Baywatch
The Natural
TV Flash files “The Natural” as hour 172 of 233 in the TV Flash guide — Baywatch (1989–2001) on NBC/Syndication, season 9, episode 5, aired 1998-10-19, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S09E05: listed hour 172 of 233 in the Baywatch guide, hour 5 of 22 in season 9. It aired 1998-10-19 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “Dolphin Quest” (S09E04). Next is “Drop Zone” (S09E06).
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
The episode starts with someone rescuing a surfer in trouble. When the rescue has been completed, the phantom lifeguard is nowhere to be seen. A minute later, JD arrives in a lifeguard truck and he is able to see tracks in the sand showing clearly that someone else made the rescue. He tells Cody, Sheryl and Bridget about the incident. Later during a roll call, Mitch is surprised to find out that Alex has hired a new maintenance person, a girl named Jessie Owens. Everyone likes her at first, especially Cody and JD. While Cody and JD are on patrol, they are surprised to see Jessie jumping off a pier. They are convinced that she is trying to commit suicide. But they soon figure out that Jessie wants to become a stuntwoman. Jumping off the pier was just one of many tricks she has been working on. It turns out that Jessie is the phantom lifeguard when she rescues a little girl named Beth and then disappears mysteriously once again. It does not take very long until everyone finds out that Jessie turns out to be a bad maintenance person. Alex has no choice but to fire her. While Alex is talking to Jessie, she notices scars on her arm. Beth, the little girl Jessie rescued, had the same kind of scars. Later Jessie rescues Sean. When two of Sean's future fraternity pals bury him up to his neck, he starts sinking into a sinkhole. Mitch, Alex, JD and Cody assist Jessie during the rescue. When everyone has seen for themselves what a great lifeguard Jessie is, she gets the opportunity to join rookie school that is supposed to start next week. One day, Alex approaches Mitch and tells him that she wants to come out from behind her desk. Mitch knows that she is a lifeguard and a certified paramedic, but still he lets her stay at headquarters. Ed Symes returns (8.18 "Quarantine") and offers Mitch some free medical supplies if he lets him ride in the call car with him. Alex comes along and Ed bothers her all the time. When Sheryl calls them from her tower about a man with a possible heart attack, they drive to her tower. It turns out, however, the man just has cramps from a too-vigorous workout. Ed who wants to be a hero, rushes towards them with the defibrillator. Trying to save the jogger, Mitch is shocked instead. To get even with Ed, he and Alex ask him to demonstrate a sling/stretcher victim. When Ed is completely tied up and helpless, Mitch and Alex leave him on the beach.
Viewer FAQ
Where does The Natural sit in the Baywatch guide?
S09E05 is listed hour 172 of 233 — hour 5 of 22 in season 9, season 9 episode 5.
When did Baywatch S09E05 air?
The Natural aired 1998-10-19 and is listed at 60 minutes.
NBC season or syndication empire?
NBC canceled it; syndication made it a planet. Early hours still have earnest California sun. Later ones are the export machine — Hasselhoff's second global brand.
In the series
Why this series still plays
NBC canceled it. Syndication made it a planet. Slow-motion red swimsuits, Hasselhoff's second global export, and rescue plots that exist to justify the run. Born in 1989, it becomes the 1990s' international camp empire — lifeguard as lifestyle brand. Early hours still have earnest California sun; later ones are the pure export machine.
The swimsuit is the silhouette. NBC, 1989, then first-run syndication through 2001: L.A. County lifeguards patrol beaches with rescues, drama, and peak fitness aesthetics — slow-mo, red swimsuits, Hasselhoff's second global export. Baywatch, from Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bonann, put David Hasselhoff as Mitch Buchannon with Parker Stevenson, Shawn Weatherly, Billy Warlock and a rotating tan. Rescue plots exist to justify the run. NBC canceled it. Syndication made it a planet. *Red as a…
Filed against
- David Hasselhoff as Mitch Buchannon
David Hasselhoff’s Michael Knight made Knight Rider a talking Trans Am religion — 1980s catalog high-concept toy, Kit I need you as a Friday liturgy, then Baywatch turning the same chest into a planetary slow-motion export. TV Flash files…
- Parker Stevenson as Craig Pomeroy
Parker Stevenson played Craig Pomeroy on Baywatch — NBC canceled it, syndication made it a planet. Slow-motion red swimsuits, rescue plots that exist to justify the run, lifeguard as lifestyle brand. Born in 1989, it becomes the 1990s’…
- Shawn Weatherly as Jill Riley
Shawn Weatherly's Jill Riley ran early Baywatch as earnest rescue before syndication made a planet — NBC canceled it, slow-motion red swimsuits, Hasselhoff's second global export, plots that exist to justify the run. Born in 1989, camp…
- Billy Warlock as Eddie Kramer
Billy Warlock’s Eddie Kramer ran Baywatch before syndication made it a planet — NBC canceled it, slow-motion red swimsuits, Hasselhoff’s second global export, rescue plots that exist to justify the run. Born in 1989, camp empire in the…