Even if you’ve never seen a second of Baywatch , you’ve likely seen the indelible image of gorgeous women and hunky men running along the beach in red bathing suits. The show, starring David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson , dominated airwaves in the 1990s, running from 1989 to 2001, including the spinoff Baywatch: Hawaii . Nearly 25 years after the series’ conclusion, the new Hulu documentary After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun aims to explore the massive impact the show had on society as it capitalized on the idea that sex sells.
After Baywatch however, is discombobulated, too frequently getting close to interesting ideas and thoughts before rapidly cutting to something easier to digest. It ends up feeling like a promotional tool for Baywatch rather than an in-depth analysis of the famous series. For a show that’s best remembered for slow-motion running, the documentary about it moves at breakneck speed.
The editing is manic, juggling countless talking heads of actors, producers, casting directors, and consultants with Baywatch footage and stock footage of people hanging out at the beach. The quick cutting often has the feeling of a Michael Bay movie , which works if there’s mass chaos and explosions, but it feels wildly out of place in a documentary that attempts to assess the legacy of one of the most popular shows of the '90s. It’s also confusing; you hear from dozens of people who’ve been on the show, but there’s no sense of how brief or extended their time.