History YMMV / Baywatch

* HypeBacklash: While the show was wildly popular across the globe during the '90s, it recently made the #21 spot in TV Guide's Top 50 Worst TV Shows of All Time.
* ItsNotSupposedToWinOscars: Creator/PamelaAnderson famously stated (paraphrasing) that the show wasn't high art, and wasn't trying to be, so you should just enjoy it for what it is.
--> '''Pamela''': Everyone loved ''Baywatch''. [[SelfDeprecation If the sound was off.]]
* JustHereForGodzilla: Plots? Who cares about the plots or subplots? Just show us the slow-motion shots of the lifeguards running with their boards. And the pecs and bouncing jugs.

* WhatAnIdiot: How Mitch didn't catch onto Gwen and Mattie being the same person (until it was too late) in "Mirror, Mirror" is beyond belief.

* BestKnownForTheFanservice: Without a doubt, the thing the show is most-remembered for is slow-motion shots of attractive lifeguards (both male and female) running across the beach on their way to rescue a civilian in need. ''Website/TheAgonyBooth'' once noted that ''Baywatch'''s decline in popularity coincided with the rise of home broadband internet, joking(?) that ''Baywatch'' was only popular because it was PoorMansPorn and accessible {{internet|Is For Porn}} making legitimate porn more accessible made ''Baywatch'' obsolete.

* BestKnownForTheFanservice: Without a doubt, the thing the show is most-remembered for is slow-motion shots of attractive lifeguards (both male and female) running across the beach on their way to rescue a civilian in need. ''Website/TheAgonyBooth'' once noted that ''Baywatch'''s decline in popularity coincided with the rise of home broadband internet, joking(?) that ''Baywatch'' was only popular because it was PoorMansPorn and accesible internet making legitimate porn more accessible made ''Baywatch'' obsolete.

* HarsherInHindsight: "The Life You Save" features the Baywatch team facing a 25% budget cut, which would of course mean some of the lifeguards would be reduced to working part-time hours. This was in 1994. Watching the episode again today, in the midst of one of the worst financial crises ever, it's eerie how it's even MORE relevant.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: The executives, producers, and story editors at Creator/{{NBC}} all thought a show about lifeguards was a dumb idea with a limited premise. NBC cancelled the show after its first season, but Creator/DavidHasselhoff and the show's creators were able to continue ''Baywatch'' through syndication and with a budget that came from excessive ProductPlacement, all at the cost of proper scripts and not being able to do retakes. Although ''Baywatch'' would go on to become one of the most successful shows in the world, NBC [[JustifiedTrope can't exactly be called wrong for their lack of faith in the show]] since [[BestKnownForTheFanservice its success clearly didn't come from good stories or interesting characters.]] [[note]] Although in 1994 (during the peak of the show's syndicated popularity), NBC took out an ad in the ''Hollywood Reporter'', admitting that they made a mistake when they cancelled the show 4 years earlier.[[/note]]

* SpiritualSuccessor: Creator/USANetwork's ''Pacific Blue''. Except the show starred beach cops instead of lifeguards.

* BestKnownForTheFanservice: Without a doubt, the thing ''Baywatch'' is most-remembered for is slow-motion shots of attractive lifeguards (both male and female) running across the beach on their way to rescue a civilian in need. ''Website/TheAgonyBooth'' once noted that ''Baywatch'''s decline in popularity coincided with the rise of home broadband internet, joking(?) that ''Baywatch'' was only popular because it was PoorMansPorn and accesible internet making legitimate porn more accessible made ''Baywatch'' obsolete.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: David Hasselhoff actually gave a pretty powerful performance in the two-part episode "Shattered," but was unfortunately let down by the ludicrous script and the obscene ProductPlacement.

* ItsNotSupposedToWinOscars: Pamela Anderson famously stated (paraphrasing) that the show wasn't high art, and wasn't trying to be, so you should just enjoy it for what it is.

** Almost any attempt at serious drama was ruined by corny writing, cheesy subplots, hammy or amateurish acting, and unsubtle product placement. A good example of this would be the episode where it's revealed Stephanie has skin cancer, which was used as the b-plot of the WCW tie in episode where Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage need to win a wrestling match on the beach in order to save the local youth center from a cartoonishly evil condo developer.

* MainstreamObscurity: ''Baywatch'' remains to this day the most widely viewed show in the world, with over a billion viewers a week at its peak. It's also one the [[LongRunner longer lasting shows]] with 242 episodes over 12 years and 11 seasons. However, most people know nothing about ''Baywatch'' aside it being a lifeguard show where hot people in swimsuits run across the beach in slow motion.

* NeverLiveItDown: The shots of the lifeguards running down the beach in slow motion became the only thing the show is known for even though it was only used in the intro and [[{{Padding}} montage segments]].

* BestKnownForTheFanservice: Without a doubt, the thing ''Baywatch'' is most-remembered for is slow-motion shots of attractive lifeguards (both male and female) running across the beach on their way to rescue a civilian in need. ''Website/TheAgonyBooth'' once noted that ''Baywatch'''s popularity decline coincided with the rise of home broadband internet, joking(?) that ''Baywatch'' was only popular because it was PoorMansPorn and accesible internet making legitimate porn more accessible made ''Baywatch'' obsolete.

