Season Overview:
Baywatch Season 7 aired from September 23, 1996, to May 12, 1997, consisting of 22 episodes.
Season Seven saw the introduction of four new cast members. Nancy Valen as the determined Captain Samantha Thomas, Donna D’Errico (who traded Baywatch Nights for days on the beach) as Donna Marco, Traci Bingham as African-American Jordan Tate and Jose Solano as the enthuastic Manny Gutierrez. In addition, Michael Newman’s role as “Newmie” was substantially increased earning him an opening title credit. There were bound to be casualties, however. After guest starring in five of that Season’s episodes, we bade farewell to Jaason Simmons. His character, Logan Fowler left Baywatch HQ to pursue a career in film-making.
We saw another favourite leave in a very dramatic manner. The most evoking episode of the Season was “Chance of a lifetime” and it brought about the death of Stephanie Holden, when she was struck by part of a mast during a thunderstorm at sea. She died in the arms of the two men she loved most, Mitch and her new husband Tom. This was only the second time a major character had died in the history of Baywatch, and since Stephanie was such a long-serving Baywatch member, her death had extra impact with audiences. Typically controversial topics covered this Season included manic depression and teenage suicide. Donna D’Errico’s real-life Playboy photoshoot was cleverly worked into a plot (“Buried”) which saw her character Donna Marco suspended as a result of earning extra money in her spare time. Baywatch Nights went into it’s second season with a cast reshuffle and a new direction. Cashing in on the popularity of genre shows like Poltergeist: The Legacy, PSI Factor and The X-files, we now saw Mitch and Co. enter into a world of the supernatural battling the forces of darkness. Midway through Season Seven, the newspapers trumpeted “Baywatch is dropped by ITV”. This came as a shock as ITV was the TV company which saved Baywatch from being cancelled after Season One by investing money into it.
ITV complained that they were receiving episodes from America at the very last minute and it made for scheduling difficulties. They announced that Sabrina the Teenage Witch would be Baywatch’s replacement. In reality, ITV was screening episodes almost in tandem with America, and the custom of having a show take a break midway through a season to show repeats is not commonplace in the UK. When new episodes appeared in the US, Baywatch resumed on ITV amid newspaper announcements that “ITV decides to show Baywatch again.”
However certain scenes deemed “not suitable for tea-time viewing” were censored and some “saucier” episodes were shown past midnight under the moniker “Baywatch Late”. This was a repeat of the fiasco that happened with Beverly Hills 90210 a few years previously. ITV eventually abandoned the show and sold it to SKY.
Main Cast:
Episode List
| Episode Number | Episode | Synopsis | |
|---|---|---|---|
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01 | SHARK FEVER |
Logan, bitten by the movie bug, casts Caroline as his lead actress opposite a man-eating shark! Bent on becoming the next Steven Spielberg, Logan turns his back on the water and puts his eye to the lens to make his very own version of “Jaws.” But Hollywood fantasy becomes a grim reality when Logan’s directing debut turns deadly for the Baywatch Lifeguards. Written by: Montgages: |
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02 | THE CONTEST |
When Mitch judges the Miss Malibu Beach Bikini Contest, his willpower is tested by two beautiful contestants who will do anything to get his vote. Caroline desires a career as an actress, but desires her acting teacher more, complicating her relationship with Logan. After almost losing a victim, Cody designs the “Windjet”, an innovative, new lifesaving boat. Donna is blackmailed for a past indiscretion. |
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03 | LIQUID ASSETS |
CJ befriends Max, a homeless eccentric who lives in a cart on the beach. When Max dies, it’s revealed that Max was a wealthy man who bequeaths four million dollars to CJ. Hobie helps seventeen year old Manny Gutierrez try to become a Junior Lifeguard. Manny accompanies Hobie to a Venice tattoo parlor so Hobie can express his individuality. |
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04 | WINDSWEPT |
Mitch and the date who bought him at a Bachelor Auction are stranded on a desert island, while Cody leads his roller hockey team to the championship of the NHL Breakout Tournament. |
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05 | SCORCHER |
The temperature soars, and it’s one day in the life of Baywatch… but, it’s the mother of all beach days. Everything that can happen… does. Every lifeguard at Baywatch is called in as hundreds of thousands flock to the sea. From A to Z, chaos is the word for the day. On top of it all, the President of the United States is planning a jog on the beach. Caroline’s birthday is today. Is anybody going to remember her with everything that’s going on? |
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06 | BEACH BLAST |
To help promote sponsors for the Special Olympics athletes, Mitch enlists the aid of Jenny McCarthy and the other MTV VJ’s. The result: the “Beachblast” competition! Full-out, sand-in-your-face beach and water games played live on MTV, Baywatch Lifeguards versus MTV VJ’s. Everyone’s a winner since all proceeds go to the Special Olympics. |
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07 | GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER |
CJ is known for having kooky, strange characters coming in and out of her life. In this unique episode the kookiest of all the characters, her mom, comes to town. Throughout the episode it’s hold onto your hats as her Mom is in a constant state of trouble. |
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08 | LET THE GAMES BEGIN |
Baywatch hosts the Uncle Toby’s International Ironman Competition which brings camaraderie and competition between the lifeguards at Baywatch as well as the International competitors. |
