Baywatch: How David Hasselhoff’s Mitch Died (& How He Was Resurrected)

Baywatch was one of the most iconic TV shows of the 1990s and was led by David Hasselhoff’s Mitch, but the character eventually died and came back. While some like to make fun of it and single it out as an example of inexplicable 1990s phenomenons, there’s no denying that Baywatch was absolutely huge, and became so prominent in pop culture that even non-watchers knew of its characters and wackier storylines. Baywatch actually began on NBC, who canceled the show after one season, only for Baywatch to produce 10 more seasons in syndication.

Baywatch stands as one of the longest-running dramas in syndication history, and is also in the upper echelon for TV drama length period. Detractors aside, the beach-set series about lifeguards in Los Angeles (and later Hawaii) and their personal and professional lives proved to have true staying power, and was at one point the most-watched show in the entire world. While the scantily clad stars certainly played a large part in that appeal, there are other places to find that type of content than a TV show.

While Baywatch, unsurprisingly when considers its long run, saw lots of cast turnover, one man was almost always there to help those in need, that being lead lifeguard Mitch Buchannon. While David Hasselhoff was already a known commodity thanks to the classic show Knight Rider, it was Baywatch that reignited his career and made him a household name again. Still, Mitch wasn’t untouchable, as fans later learned.

David Hasselhoff’s Mitch Buchannon faithfully patrolled the beaches of Los Angeles County for seasons 1 through 9 of Baywatch, then moved with the show to Hawaii for season 10. He even starred in the bizarre short-lived spinoff Baywatch Nights, where Mitch became a detective and investigated the paranormal. When it came time to make season 11 though, which turned out to be Baywatch‘s last, Hasselhoff opted to depart and leave Mitch behind. Clearly, producers would’ve preferred him to stay, as Mitch was killed off in a very murky fashion, likely in case Hasselhoff had second thoughts.

While pursuing a gang of eco-terrorists led by Mitch’s fellow former Navy SEAL Zach Martin, Mitch fell victim to an explosion underwater, and when he didn’t surface, was understandably presumed dead. Baywatch season 11 went on without Mitch, but his supposed death was undone as part of the 2003 reunion movie Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding, the sunniest TV movie this side of Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style. Mitch returns, having survived the explosion, but suffered amnesia as a result. He’s recovered by the time Hawaiian Wedding begins, albeit having chosen to retire as a lifeguard. Hasselhoff would later reprise Mitch once again for a cameo in 2017’s Baywatch movie, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

About The Author