Season Overview:
This season aired from September 20, 1999, to May 15, 2000, consisting of 22 episodes. It marked the show’s relocation to Hawaii and introduced new characters while maintaining some familiar faces.
With Australia a “no-go” for Baywatch, the show found a new home in Hawaii. Hawaii was the ideal location, some of the world’s best beaches, dangerous surf and stunning locations – it also helped that Hawaii offered large financial incentives to move the show to the islands. This was a significant factor in the decision to relocate production, Baywatch was becoming more and more expensive to make.
The agreement to move to Hawaii included several key points:
- Addition of the subtitle “Hawaii” meaning Baywatch would now be known as, “Baywatch: Hawaii“
- Hiring of local production crew
- Commitment to film on-location for at least two years
- Production of 44 episodes, each costing about $870,000 to $1.1 million
- 60% of the budget to be spent in Hawaii
Storyline Adaptation: The show’s narrative was adjusted to explain the move. Mitch Buchannon (David Hasselhoff) was shown starting a Lifeguard Training Center in Hawaii, which served as the premise for the relocation.
David Hasselhoff returns as the star, however his role in the series is limited with a focus on the new team. Jason Brooks as Season Monroe joins Baywatch regulars Brooke Burns & Michael Bergin. New additions this year include Simmons Jade Mackinonn, reprising her role from the failed “Baywatch: Down Under” pilot, Stacy Komano, Brandy Ledford, Jason Momoa and later int he season, Krista Allen.
Main Cast:
Episode List
| Episode Number | Episode | Synopsis | |
|---|---|---|---|
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01 | ALOHA BAYWATCH |
While on the beach in Hawaii, Mitch rescues a little girl. He sets out to begin Bawatch Hawaii, an international training camp for lifeguards. Meanwhile, Jessie realizes that she has some competition for JD after he meets Kekoa. |
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02 | MAHALO BAYWATCH |
The Baywatch team moves in and gets acquainted, and Mitch saves a former victim from a secondary drowning. |
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03 | WEAK LINK |
Dawn joins the team, but the other members aren’t confident in her skills. |
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04 | SHARK ISLAND |
Mitch and Tanner visit Shark Island and a mysterious man who lost his son there appears in front of Tanner. |
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05 | STRIKE TEAM |
Baywatch teams up with the Coast Guard to search for a group of kids in the water. |
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06 | SUNDAY IN KAUAI |
The Baywatch team goes on a weekend getaway to the Waimea Valley. There, Jessie and Kekoa save a man trapped in a waterfall and Allie and Sean search for treasure. |
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07 | RISK TO DEATH |
Jason’s individuality becomes a problem and a pregnant woman goes into labor after falling overboard. |
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08 | FATHER OF THE GROOM |
Kekoa overcomes her fear of failure and Hobie is suddenly getting married and Mitch needs to stop the wedding. |
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09 | THE HUNT |
Jessie sets out on a personal mission to stop a shark hunting boat and Jason proves himself as a true kama’aina. |
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10 | GOLD FROM THE DEEP |
The team becomes obsessed with money-lust for a sunken treasure and the search becomes dangerous when Jason causes a torpedo to shake loose at the site. |
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11 | BENT |
An experimental submarine and its passengers ends up in a devastating tragedy for Allie, who finds & loses love all too quickly. |
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12 | PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE |
JD’s inventions pay off, as he performs a daring underwater rescue. Jessie and Allie become parents for a day after they come across a boy who has lost his mommy. Also, Dawn deals with a painful memory of a life and death choice from her past. |
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13 | LIQUID VISIONS |
Dawn rescues a man, underwater for over ten minutes, and tries to learn his magical secret. Meanwhile, Jessie, Kekoa and Allie spend a girls’ night out that ends up with a rescue off the side of a cruise ship. |
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14 | LINES IN THE SAND |
Sean and Jason encounter Jenna for the first time, in flirtation and innocence. They then realize that Jenna’s plans for the team will actually make life on the station more difficult. |
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15 | THE HERO |
The rescues the team makes make them forget about their personal troubles. Sean and Kekoa begin a romantic flirtation. |
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16 | THUNDER TIDE |
Jason returns to a beach where lifeguards have lost their lives, and fights the memories that haunt him. An underwater maze leaves Jessie fighting for her life. |
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17 | BREATH OF LIFE |
Jason learns an ancient Hawaiian tradition from a wise old man and his granddaughter. |
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18 | BIG ISLAND HEAT |
Sean and Jenna, even after working together in a daring rescue, are still fighting for control of the team. Allie and Jason make a double rescue. |
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19 | MAUI XETERRA |
With Dawn’s help, Jessie prepares herself mentally and physically for the competition of a lifetime. |
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20 | BAYWATCH O’HANA |
Sean and Jenna plan a romantic getaway in Maui – but end up in a rescue that puts Jenna’s life at risk. |
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21 | LAST RESCUE |
Jessie exhibits a psychic bond with her grandfather, but the emotional understanding between he and Mitch saves him from ending his life. |
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22 | KILLING MACHINE |
Mitch faces off with an old Navy Seal vet who is planning to bomb in the name of eco-terrorrism. |
Key Characters
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- Mitch Buchannon
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- Sean Monroe
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- Jessie Owens
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- J.D. Darius
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- Kekoa Tanaka
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- Jason Ioane
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- Dawn Masterson
Recurring Themes
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- Adapting to the new Hawaiian setting
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- Complex rescue operations in a tropical environment
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- Personal challenges and growth for team members
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- Cultural integration and understanding of Hawaiian traditions
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- Environmental issues affecting the Hawaiian beaches
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- Balancing personal lives with the demands of lifeguard duty
This season marked a significant change for the series with its move to Hawaii, introducing new characters and challenges while maintaining the core elements of dramatic rescues and personal storylines that defined Baywatch.
