," as per Mirror.
'Baywatch' spin-offs over the years
The iconic '90s show has had its share of spin-offs during the last couple of decades. In 2003, a spin-off movie 'Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding' aired on Fox, which was a reunion of the cast, and in 2017, the Zac-Efron, Dwayne Johnson, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas starrer 'Baywatch' was released. David Chokachi, an original cast member of the '90s show revealed that he pitched a reboot of the series at some point in the past. However, he believes that his ideas were ultimately discarded due to the release of the 2017 'Baywatch' film remake. "I had pitched them, they rebooted every show from the ’90s and I’d say half of them were hits," he said. David further added, "I was like, 'Why are you guys lagging on this, why didn’t you try and strike?'… Then the movie came out and the movie squashed any idea."
Will 'Baywatch' finally get a reboot? Only time will tell!
