It’s hard for younger viewers to understand how huge a deal Baywatch was in the 1990s. After a single season on NBC in 1989, the lifeguard drama moved to syndication, where it exploded into a hit. Starring David Hasselhoff as the leader of a lifeguard team, the series was, at one point, the most-watched television show on the planet. It also served as a launching pad for some famous names, most notably Pamela Anderson.
After a failed big-screen movie in 2017, Baywatch is getting a revival courtesy of Fox. It’s not a full reboot as Stephen Amell plays a grown Hobie Buchanan (played by Jeremy Jackson in the original show) who’s taken over from his father Mitch (Hasselhoff), leading this lifeguard team. Hobie is thrown when a new recruit (Jessica Belkin) turns out to be the daughter he never knew he had.
The cast is a mix of familiar TV faces, such as Shay Mitchell and social media stars like Brooks Nader. Notably, David Chokachi will reprise his role as Cody Madison.
Now, a truly OG Baywatch face is joining as Erika Eleniak confirmed on her Instagram page that she’ll be appearing on the show as her character Shauni McClain. Considered the first “Baywatch beauty,” Shauni was part of the show when it debuted in 1989 and remained for two more seasons.
“I’m so excited! I can’t wait to bring Shauni back to Baywatch!” Eleniak declared. “I’m also excited to meet the new cast and catch up with David Chokachi who’s bringing back Cody. Let’s go!”
Per Variety, Shauni has moved on from lifeguarding and is now a Santa Monica city councilwoman. She’ll appear to assist in a “Beach Games” between the Baywatch team and the Coast Guard.
It’s a fun throwback to the original show with a question of whether this is only the start of more Baywatch cameos.
Who else can cameo on Baywatch?
Obviously, the best bet for an original Baywatch star returning is David Hasselhoff. The man is iconic for many roles, and Mitch is one of them. He even cameoed in the 2017 movie. With Hobie following in his footsteps, it’s only a matter of time before Mitch drops by to visit his son and continue his legacy on the series.
It would be great to bring back Anderson as well, whose C.J. Parker was one of the show’s top faces and still looks amazing today. With the show’s huge cast over its 11-season run, there are plenty of former stars who could return, such as Carmen Electra, Geena Lee Nolin, Kelly Packard, Brooke Burns, Michael Bergin, and more.
There may even be a chance to call in a couple of cast members who have mostly retired from acting, such as Yasmine Bleeth, Alexandra Holden, or David Charvet, who might want to recapture their glory days. (It's a safe bet that it’d be hard to bring back Jason Moama, who was in the last two seasons.)
Hopefully, the series can provide these characters with logical reasons to show up. Shauni now being a councilwoman fits her character, as she was always about helping others, and it makes sense she’d move into that. Likewise, some characters can return to show if they’ve achieved their dream jobs or stuck with lifeguarding.
The series is likely to lean toward the newer cast rather than rely too much on filling up on past character cameos. Still, it’s a great way to link this new Baywatch to the old one and a reminder of the incredible legacy this show has.
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