The Story Behind Hulk Hogan's Failed TV Show, Thunder In Paradise
The 1990s was undeniably an era full of cheesy television — some were and remain beloved, like "Saved by the Bell," while others were reviled both then and now. "Cop Rock," anyone? One 90s series that has been largely forgotten, however, is "Thunder in Paradise." The Hulk Hogan-led drama is a strange blend of "Baywatch" and "Knight Rider," likely serving as an attempt to capitalize on the success of those two shows.
The syndicated series saw Hogan's Randolph J. "Hurricane" Spencer partner up with Martin "Bru" Brubaker, played by Chris Lemmon, to take down criminals on Florida's Gulf Coast using their shape-shifting boat — the Thunder. The concept is just as wacky in execution as it sounds on paper, and the show would only last a single season before getting canceled. "Thunder in Paradise" began with a two-part pilot that was released direct-to-video in 1993, followed by the rest of the first season, which began airing in March of 1994.
Thunder in Paradise Comes to an End
In addition to some unusual continuity-breaking changes between the movie-length pilot and the rest of the series, including the offscreen death of a prominent side character, "Thunder in Paradise" would begin introducing more and more wrestlers in guest-starring roles. That includes friends of Hogan such as Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, Jimmy Hart, Terry Funk, and Sting, who appeared in four episodes as the villain Hammerhead.
Ratings for the show were reportedly okay –- perhaps even good enough for a second-season renewal. However, the show aired during the same period when Hogan made his grand return to wrestling in WCW. Because of that, as well as the strenuous schedule, Hogan no longer had any interest in continuing on as "Hurricane," and "Thunder in Paradise" would bow out after 22 incredibly cheesy episodes. According to Hogan, Eric Bischoff and Ric Flair visited him on the set of the series, and that is where plans to introduce Hogan as the mysterious third member of the NWO first came into being, changing the wrestling world forever.