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09 | BURIED |
Mitch leads a group of junior lifeguards on a survival training weekend, but the outing is cut short when their bus is trapped in an earthquake triggered tunnel cave-in. |
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10 | SEARCH AND RESCUE |
When an elite Search and Rescue Unit is formed by the lifeguards and the fire department Cody, Neely, Jordan, and Newman try out for the squad. Meanwhile, Mitch has a hard time explaining to everyone about his weird experiences at his night job and CJ shows everyone her artistic side by doing a painting of Cody. |
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11 | HEAL THE BAY |
The Santa Monica Bay is polluted after a rainstorm and Donna and Caroline are on duty, keeping the beach-goers from contact with the polluted ocean water. While Mitch trains for an Ironman competition, he swims through some of the toxic waste from a rusty drum at the bottom of the ocean and Neely and CJ save him. With Cody’s help, they rush to find the source of the illegal dumping and the nature of the poison. |
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12 | BACHELOR OF THE MONTH |
Mitch is chosen to be Bachelor of the Month for hip, trendy Flash Magazine. A deadly Portugese Man-of-War terrorizes the beaches. And Stephanie and Tom decide to tie the knot. |
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13 | CHANCE OF A LIFETIME |
Stephanie and her new husband are on their honeymoon when an accident results in Stephanie being crushed and killed by the mast of the boat. Mitch could do nothing to save her, and the Baywatch lifeguards hold a dramatic memorial service in her honor. |
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14 | TALK SHOW |
When Mitch rescues Cassie Cole, famous talk show hostess, from a rip current, she invites him onto her show in gratitude. Cody plants the idea that he could freeze up with “flop sweats” while on camera, and Mitch’s whole life takes a turn. Meanwhile, Caroline and CJ adopt a dog. “Annie” is an athlete, fastidious, a health food nut, loves Mitch, and even recycles. CJ soon believes that “Annie” is the reincarnated soul of her late sister, Stephanie. |
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15 | LIFE-GUARDIAN |
A mysterious boy helps Caroline rescue three inner city youth and then disappears, while Neely gets a surprise visit from her ex-husband, Peter, which stirs up old feelings. |
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16 | MATTERS OF THE HEART |
Manny has to go back to his roots to help a young boy from a gang to set his life straight. Mitch and Samantha’s secret relationship is revealed to Baywatch. |
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17 | RENDEZVOUS |
Mitch and Caroline help Manny when two of his friends decide to commit suicide rather than allow their parents to break up their romance. Cody and CJ come face-to-face with a mermaid who thinks Cody is a lover she lost at sea a hundred years earlier. |
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18 | TRIAL BY FIRE |
Caroline is being sued by the mother of a victim that she lost in a fiery night time boat accident. Meanwhile, CJ realizes that she wants to be a mother and worries that Cody isn’t ready to settle down. |
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19 | GOLDEN GIRLS |
Neely and Mitch are after a crazed Jamie Duncan, the top female bodybuilder in the world. Meanwhile, Newman falls for a girl who doesn’t speak English and goes to great ends to communicate with her. |
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20 | NEVERMORE |
CJ has a secret admirer who is leaving trinkets of his affection for her. As he admires her from afar, he sees that she is in an accident and comes to her rescue. He does not make himself visible because of his grotesque “monster” like appearance. Meanwhile, after the accident, Cody realizes that he would be lost without CJ. Their love story comes to a new beginning when Cody proposes marriage to CJ. |
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– | BAYWATCH AT SEAWORLD | |
Key Characters
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- Mitch Buchannon
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- C.J. Parker
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- Cody Madison
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- Caroline Holden
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- Neely Capshaw
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- Donna Marco
- Jordan Tate
- Manny Gutierrez
- Samantha Thomas
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- Hobie Buchannon
Season Highlights
- Episode Themes: The season tackles various themes, including environmental issues, personal relationships, and dramatic rescues. Episodes often blend action with emotional arcs for the characters.
- Notable Episodes:
- “Shark Fever” (Episode 1): The season opens with Mitch and his team facing a shark scare while navigating personal challenges.
- “Buried” (Episode 9): A bus trip for junior lifeguards turns disastrous when an earthquake triggers a rockslide, trapping Mitch and others underground
- “Hot Water” (Episode 18): Lifeguards rescue a pilot from an Air Force jet crash that threatens to release a deadly virus into the ocean
- “Baywatch at Sea World” (Episode 20): The team helps an injured sea lion while organizing a stunt show at Sea World, showcasing their commitment to marine life
- “Nevermore” (Episode 22): In a darker twist reminiscent of horror films, C.J. is stalked by a mysterious figure dubbed “the phantom lifeguard,” leading to intense drama and rescue efforts. This episode marks the final appearance of Pamela Anderson.
Reception
Season 7 maintained the show’s popularity with its blend of action-packed rescues and character-driven stories. The series continued to attract viewers through its engaging plots and charismatic cast, contributing to its legacy as a cultural phenomenon in the ’90s
