It’s a little long, but you should be able to get through with no problem!

 
**** Sharkey’s Review ****

Aloha Baywatch
Premier Episode/10th season (1999-2000)
Date Aired: 9/26/1999   Encore: 10/2/99

My score : 1 Rescue Can/Poor

This Week’s Quote:  “Mitch picked you to become members of this team,
I didn't!”
-Sean Monroe (Jason Brooks) addressing the team that Mitch wanted to staff his Lifeguard Training Center.

Ratings:

5 Rescue Cans/Exceptional (Super Waves!)
4 Rescue Cans/Excellent
3 Rescue Cans/Good
2 Rescue Cans/Fair
1 Rescue Can/Poor (A total Wipeout!)
 

Baywatch Hawaii made its debut and I must say that the show has not improved
at all from last season.  The premier episode 'Aloha Baywatch' was extremely
weak to start off the season.  Another remake from an old episode.  The more
talented cast of Mitzi Kapture, Kelly Packard and David Chokachi have decided
not to return to the show for their own reasons.

The Executive Producers have decided to return to the mistake made during
the 7th season.  This season revealed very weak acting on part of the main cast
with the exception of David Hasselhoff and Jason Brooks.  Gone is Classic
Baywatch and its California Beaches in which it was built around.  Say
goodbye to those famous red swimsuits and rescue cans, which are now
collectors items.  We won't be seeing the Buchannon home or Baywatch
Headquarters either.

We now see yellow swimsuits on the women and red knee shorts with
drawstring and piping around the waistband on the men.  Much of the
weak plot just didn't make any sense at all.  I have thought of at least
fifty ideas to give Mitch good, solid reasons to move to Hawaii and
start a Training Center.  The reason they gave us just totally clashed
with everything he has ever wanted.

The episode started out in Hawaii with Mitch sitting on the beach with a
growing beard and a bandana tied around his head, like some silly,
middle-aged gang banger.  He was supposed to depressed with his life.
It's something that a longtime fan of the show couldn't possibly buy into.
Mitch rescues a Hawaiian family and the little girl named Hina
(Janel Parrish) was saved, but was rushed to the hospital in a coma.
His reasons were not valid as Mitch (David Hasselhoff) spoke to a
Hawaiian Lifeguard named Kelelie Rock Keaweamahi.  Mitch called
him Rock (Vince Klyn).

His Dad passed SEASONS ago and although Mitch loved him, they just
couldn't see eye to eye and as a result did not have a close relationship.  After
his father died, Mitch was not shown mourning, but shown getting on with
his life.  He came to peace with it two seasons later in the 'Father's Day'/5th
season episode.  And his stating that Hobie was gone off to college wasn't
good either.  Mitch wanted Hobie to go to college even though the teenager
did not want to.  Mitch got his way here, so what was the beef?  Hobie didn't
declare that he was leaving and never coming back.  This was not mentioned
last season.  Hobie was working at Baywatch and was following in the footsteps
of his father.  Mitch has claimed that he didn't know how to talk to him
any more.  No one buys this!  Mitch and Hobie are close and have had heated
disagreements since Hobie was just a little thing.  You'd think that there was
an invisible umbilical cord attached to them!

But now as time has it, Hobie (Jeremy Jackson) has been pushed out of the
picture for a younger model.  Let's face it, last season during the shooting
schedule, Jeremy was considered washed up at 17 for the role.  To keep a
young image, David Hasselhoff and the little boy who portrayed Tanner Sloan
(Cameron Finley) relive the Mitch/Hobie days.  It is enough to make
your stomach curl.  Where are my TUMS?
 
And the Alzheimer's dilemma has finally been addressed here.  Mitch's Mom,
Irene Buchannon (Anne Jefferies) was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease
way back in the 6th season.  Mitch and Hobie should have been taking care of
her until it got too difficult as Alzheimer's patients get extremely violent
due to confusion.  But for some reason, this fact was discarded in the
8th season's 'Diabolique.'   Irene didn't have the disease and was taking
care of little Ashley.  Mitch went on with his life as though his Mom
was a healthy woman.  Now the disease has resurfaced as one of the
excuses to become a recluse in Hawaii.  This REALLY makes your stomach
upset!

