I was around 5 when the show became a hit in 90 and it was watched by all kids my age too. We were too young to get the sex appeal of the show but I watched it religiously until I was 11 and its appeal was the music, the dramatic storylines and the coolness of it. Not everybody watched it for the flesh.

It was great escapism too as Ireland is dull and grey whilst baywatch was the exact opposite akin to the popular Australian soap opera home and away that was also very popular back then. Both were sunshine,blue skies and beautiful beaches with beautiful young actors. Everything about it was so different to what Ireland and the UK offered and watching the lifeguards in sunny california had a fantasy element to it.

I am in Ireland and there was only a handful of channels here at the time so we had limited options and it was broadcast on prime time hours so naturally everybody watched it. Generally back in the 90s everybody watched the same stuff on tv because generally there was a lack of option. It was much easier therefore for shows to become big hits. Baywatch was the most watched show ever back then. I recall seeing it on the records books saying it was the most watched show in the world.

>No one went to Baywatch for its gripping dialogue

While that's true, Hasselhoff was both one of the producers of the show and someone who wanted to be taken seriously. That's one of the reasons they spun off Baywatch Nights (which they still cheaped out on) and kept doing serious dramatic episodes. I can still understand Hoff being coked out of his mind and taking in millions for a decade and so not caring, but what about everyone else involved? How are you on the most popular show in history and getting paid industry minimum to act out unfinished scripts without sets and not say anything?