The Wildest Hulk Hogan TV Show Was a Baywatch Follow-Up You Can't Even Watch Today
Wrestler and actor Hulk Hogan has died. And, as many wrestle with his legacy (pun intended) and remember the good times and bad times in the WWF and WWE, some of us might get a bit nostalgic for his strange acting career. There are a lot of odd Hulk Hogan film and TV roles that one could tackle, but the strangest, and now, most elusive role of all was when he played Randolph J. "Hurricane" Spencer in a bizarre action series called Thunder in Paradise.
Here's why the show was so wild, what it was about, and why it's so hard to watch today.
What was Hulk Hogan's show Thunder in Paradise?
Thunder in Paradise was a 1993 TV show crafted by Baywatch creators Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bonann. It started life as a 1993 direct-to-video movie and became a strange short-lived TV show that lasted until 1994.
The show was all about two former Navy SEALs — Spencer (Hogan) and Brubaker (Chris Lemmon), who run a mercenary business in the Gulf Coast of Florida. Think Baywatch meets Knight Rider with a tricked-out boat called "Thunder" that had discount James Bond gadgets.
The series also starred former model Carol Alt as Kelly LaRew, a bartender, who is involved with Spencer. Oh, the show is also kind of a sitcom, because Spencer and Bru often have to take care of Spencer's stepdaughter, Jessica (Ashley Gorrell).
Somehow, the show managed to have Patrick Macnee, of Avengers and James Bond fame, as a regular, playing Jessica's uncle.
Was this show as wacky as it sounds? Yes. But you can't even really imagine to what degree.
Can you stream Hulk Hogan's Thunder in Paradise?
Originally syndicated, Thunder in Paradise was later rerun on TNT. Today, it's hard to find it streaming on reliable services like Tubi or Pluto. However, many fans have uploaded episodes of the series to YouTube, which you can watch in all their grainy 1990s glory.
Related: Hulk Hogan Cause of Death: What's Known About How He Died