And Mitch said that he still thinks about his ex-wife.  I can't see a problem
here.  He can see Gayle (Wendie Malick) anytime he wants.  Although they
had divorced YEARS ago when Hobie was little, they remained close friends for
the sake of their child.  They care about each other.  He had come to terms with
it enough to have meaningful relationships with other women.  He married
Neely (Gena Lee Nolin/Jennifer Lynn Campbell) and broke up with her.  So I
can't see what he has to gripe and whine about.

The whole concept of him running a Training Center is illogical to me.  Mitch
shuns responsibility of running anything.  He couldn't stand being a Captain
with Baywatch.  I can't imagine him opening and running a Lifeguard
Training Center.

He whines to Rock about the little girl and how he has made mistakes.  He
thought that she was caught in a rip current, but was in a lava tomb.  And
the girl was now hospitalized in a coma.  Rock told him that he didn't know
that there were rip currents, caves and lava tombs around the rock pits and
about the waves were breaking against it.  Mitch told him that he had lost
his confidence and didn't think that he should be on the beach any more.

Mitch went to the hospital to check on the girl's condition.  There was
no change.  After swimming off some of the frustration, he visited Rock
who was on duty in his tower.  Mitch wanted to talk to him, so Rock got
another Lifeguard to watch his water.   He told Rock that the little girl's
incident had an impact on him and gave him the scoop about his Lifeguard
Training Center.  He wanted to open it here in Hawaii to handle any given
situation.

Mitch has had many situations with victims.  He has been through this
remake before.  Seasons ago it happened with two little boys who were
brothers.  He had the decision of following procedure and saving one over
the other first.  He went through Traumatic Stress Syndrome.  The scenes
in the water and hospital were the same, right down to placing his necklace
in the little girl's hand.  The older episode had Mitch giving his mother
Hobie's lucky marble to place in the boy's hand.  And they would have to
throw in the birthday for Hina, as for Bobby, it was his 10th.  He has been
through a lot of problems with rescues, but none has made enough of an
impact on him to get him to quit his job and pack his bags for Hawaii to
open a Training Center.

Mitch got J.D. Darius (Michael Bergin) and Jessie Owens (Brook Burns)
from L.A., Allie Reese (Simmone MacKinnon) from Australia, a nineteen
year old named Jason (Jason Momoa) that was sent down from Galveston,
and a Hawaiian Lifeguard named Kekoa Tanaka (Stacey Kanamo).  He
wanted Lifeguard Sean Monroe (Jason Brooks) to run the Center.

Later, Mitch visited the hospital to see if the little girl had improved at
all.  Her father was there.  He apologized that he wasn't able to save her.
Hina's father (Ben Wong) told him that he did save her because she was
still alive and stop mourning that she was dead.  She was alive and was
going to have a birthday party.  She was going to be 12 years old.  He
was invited.  Mitch informed him that he would be there.  He said that
he didn't even know her name.  The girl's father told him that her name
was Hina.

Everyone arrived at the Training Center and when J.D. was already dressed,
looking for Jessie, he walked into one of the rooms to find Kekoa topless.
She hadn't pulled up her swimsuit.  He had called Jessie and stopped in
mid-sentence.  He kept staring with no effort to look away.  Give us all a
break here!  Children watch this show and this scene was unnecessary.
Kekoa turned around to face him with no effort to pull the suit up
completely.  She even smiled at him while saying that Jessie wasn't there.
And all the while, J.D. spent that time lusting over her large chest.  She is the
only Lifeguard that was totally SHAMELESS.  This character didn't impress
me at all and came across as sleazy.  It is bad enough that she's awful in the
acting department.  And for the J.D. character as well.

