Thunder in Paradise
Created byMichael Berk
Douglas Schwartz
Gregory J. Bonann
Starring
Ending theme
ComposersJohn D'Andrea
Cory Lerios
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes22
Production
Executive producers
  • Michael Berk
  • Douglas Schwartz
  • Terry "Hulk" Hogan
  • Gregory J. Bonann
Running time45 minutes
Production companiesBerk/Schwartz/Bonann Productions
Rysher Entertainment
Trimark Pictures
Original release
NetworkSyndication
ReleaseMarch 25 (1994-03-25) –
November 27, 1994 (1994-11-27)

Thunder in Paradise is an American action-adventure TV series from the creators of Baywatch, which stars Hulk Hogan, Chris Lemmon, and Carol Alt. This first-run syndicated TV series originally premiered as a direct-to-video feature film in September 1993, then ran for one season from March 25 until November 27, 1994, before being cancelled.[1] In May 1994, during a taping of WCW Saturday Night, Hogan publicly expressed a desire to return to professional wrestling and hinted that he would no longer be a part of the show.[2] The series was later rebroadcast on the TNT cable network.

Series concept

Thunder in Paradise follows the adventures of two ex-United States Navy SEALs, Randolph J. "Hurricane" Spencer and Martin "Bru" Brubaker, who work as mercenaries out of their tropical resort headquarters along Florida's Gulf Coast of the United States. Using their futuristic, high-tech boat, nicknamed Thunder, they travel around the world fighting various criminals and villains. They must also balance their dangerous undercover work with their responsibilities of raising widower Spencer's young stepdaughter Jessica, who lives with them.

Former model Kelly LaRue, who owns and manages the Scuttlebutt Bar & Grill on the beach in front of the resort, looks after Jessica whenever Spence and Bru go on their missions. Kelly also serves as a romantic foil for Bru. Edward Whitaker, Jessica's uncle, owns the beach resort and makes semi-regular appearances in the series, primarily for comic relief.

Characters

Main cast

Recurring cast

Episodes

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1
2		"Thunder in Paradise"Douglas SchwartzStory by : Douglas Schwartz & Michael Berk
Teleplay by : Michael Berk		March 25, 1994 (1994-03-25)
3"Tug of War"Douglas SchwartzMichael BerkApril 1, 1994 (1994-04-01)
4"Sea Quentin"Gregory J. BonannJohn HillApril 8, 1994 (1994-04-08)
5"Strange Bru"Lyndon ChubbuckDavid BraffApril 15, 1994 (1994-04-15)
6"Sealed with a Kismet: Part 1"Douglas SchwartzTom GreeneApril 22, 1994 (1994-04-22)
7"Sealed with a Kismet: Part 2"Douglas SchwartzTom GreeneApril 29, 1994 (1994-04-29)
8"Changing of the Guard"Gus TrikonisW.M. WhiteheadMay 6, 1994 (1994-05-06)
9"Gettysburg Change of Address"Russ MayberryJonathan ThorpMay 13, 1994 (1994-05-13)
10"Distant Shout of Thunder"Lyndon ChubbuckTom GreeneMay 20, 1994 (1994-05-20)
11"Nature of the Beast"Gus TrikonisTom GreeneMay 27, 1994 (1994-05-27)
12"Identity Crisis"Gregory J. BonannMichael BerkJuly 8, 1994 (1994-07-08)
13"Queen of Hearts"Lewis StoutW.M. WhiteheadJuly 15, 1994 (1994-07-15)
14"Plunder in Paradise"Bernard L. KowalskiJonathan ThorpJuly 22, 1994 (1994-07-22)
15"Eye for an Eye"Gregory J. BonannMichael BerkAugust 26, 1994 (1994-08-26)
16"Endangered Species"Les SheldonMichael BerkSeptember 9, 1994 (1994-09-09)
17"Deadly Lessons: Part 1"Douglas SchwartzDeborah Bonann SchwartzSeptember 16, 1994 (1994-09-16)
18"Deadly Lessons: Part 2"Douglas SchwartzDeborah Bonann SchwartzSeptember 23, 1994 (1994-09-23)
19"Blast Off"Paul CajeroDavid BraffNovember 6, 1994 (1994-11-06)
20"Dead Reckoning"Tom GreeneTom GreeneNovember 13, 1994 (1994-11-13)
21"The M.A.J.O.R. and the Minor: Part 1"Gregory J. BonannTom GreeneNovember 20, 1994 (1994-11-20)
22"The M.A.J.O.R. and the Minor: Part 2"Gregory J. BonannTom GreeneNovember 27, 1994 (1994-11-27)

Home media

  • The pilot movie was originally released on home video the week of September 27, 1993. It was not broadcast on television until the beginning of Season 1, after which it was split into two episodes for reruns and later syndication.
  • The two-part episode "Sealed with a Kismet" was combined and released to home video as the feature Thunder in Paradise II.
  • The two-part episode "Deadly Lessons" was combined and released to home video as the feature Thunder in Paradise 3.
  • The two-part episode "The M.A.J.O.R. and the Minor" was used as the basis for the Thunder in Paradise CD-i interactive game. In addition to the episode itself, additional footage was filmed for use at different stages in the game. This game-exclusive footage was shot at the same time as the episode itself.[3] Another video game based on Thunder in Paradise, this one from The Software Toolworks, was announced for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis,[4] but never released.

In September 2006, Lionsgate released a DVD 3-disc Thunder in Paradise Collection that contained Thunder in Paradise ("Thunder in Paradise" Parts 1 & 2), Thunder in Paradise II ("Sealed with a Kismet" Parts 1 & 2), and Thunder in Paradise 3 ("Deadly Lessons" Part 1 & 2).

Filming locations

The Thunder in Paradise pilot movie was filmed in and around the historic The Don CeSar hotel in St. Pete Beach, Florida, during April 1992. When the series was picked up for a full season, the production company then moved to Disney's Hollywood Studios near Orlando, Florida, where the primary filming location became Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa at Walt Disney World. Other filming locations at Walt Disney World included Disney's Old Key West Resort, Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, and Epcot, used heavily due to the wide variety of futuristic and international architectural styles available at that theme park. The destruction of the school featured in the two-part episode "Deadly Lessons" was an actual controlled demolition of a school building in Central Florida that the production company agreed to perform in exchange for filming rights. Stetson University in DeLand, Florida was utilized for an episode.[5]

Reception

On the release of the DVD collection in 2006, the series was reviewed by David Cornelius of DVD Talk:

It's 1990s television for action fans who can't handle the subtle nuances of Baywatch Nights. It's stupid, sexist, and embarrassing, but oh, how much fun it is.

Cornelius admits to giving the series a higher rating than usual, and selectively recommends it but warns that "those not so fond of Bad Movie fun, meanwhile, should obviously skip it".[6] In 2008, Entertainment Weekly ranked it as the "cheesiest" syndicated TV series.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hinman, Catherine (October 28, 1994). "'Thunder in Paradise' Strikes Out". The Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Hulk Hogan, Sting, Ric Flair, Sherri & Bockwinkel skit comp (04 30 to 07 16 1994 WCW Saturday Night)". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Thunder from TV to CD". GamePro. No. 62. September 1994. p. 161.
  4. ↑ "Thunder in Paradise". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 63. October 1994. p. 116.
  5. ↑ Tracy, Dan (April 7, 1994). "Hulkster to Be Huckster for Tourism in Orlando". The Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
  6. ↑ Cornelius, David (September 26, 2006). "Thunder in Paradise Collection". DVD Talk. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Cheesy syndicated TV: A brief history". Entertainment Weekly. October 24, 2008. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
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