The essential episodes of Baywatch

Watch these 15 in order and you've got Baywatch — each pick states its reason.

1. 01

   S01E01 · Pilot · September 22, 1989 · 1h

   In Deep6.8

   Instead of attending summer school, Hobie decides to go power skiing with two friends, whose recklessness leads to a tragic accident. Eddie's lack of financial resources is revealed when Craig finds him sleeping in one of the lifeguard towers.

2. 02

   S01E04 · Season 1 peak · October 20, 1989 · 1h

   Message in a Bottle7.5

   Mitch's former wife is planning to move to Ohio and wants to take Hobie with her. Upset over the squabbling that ensues, Hobie takes off with a friend and runs into pirates on a nearby island. Eddie and Shauni squabble after Shauni accidentally hurts Eddie.

3. 03

   S02E02 · Season 2 peak · September 30, 1991 · 1h

   The One That Got Away7.8

   A fisherman tricks new lifeguard Megan into rescuing him in order to attack her. When he continues to stalk her, Mitch has to find a way to stop him. Meanwhile, when Shauni suffers from lifeguard burnout, Eddie takes her on a romantic weekend getaway, which quickly turns passionate.

4. 04

   S03E16 · Season 3 peak · February 8, 1993 · 1h

   The Tower7.4

   A psychopath murderer named Jacob Kilmer escapes from prison and takes Stephanie and Summer hostage in a lifeguard tower. Hobie makes a periscope for his science class.

5. 05

   S04E17 · Season 4 peak · February 28, 1994 · 1h

   Rescue Bay8.5

   When TV producer Don Brand visits Baywatch, he decides to create a television show based on lifeguarding, which creates havoc with the Baywatch crew. He calls the series Rescue Bay.

6. 06

   S05E03 · Top rated · October 15, 1994 · 1h

   Aftershock8.5

   Mitch reunites with Gayle for Hobie's sake, but she changes her mind when Mitch leaves the wedding for a rescue. Logan and Matt fight over Caroline. But, after a rescue that requires them to work together, Logan recommends Matt for the Medal of Valor.

7. 07

   S05E05 · Season 5 peak · October 29, 1994 · 1h

   Air Buchannon8.8

   Mitch and Stephanie partner for a 24-hour shift on a busy day where they help each other with accident victims and even try to rekindle their lost romance once again. With his father away, Hobie falls for a new girl from his school and throws an ill-advised party at the house to impress her. The next day, disaster narrowly avoids Hobie when he tries to stop two of his wild friends, J.B. and Connor, from flying Mitch's hang glider off a cliff.

8. 08

   S05E09 · Top rated · November 26, 1994 · 1h

   Red Wind8.8

   The Santa Ana Winds usher in some unusual beachgoers and strange times for the lifeguards: Caroline helps an insane man who swears his daughter drowned in the ocean; a meek man torments Mitch because the man's fiancee remains infatuated with Mitch from her rescue 11 years ago; and a romantic older couple makes love under a blanket on the beach.

9. 09

   S06E01 · Season 6 peak · September 25, 1995 · 1h

   Trapped Beneath the Sea (1)8.3

   Mitch considers a new career working with Garner as a private eye. To launch a fashion business, Logan cheats on Caroline again. Neely Capshaw returns to Baywatch, stirring up trouble like blackmailing Logan. Stephanie recruits Olympic hopeful Cody Madison. Mitch and his crew face a desperate situation when an old sea mine explodes after colliding with an offshore oil rig, causing it to collapse to the ocean bottom. Cody, Neely, and four others are trapped.

10. 10

    S07E18 · Season 7 peak · April 14, 1997 · 1h

    Hot Water8.7

    Sam, Neely and Caroline investigate a military jet containing a virus that crashes into the ocean; C.J., Cody and Newmie try to shut down a nude beach.

11. 11

    S08E01 · Season 8 peak · September 22, 1997 · 1h

    Rookie Summer8.3

    New recruits arrive at Baywatch to try out for rookie school, including Hobie, Manny, and newcomers: Lani McKensie, a part-Hawaiian, part-Caucasian wanting to be a professional dancer; April Giminski, a naive college student majoring in design unfamiliar with swimming in the ocean; and Skylar Bergman, April's roommate who wants to become a paramedic. Along with Donna and Jordan to assist, Newman must teach the recruits the basics of lifeguarding a beach. Manny becomes angry at Mitch after failing an eye test due to a technicality that disqualifies him from rookie school. After Samantha quits her position as Baywatch Captain, Chief Johnson offers Mitch Sam's job with a promotion to Captain. But Mitch turns her down, feeling more needed at the beach than away from it. Meanwhile, Lani's insanely jealous ex-boyfriend Darren follows her from Hawaii, where Cody met her after breaking up with C.J. and inspired her to try out for rookie school. Darren will not allow her to start a new life without him.

12. 12

    S09E02 · Season 9 peak · September 28, 1998 · 1h

    Crash (2)7.7

    Mitch receives a phone call at home about the plane crash. Later, Craig finds out that it's Cody and April's flight. When the lifeguards arrive at the scene, they must rescue the survivors of a plane crash. Mitch is relieved when he finds Cody alive in the water. Meanwhile, in the first-class compartment, Francine starts having labor contractions. If that's not enough for April to handle, Hans freaks out and is convinced that he will die. Mitch and Neely discuss their marriage.

13. 13

    S10E06 · Season 10 peak · October 25, 1999 · 1h

    Sunday in Kauai7.3

    The Baywatch team go on a weekend getaway to the Waimea Valley. Jessie and Kekoa are still fighting for J.D., and he loves it. After a while, they decide that they should stop being childish and start sorting stuff out, which they manage to do. When going paddling, Jessie and Kekoa have to save a man trapped in a waterfall by working together. Jason and J.D. are going to check out girls, but they do not have much success. Meanwhile, Allie and Sean search for treasure, but end up in some kind of graveyard.

14. 14

    S11E06 · Season 11 peak · November 6, 2000 · 1h

    Broken Promises6.5

    Danny reluctantly joins the rookie team when he gets into trouble with the law again. Kekoa moves out of her father's home. Two women steal Zack and Jason's truck.

15. 15

    S11E22 · Series finale · May 14, 2001 · 1h

    Rescue Me5.0

    The final episode of the series. Leigh is getting married as Sean contemplates a job offer from Australia with their lifeguards. He's also still dealing with his feelings for Leigh as he tries to choose between the two.