J.D. knew that he was as guilty as sin when he caught up with Jessie.
He just should have told her about the incident so that she knew about it.
She shouldn't have to hear about it later from someone else in particular if
the situation presented itself.   But J.D. chose to keep looking a Kekoa, while
she exchange his glances.

A Hawaiian Lifeguard named Kai (Kala'i Miller) confronted Jason about
his Hawaiian heritage.  Jason wanted nothing to do with it.  It was
apparent that he was all for himself.

After everyone arrived at the meeting, Sean asked Mitch
how he wanted it handled.  Who was to say what.  But Mitch wanted him
to handle the whole thing.  Sean reminded Mitch that this was his show.
He put the money together and set it up.  Mitch had confidence in Sean.
He could handle it.  Sean told Mitch that he wouldn't let him down.
Mitch said that he already knew that.  It was the reason that he picked him.
Mitch claimed to have responsibilities back in L.A. to take care of.  He would
be around to advise as much as possible.

Why would we expect anything else?  Mitch claimed that he was so affected
by this little girl's accident that he opened this Lifeguard Training Center, but
wants someone else to run it.  Where is the dedication and drive from this
girl's condition for him to run the Center?  It would make more sense for
Mitch to run it and have two assistants to help in his absence.
 
Jason started the meeting and gave them the speech introducing himself
and that he had ten years of experience at L.A. County and five years in
Hawaii.  They were setting up a Lifeguard Training Center.  Before any
Lifeguards were to be invited to the team, they had to know the waters.
They must be trained until every member was proficient.  He told them
that the training would be difficult and dangerous.  And that Mitch picked
him as team leader.  Mitch picked them as members of the team, he didn't.
He emphasized that it would be an elite team and that every team has a
'WEAK LINK.'  He would find that 'weak link' and send him or her home.
He did challenge them as if they knew that they were the 'weak link,'
to do him a favor and leave now.  He looked them all over sternly and
then said that training starts tomorrow.
Each one of them wondered who the 'weak link' was.  They each assured
themselves that it wasn't them.

Later, Rock brought Mitch to Hina, who was out of the hospital.  She seemed
healthy and fully recovered.  She gave him a lei that her mother made for him
for saving their lives.  Hina told him that as long as he kept the lei, that his
soul would be in their keeping.  It was made out of feathers in which Rock
pointed out were for royalty.  Hina then reminded Mitch about her birthday
party and Mitch told her that he would be there.  After she left, Mitch looked
a bit closer at the lei.  Rocky told him that it was a great honor.

Too much emphasis was made on this 'weak link.'  If you are invited to be
the staff of the Training Center, just train the Lifeguards well and let them
train others.  If you had to go through an elimination process waiting for a
mistake for you to get sent home, why even bother with the training in the
first place?  As I mentioned before, combined with weak acting, the script
should have been tossed as it was just as bad as the actors' 'Cigar Store Indian'
or even better, 'Cardboard' appearances.  The highly touted new writers could
have come up with fresh, original stories.  The only thing new is the title
change of the show and even that is partially borrowed material.
For future episodes, I hope that the writers have come up with something
more interesting to watch.  My score: 1 Rescue Can
 

Observations of the script:

'HAWAII, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY PLACE TO GO FOR EXCITEMENT, RELAXATION AND FUN.  BUT FOR ME RIGHT NOW, A PLACE FOR
SOLITUDE.  EMPTY BEACHES, A PLACE WHERE I CAN
BE ALONE.  HERE ON A PERSONAL SEARCH, SOMETHING I
REALIZED I'D JUST LOST.  FINDING IT ISN'T GONNA BE EASY.
IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME TO DRIVE AWAY SOME PAIN.
A LITTLE OR A LOT OF HEARTACHE.  BUT IF I'M LUCKY, IF I'M
REAL LUCKY, I'LL FIND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.'

The camera closes in on his face, unshaven with a bandana tied around his
Head, making him look like some middle aged gang-banger.  'I'LL FIND ME.'