* BestKnownForTheFanservice:
** Without a doubt, the thing Baywatch is most-remembered for is slow-motion shots of attractive lifeguards (both male and female) running across the beach on their way to rescue a civilian in need.
** The Agony Booth once joked that ''Baywatch'' was only popular because it was PoorMansPorn and its popularity declined when the rise of home broadband Internet made legitimate porn more accessible.

** Ernie Wallengren wrote two episodes and served as executive producer. Wallengren also served as co-developer and co-executive producer of ''Series/{{Flipper}}'' ( the one with Creator/JessicaAlba, not the original.)

* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: When Garner rides his horse in "Sky Rider", the music that accompanies it is suspiciously similar to "William Tell Overture"..

** Elroy Schwartz wrote the ''Series/GilligansIsland'' episode. Schwartz previously served as co-creator and producer of ''Series/DustysTrail''. Both Schwartzes are related to ''Series/GilligansIsland'' creator Sherwood Schwartz this explains a lot.

** Almost any attempt at serious drama was ruined by corny writing, cheesy subplots, hammy or amateurish acting, and unsubtle product placement. A good example of this would be the episode where it's revealed Stephanie has skin cancer, which was used as the b-plot of the WCW tie in episode where Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage need win a wrestling match on the beach in order to save the local youth center from a cartoonishly evil condo developer.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: The executives, producers, and story editors at Creator/{{NBC}} all thought a show about lifeguards was a dumb idea with a limited premise. NBC cancelled the show after its first season, but Creator/DavidHasselhoff and the show's creators were able to continue ''Baywatch'' through syndication and with a budget that came from excessive ProductPlacement, all at the cost of proper scripts and not being able to do retakes. Although ''Baywatch'' would go on to become one of the most successful shows in the world, NBC [[JustifiedTrope can't exactly be called wrong for their lack of faith in the show]] since [[BestKnownForTheFanservice its' success clearly didn't come from good stories or interesting characters.]] [[note]] Although in 1994 (during the peak of the show's syndicated popularity), NBC took out an ad in the ''Hollywood Reporter'', admitting that they made a mistake when they cancelled the show 4 years earlier.[[/note]]

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Its sexuality actually looks rather quaint and conservative these days.

* EditedForSyndication: An interesting variation: On Amazon Prime, the show is mostly intact but a few episodes have some edits due to music being used that is no longer in the public domain.
** Notable is that the season five episode "Runaways" is only 33 minutes long as it edits out some music performances from British pop star Jayne Collins as well as most of the appearance of guest star Music/LittleRichard.

* CharacterDerailment: A unique case with Neely. She first popped up as a conniving woman who faked a sexual assault claim to get ahead and seemingly fired. She returned in season 6, now played by Geena Lee Nolin and starting off still conniving. However, the character ended up softened by fighting a painkiller addiction and revealed she'd become pregnant with her ex not wanting the child. It culminated with she and Mitch being married in the season 8 finale. But in season 9, Nolin had left the show and Neely now played by Jennifer Campbell. Suddenly, all that growth was thrown out as Neely's ex revealed he had no idea he was a father and she'd been lying to Mitch about a "breakup" to get with him. Overnight, Neely was right back to the selfish bitchy woman she'd started out as, culminating in faking being hit by Mitch to get him fired and then drugging Alex, which ended with Alex firing ''and'' punching Neely in the face in full view of the entire lifeguard staff.

* CharacterDerailment: A unique case with Neely. She first popped up as a conniving woman who faked a sexual assault claim to get ahead and seemingly fired. She returned in season 6, now played by Geena Lee Nolin and starting off still conniving. However, the character ended up softened by fighting a painkiller addiction and revealed she'd become pregnant with her ex not wanting the child. It culminated with she and Mitch being married in the season 8 finale. But in season 9, Nolin had left the show and Neely now played by Jennifer Campbell. Suddenly, all that growth was thrown out as Neely's ex revealed he had no idea he was a father and she'd been lying to Mitch about a "breakup" to get with him. Overnight, Neely was right back to the selfish bitchy woman she'd started out as, culminating in faking being hit by Mitch to get him fired and then drugging Alex, which ended with Alex firing ''and'' punching Neely in the face in full view of the entire lifeguard staff.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: The executives, producers, and story editors at Creator/{{NBC}} all thought a show about lifeguards was a dumb idea with a limited premise. NBC cancelled the show after its first season, but Creator/DavidHasselhoff and the show's creators were able to continue ''Baywatch'' through syndication and with a budget that came from excessive ProductPlacement, all at the cost of proper scripts and not being able to do retakes. Although ''Baywatch'' would go on to become one of the most successful shows in the world, NBC [[JustifiedTrope can't exactly be called wrong for their lack of faith in the show]] since [[BestKnownForTheFanservice its' success clearly didn't come from good stories or interesting characters.]]
** Although in 1994 (during the peak of the show's syndicated popularity), NBC took out an ad in the Hollywood Reporter admitting that they made a mistake when they canceled the show 4 years earlier.

* Creator/MichelleWilliams made her screen debut in "Race Against Time: Part 1."