Few TV shows managed to penetrate pop culture in the way that Baywatch has. Since its premiere on NBC in 1989, the long-running lifeguard-centered drama series has become iconic for featuring sandy beaches, impossibly attractive stars, slow-motion scenes and of course, those red swimsuits. It’s because of the show’s enduring popularity that Fremantle went to such great lengths to ensure that the series would finally be streamable. And, according to an exec, that required a lot of time, patience and of course, money.
In the position of Chief Operating Officer of Commercial and International at Fremantle is Bob McCourt, and he recently participated in the NEM event held in Dubrovnik, Croatia. During the event, McCourt explained (via Deadline) that there were mainly two major hurdles at play in order to get Baywatch ready for the streaming realm. One obstacle was the fact that the vintage episodes needed to be converted to high definition. Additionally, there was the matter of ensuring that the rights to the music featured on the show were cleared:
Basically, it hadn’t been cleared for streaming. The music hadn’t been cleared and it was also in standard definition. We made the decision to remaster all episodes into high definition and then clear [or replace] the music… with a big upfront investment.
Clearing music for specific media can be a challenge in a lot of cases. However, imagine having to get that all straightened out for 400 songs across about 250 hours of TV. It’s a costly investment for sure but, in this case, there’s a lot to gain. Just the mere thought of the process seems tedious. Ultimately, many of those tunes ended up being replaced entirely, but the theme song is still present as are the songs of The Beach Boys.
As Deadline mentioned, heavily loved, vintage IPs can be lucrative for a media company in this somewhat unpredictable landscape. Bob McCourt further explained just why he’s now confident that his and his colleagues’ efforts to obtain the rights to the show and make it streamable:
It was a big risk that actually paid off 10 times over. Baywatch has sold to every territory and around the world, including to Amazon, Hulu, RTL in Germany, and France TV in France.
Created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz and Gregory J. Bonann, Baywatch centers on the daily professional exploits of a team of lifeguards as well as their personal entanglements. After running for one season on NBC, the show was canceled, yet it managed to find new life via syndication, which is how it aired during its additional 10 seasons. The show also served as a springboard for the careers of notable stars like Pamela Anderson, Donna D’Errico (who still sports the swimsuit now and then) and Carmen Electra.
At this point in time, Fremantle is working with Fox to create a Baywatch reboot, which was first reported to be in the works in 2024. Bob McCourt said during the NEM event that he and his colleagues are still in “advanced talks” with the aforementioned network. Specific details are scarce right now, though a few franchise alums have weighed in on it. Pamela Anderson isn’t interested in returning as “C.J.” Parker, though Nicole Eggert – who’s discussed her time on the show – didn’t seem to totally throw out the notion of playing Summer Quinn again.
There are still plenty of questions revolving around the reboot but, even if it doesn’t happen, Fremantle’s business moves ensure that the OG Baywatch show remains available for years to come. As someone who’d hate to see any kind of media lost to time, I smile knowing that the nostalgia-inducing show is available to stream (and own on Blu-ray and DVD).
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