Meanwhile, a family of four is picnicking on the beach.  They are carrying
their belongings to set up.  'Let's go kids!' Said their mother.
'Come on, let's go!'  Said their father.
They were soon all set up by the water while their children Eric and Hina
run off to the water with their nets.  Mitch is walking along the shoreline.  The
children are avoiding waves to catch fish in their nets.  'Kids, wait for us now!'
Yelled their Dad.  'Don't go by the rocks!'

Mitch watches as the kids fish.  The children's father resumes preparing his
fishing rod.  Just then, Mitch sees this huge wave coming.  It overtakes the
children and carries them out a bit.  Faced torward the water, their mother
notices it and father quickly goes out to the water to attempt a rescue.  Mitch
swims out.  He rescues the mother and then asks if she is O.K.  Once he notes
that she is O.K. and goes out again the water to help the others.  Meanwhile,
the father has the kids and loses his son.  He holds on to the girl.
'Eric!'  He cries.  'Eric!'
Mitch gets over to the boy.  'Hang on, I got you!  Let me do the work!'  He
proceeds to swim the boy in.  Mitch yells out to the man to hang on and
that he was doing great.  He'd be back.  Another huge wave comes and jars
the two apart.  Little Hina cries for her father to help her.
'Hina!'  He cried.  He had been washed closer to shore.  Mitch has now gotten
the boy to safety.  He seemed dazed.
'Stay with your mother,' Mitch said.  The woman held the boy close.
Mitch made it out toward the man.
'My daughter!'  He cried.
'Can you swim to shore?'  Mitch asked.
'I have to find my daughter!'  He cried.
'I'll get her,' Said Mitch.  'But I can't get both of you.  Tell me you can swim
to shore. '
'Yes,' he said.
'Do it. Trust me!'  Said Mitch.  'I'll get her.  She'll be all right.  Go!'
Mitch then searches underwater until he gets her and brings her to shore,
while giving her oxygen.
'She's not breathing,' the man cried.
'Give her some space,' Mitch ordered.  'I'm a Lifeguard.'

While Mitch administered CPR, her father said in hope, 'Come on!  Come on,
honey!  Breathe now!'  She then responds by breathing just as the Lifeguard
and ambulance comes.  They all get the unconscious girl onto a backboard
and on oxygen and into an ambulance.  As he watches them work, Mitch
walks away from the scene in disappointment.
'She's just hangin'.'  The man said.  'Oh God!  Hina!'  He started to look for
Mitch.  'Hey, where did he go?'
The Lifeguard pointed toward Mitch, who was pretty far away from them now.
'I wanted to thank him.  He saved her.  He saved all of us.'

Mitch come out of a hutlike cottage on the shore of the beach.  He sits down
to drink his coffee at the picnic table.  The Lifeguard who was on the scene
of the family walks toward Mitch.  His name was Kelelie Rock Keaweamahi,
but Mitch called him Rock.
'Hey,' Said Rocky.
'Hey,' Mitch said.  He stared ahead.  'So much has happened Rock.  My father
passed away, Hobie's gone off to college.  I don't know how to talk to him
anymore.  Mom has Alzheimer's.  Doesn't know who I am.  Still think about
my ex-wife.  I'm just burned out.'
'You're tired,' Rocky said.
'It's more to it than that,' Mitch said.  'Lost my confidence.  I don't think I
should be on the beach anymore.'
'Mitch, you pulled a family of four out of 'Killer Surf' by yourself.  Just
because of you they're still alive.'
'Little girl's in the hospital,' Mitch said in disappointment.
'She's alive,' said Rocky.
'She's in intensive care.  She hasn't regained consciousness. That's because
of me.  A couple of years ago, I would have saved them all.'  Said Mitch.
'Mitch,' said Rocky.  'Three times into that surf could have taken it out of
anyone.'
'It wasn't about me being tired.  I've been tired before.  I made mistakes, Rock.
I thought the little girl was caught in a rip current.  She was in a Lava Tomb.
I spent most of my time looking in the wrong place.'
'Look at that rock pit.  Look at the way the waves break along it.  Caves,
lava tombs, rip tides!  That's why the family was sucked in!  How are you
to know?'  Rocky said.
'You can tell all that by looking at it?' Asked Mitch.
'Experience,' said Rock.  'This is my turf.'
'Wish I had known that!' Said Mitch.
'Wish I had been there to tell ya!'  Rocky said, placing a comforting hand
on Mitch's shoulder.
'Me too.'  Said Mitch.

