During the 1990s, Baywatch was one of the most popular and profitable syndicated programs throughout the world. (Syndicated programs are those sold to independent television stations.) With its mix of melodramatic plots, bikini-clad young women, and bare-chested young men, the series presented the California sun-and-surf lifestyle as it depicted the adventures of a team of lifeguards that patrolled the beaches around Los Angeles, California. Although it was criticized as "jiggle TV," audiences in 145 countries embraced Baywatch and, at its peak, the program boasted more than a billion viewers.

Baywatch focused on the relationships and rescues of a Southern California lifeguard unit led by Mitch Bucannon (David Hasselhoff, 1952–). The lifeguards routinely saved drowning victims, battled drug smugglers, and faced shark attacks—all while engaged in romantic subplots. The young actresses and actors who appeared on the program were better known for their sleek physiques and buff bodies than for...