| Thunder in Paradise | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Michael Berk Douglas Schwartz Gregory J. Bonann |
| Starring | |
| Ending theme |
|
| Composers | John D'Andrea Cory Lerios |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 22 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Production companies | Berk/Schwartz/Bonann Productions Rysher Entertainment Trimark Pictures |
| Original release | |
| Network | Syndication |
| Release | March 25 – November 27, 1994 |
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.
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.
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 2 | "Thunder in Paradise" | Douglas Schwartz | Story by : Douglas Schwartz & Michael Berk Teleplay by : Michael Berk | March 25, 1994 |
| 3 | "Tug of War" | Douglas Schwartz | Michael Berk | April 1, 1994 |
| 4 | "Sea Quentin" | Gregory J. Bonann | John Hill | April 8, 1994 |
| 5 | "Strange Bru" | Lyndon Chubbuck | David Braff | April 15, 1994 |
| 6 | "Sealed with a Kismet: Part 1" | Douglas Schwartz | Tom Greene | April 22, 1994 |
| 7 | "Sealed with a Kismet: Part 2" | Douglas Schwartz | Tom Greene | April 29, 1994 |
| 8 | "Changing of the Guard" | Gus Trikonis | W.M. Whitehead | May 6, 1994 |
| 9 | "Gettysburg Change of Address" | Russ Mayberry | Jonathan Thorp | May 13, 1994 |
| 10 | "Distant Shout of Thunder" | Lyndon Chubbuck | Tom Greene | May 20, 1994 |
| 11 | "Nature of the Beast" | Gus Trikonis | Tom Greene | May 27, 1994 |
| 12 | "Identity Crisis" | Gregory J. Bonann | Michael Berk | July 8, 1994 |
| 13 | "Queen of Hearts" | Lewis Stout | W.M. Whitehead | July 15, 1994 |
| 14 | "Plunder in Paradise" | Bernard L. Kowalski | Jonathan Thorp | July 22, 1994 |
| 15 | "Eye for an Eye" | Gregory J. Bonann | Michael Berk | August 26, 1994 |
| 16 | "Endangered Species" | Les Sheldon | Michael Berk | September 9, 1994 |
| 17 | "Deadly Lessons: Part 1" | Douglas Schwartz | Deborah Bonann Schwartz | September 16, 1994 |
| 18 | "Deadly Lessons: Part 2" | Douglas Schwartz | Deborah Bonann Schwartz | September 23, 1994 |
| 19 | "Blast Off" | Paul Cajero | David Braff | November 6, 1994 |
| 20 | "Dead Reckoning" | Tom Greene | Tom Greene | November 13, 1994 |
| 21 | "The M.A.J.O.R. and the Minor: Part 1" | Gregory J. Bonann | Tom Greene | November 20, 1994 |
| 22 | "The M.A.J.O.R. and the Minor: Part 2" | Gregory J. Bonann | Tom Greene | November 27, 1994 |
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).
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]
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]