Mitch visited the little girl in the hospital to check Hina's condition for
Any progress.  No change.  He looked at her sadly.  He took his necklace
and placed in her hand.  He closed her fingers around it and held the hand
between his.

After the visit, Mitch went swimming to work off the frustration.  He then
made an appearance at Rocky's tower.
'Rock!'  Said Mitch.
'Mitch!  Lookin' good bro.  Wha?  You wanna work my tower?'  Asked Rocky.
'No, no, no!'  Said Mitch.  'I wanna talk to you about somethin'.  Minute?'
Rocky told him sure.  He got another Lifeguard to watch his tower.
'The incident with that little girl has really affected me.  Ignorance kills, right?'
He asked.
'Every day,' Said Rocky.
'Now as Lifeguard, how do we learn?  We learn from personal experience.
We also learn by talking to each other.'  Said Mitch.  'Rocky, the idea of the
Center is a place for Lifeguards to come from all over the world to share
ideas, personal experience, rescue techniques, they learn from each other.
If I had talked to you before that family was swept off the rocks, I would
have handled it differently.'
Rocky asked Mitch if this was motivation off a guilt trip.
Mitch responded, 'What difference does it make what the motivation is
here.  It's about saving lives.'
'O.K., O.K.!  Don't bite my head off.'  Said Rocky.
 
Mitch told Rocky that in Australia last year they lost a hundred swimmers due to drowning.  Japan lost 80 people in one weekend alone.  Mitch also reasoned
that those deaths may not have happened if Lifeguards had talked to each other.
He continued, telling rocky that all he was saying was maybe with a little bit of
what you knew with a little bit of what he knew could help solve the problem.
Mitch had thought about going back to LA to set up, but felt that LA wasn't
the right spot.  The staff had to be trained right for any possible situation.  The
location would be Hawaii-North Shore.  And eventually a Lifeguard from every
country of the world would be on the team.

LA had organization and Hawaii had big surf and had perfected the Jetski
rescue.  As well as other counties that are innovative.  The staff would be a
small group of elite individuals.
'Ya know Mitch, I'd really like to see this work.'  Said rocky.
'I'll make it work,' said Mitch. 'All I gotta do is think of that little girl
in the hospital fighting for her life.   I won't let that happen again.'

'IF I'M GONNA PUT TOGETHER THIS TEAM, I GOTTA GET
SOMEBODY I KNOW.  GO BACK TO CALIFORNIA, GET TWO
OF THE BEST, J.D. DARIUS AND JESSIE OWENS.'

The scene changes to Jessie training in the pool at Baywatch Headquarters.
'You're drifting Jessie,' J.D. said.  'Concentrate.  Just don't stroke-focus!'
Jessie gets out of the pool and was soon facing him.  'I am focused.'
'Now you are,' said J.D., handing her a towel.
'I hate you, J.D.' Jessie said.
'Hate the water in front of you, hate your own mediocrity, hate losing,
but it's me you gotta love,'  He said.  He walked away.
'How come I gotta?'  She asked.
'Because Jessie my love,' he said, coming toward her.  He stood behind
Jessie and placed his arms around her waist.  'I can make you pay.'
She grimaced making a face.  She continued training.
'What'll we tell Mitch?'  J.D. asked.
'Tell him we can't go!' Said Jessie.  'I'm not gonna stop training J.D.  No
distractions, remember?  That was the rule.  No excuses!  I've got to win
this rotten race.'
'Hello?  Jessie! The best triathlon on the planet is where?  That's right, Maui!
And where is Maui?  That's right, Hawaii!  And where does Mitch want
us to go?'  Asked J.D.  I promise I'll have you ready.'
'O.K., J.D.  You promise, then I'll go.'  She said.
'Now there's something else about Maui.'  He said.
'What's that?'  She asked.
'That it's the number one honeymoon destination spot in the world.'  J.D.
informed her.
'Is that a proposal?'  She asked.
'I don't know.  Is it?'  He answered with a question.
'It sure sounds like one to me.'  She said.
'Well, what do you think?'  He asked.
'I think that I need to do this race.  And then anything is possible.'  She said
before they kissed.

'YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE AUSSIES.  COMPETITIVE, CONFIDENT.
ALLIE REESE, HELICOPTER PILOT AND AS MASTER OF
TECHNIQUES FOR THE RUBBER BOAT RESCUES.  SO I SENT HER
A PLANE TICKET.
'What could this be?' she asked herself, opening the envelope.  She then pulled
out a yellow swimsuit with the old LA Headquarters logo patch with
new Lifeguard Training Center attached.  Along with her plane ticket.
'An invitation,' she said smiling.  Allie took a deep sigh before looking
out at the water.

Rocky waxes his board.  Mitch kneels beside him.  'Wow, classic, huh?'
He asked.
'She's a beauty,' Said Rocky.
'Rock, what do you know about this Sean Monroe?'  Asked Mitch.
'You know him.'  Rocky said.  'He used to work at LA County.'
'I know, he's on at Hawaii now.  What do the locals say about him?' Mitch
asked.  'Good reputation?'
'Yeah-tough!'  Rocky said.  'A loner.  Learns quick though.'
'Thinking about choosing him to run the Training Center.'  Mitch said.
'Sean Monroe?'  Rocky asked surprised.
'What do you think?'  Asked Mitch.
'One thing's for sure.  He knows these waters.'  Rock said.

'SEAN MONROE WORKS SOME OF THE MOST TOUGHEST,
DANGEROUS BEACHES ON THE PLANET.  THE KAUAI COAST.
THIS IS MY CHOICE FOR TEAM LEADER.  HE IS THE MASTER
OF THE RIFF MANAGEMENT.  HE ANTICIPATES, HE PASSIONATE,
DEDICATED, DETERMINED.  HE SAVES LIVES.'

Sean and a team of two Lifeguards take the speed of a rubber boat toward
a cave.  Taking it through the cave, they finally hear screams for help.
Sean jumps in and starts rescuing the victims.  He swam them to the boat and
the other Lifeguards pulled them in.
'Relax, just let me do the work.' He said to a victim.  After he finished, he
asked if there were any more victims.
'No, we got 'em all.'
'Let's get out of here.  We got pretty lucky.'  Sean said.
They headed out of the cave.  There was a call for Sean over the radio.
'Sean Monroe!'
'Mitch Buchannon!' He exclaimed.  'How in the hell did you find me here?
A what?  Lifeguard Training Center?  I don't know Mitch.  It sounds like
a lot of yak.'  Sean said.  'Yeah, yeah, I'll check it out!  You know me.  If it
gets boring, I'm gone!'

At Wahiawa General Hospital, Mitch dropped in to see if the girl had improved.
The girl's father was there.  He was crushed.
'Hey,' Mitch said greeting him.  He shook his hand.
'Hey,' said Hina's father.
"I just came by to tell you I'm really sorry.'  Mitch said.  'I know I promised
to save her.'
'You did, she's still alive.'  He said.
'She should be home, not in a coma.'  Mitch said.  'Have they updated her
condition or told you anything?'
'Just to wait, be patient, to pray.'  He said.  The man then invited Mitch in
to see her.
Mitch went on an on whining about how he spent too much time looking
In the wrong place.
'Don't martyr.'  He said.
'What?'  Asked Mitch.
'You're mourning she's dead.  She's not.  She's alive.'  He told Mitch.  'She's
gonna be 12.  We're gonna have a party. You're invited.'
'I'll be there!'  Said Mitch.
'Good,' He said.  'When you come, you can be sorry.'
'I will,' Mitch said.
'Then you will be welcomed.'  He said.
'I don't even know her name.'  Mitch said.
'Hina,' he said caressing her head.  'Her name is Hina.'
'Hey Hina,' Mitch said softly.

