Baywatch: The Complete Season Two

There was a point in its lifetime when Baywatch was just about the biggest TV show on the planet with an estimated 1 billion people watching it at some time. This is no mark of quality but just an indication of the universal appeal of very well toned men and women in swimwear, a fairly formulaic plot for each episode and nothing that would cause any trouble in moderate Arab states. The show had a fairly environmental conscious message, espoused the virtues of physical fitness, being able to swim, taking care of one another and being wary of big business. Everyone realised that it was undeniably cheesy with hackneyed dialogue (which was clearly very easy to dub), some wooden acting and fairly predictable outcomes to every narrative arc but that didn't prevent it being immensely enjoyable and maintaining a 6 PM slot every Saturday evening.

For those of you who have no idea what Baywatch is about, the show follows the lifeguards on Malibu beach in Los Angeles County who, aside from saving people's lives, get involved in bringing down the odd criminal conspiracy, saving the beach from environmental catastrophe and maintaining order on the sound by stopping people drinking, playing board games, sunbathing topless and going into the sea with inflatables or surfboards (must be fun on the beach, huh?). There is always something going on beyond saving someone from drowning whether it involves a sex attacker on the beach, the potential closing of the local sea life rescue centre or an armed criminal with an amphibious jeep!

Although there are a couple of blokes senior to him, the guy in charge is basically Lt Mitch Buchannon, a role that made David Hasselhoff a household name and a worldwide star, not only as an actor but also as a singer (he did lend his vocal talents to some of the end credits music) and became a surprising musical success in Germany as a result. Aside from one episode, this season does not have any of the 'big hitters' such as Yasmine Bleeth, Alexandra Paul, Gena Lee Nolan, Nicole Eggert or, particularly, Pamela Anderson. In her defining role as CJ Parker, Ms Anderson really only became a star in the third season having not featured in the first two. David Hasselhoff, known by many just as ' The Hoff' has become such an icon that even features (as himself) in The Spongebob Square Pants Movie!

As it is, the real star of the show is Erika Eleniak, the feisty and hard-working Shawni McLaine who is the heir to her parents' fortune who frown upon her relationship with fellow lifeguard Eddie Kramer (Billy Warlock) is seemingly always jealous of the attention that Mitch seems to get from men and women alike. The relationship between Shawni and Eddy formed the narrative arc for the season with Erika Eleniak and Billy Warlock leaving the show at the end of the season to pursue a career in feature films -- that didn't quite turn out so well but, as and when Eleniak left, they needed someone to take her place and up stepped Pamela Anderson!


Everything about Baywatch tells the rational part of my brain, the part that has an MA in International Film, that I am watching complete trash, disposable nonsense that were so popular because of well endowed women in swimsuits that can't hold a candle to shows like The Sopranos, Six Feet Under or The Wire but there is something ridiculously enjoyable about something that is so unabashedly and unashamedly lightweight. It seems that every episode has the same narrative arc (unless it is a two-parter) where there is some conflict and trauma established near the beginning which builds up before a montage (or two) somewhere around the middle before the emotional conflict and trouble is resolved before the end credits. You know everything is going to end up okay in the end and that person who did look as if they were going to die is going to recover in the last few minutes and thank the lifeguards who were there when it mattered.

I had never considered that Baywatch would be the sort of show to end up on DVD but, now that it is here, it seems perfectly logical to put something that had (and seemingly still has) a large fan base out there for public consumption so that the people who watched and enjoyed the show nearly 20 years ago can reminisce and see of nostalgia is kind to this TV show. Although I didn't watch much Baywatch, it is surprising how the storylines seem very familiar and that, even in the first 5 to 10 minutes, I knew exactly how many of them were going to end. This isn't something that will really display the greatest thespian talents ever broadcast on television but you do have to credit the cast with getting into shape, doing all manner of stunts around (and in) water and spending hours in front of the camera in either a swimsuit or a pair of shorts.


The Disc

The Picture
Just as broadcast in 1991, this is shown in the 1.33:1 full frame ratio and I'm pleased that there has been no effort to corporate to make the picture fit a modern 1.78:1 screen which would mean losing the top and bottom of the picture. For something of this age, I was surprised just how well the colours, skin tones and contrast levels stand up and some of the underwater photography is extremely good, showing that Baywatch isn't all about slow motion running!

I'm not sure whether this was designed as a recruitment vehicle for the Los Angeles County lifeguards, but it probably did them absolutely no harm whatsoever and the fact that the show was able to feature high powered boats, helicopters and various other expenses rescue equipment probably meant that they did have a deal with the LA County lifeguards, if only to act as real lifeguards to cover the health and safety insurance side of things.


The Sound
The Dolby Digital 2.0 mono soundtrack is, again, just as broadcast in the early '90s, presenting the dialogue very clearly along with the extremely cheesy music which accompanies the montage sequences and the end credits. I was surprised at some of the bands that were involved at having their music in a TV show with Mike + The Mechanics appear in the end credits for one show!


Final Thoughts
This is a fairly basic package with no extra features on any disc with just the selection of 'Episodes' or 'Play All' to choose from. It would have been interesting to hear from the creators, David Hasselhoff or Erika Eleniak about what this season meant to them and the show as a whole but that would probably take quite a bit of arranging.

Even so, for fans of Baywatch who remember sitting down on a Saturday evening to watch the show and have fond memories of its early days, nostalgia is a funny thing and they make this a package worth a look. It's certainly not classic television but it was popular for a reason and watching these 22 episodes makes it abundantly clear why!