A plane makes its way toward the airport.

'ALOHA!  ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US AT HAWAIIAN AIRLINES, WE
WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO FLY WITH US TODAY.
WELCOME TO HAWAII.   MAHALO.'

A very tall teen makes his way toward the baggage rack.  He grabs his bag,
only to have J.D. get a strong grip on it too.

'I think this is mine.'  J.D. said.
'It's not.'  The teenager said with an extremely deep voice.
'O.K., a lot of bags look alike.'  J.D. tried to reason with him.
'You wanna turn it loose?'  The boy demanded in question.
'Look, you have a claim check?'  Asked J.D.
'No, do you?'  He asked rudely.
'Of course I do.  It's right here.'  J.D. said.  He looked at the check.
'It's not mine.  Sorry.'  Said J.D.
'No Problem,' His deep voice emphasized.
'You won't get out of here without a claim check.'  J.D. cautioned.
'Yeah, I will.'  He said.  He made his way toward the 'DOLLAR' booth.
He informed the clerk that he was there to pick up a car under the name
Baywatch Hawaii.  He just gave the name Jason when she wanted a last
name.  It checked out so all she needed was his signature.
'What'd I get?' He asked.
'A Van,' she said.
'A Van?'  He asked in question.  He tried to turn on charm that really didn't
exist.  'Please,' Jason pleaded.  'I'm a single guy.  First time in Hawaii.'
She was very young too and it worked.  He ended up with a nice little
red sports number.  Outside, he sat against it with a handwritten sign,
BAYWATCH HAWAII.  Allie Reese was the first to find him and he
just acted like a jerk trying to flirt with a woman that he didn't know.
His second not so good start.
'Hi,' she said extending her hand out for him to shake.  'I'm Allie Reese.'
'I'm in love,' he said.
'Oh,' she said stunned with a frown on her face.  'What was your name?'
'Jason,' he said.
'And how old are you Jason?'  She asked.
'Nineteen?'  He said with questionable tone.
'That's too young,' she informed him.
'I'll get older,' he said.
'I don't think I can wait that long.' She said.

J.D. and Jessie showed up.
'Allie!'  Jessie exclaimed.  'Oh my God, I can't believe it!'
They embraced and chattered on about how they were.  J.D. and Jason
exchanged unfriendly glances.  Jessie then introduced J.D. to Allie and
explained that they had met in Australia.  And then Allie introduced them
to Jason.
'I didn't catch the last name,' she said.
'Jason's enough.'  He said.
'Jessie Owens,' said Jessie, shaking Jessie's hand.
J.D. asked, 'You coming with us?'
'No,' Jason said in his usual 'Cigar Store Indian' tone.  'You're coming
with me.'

They arrived at the Training Center and J.D. was already dressed and
looking for Jessie.
'Jessie,' he called, entering a room.  'Jessie, let's-go-ho-' He stopped right
in his tracks, finding himself staring at a rather SHAMELESS, topless
Hawaiian Lifeguard.  He just kept staring rather than even making an
effort to look away.  Turning around to face him, she had no problem
with him staring at her ample, bare chest.  She just stood there for
SEVERAL seconds making no effort to cover up.  You can even say
that it looked as though she enjoyed it.
'Jessie's not here,' she said, smiling at him.  She walked toward him
while finally getting that swimsuit into place.
'You see, there's a meeting…' J.D. babbled as she looked at him with
interest as she approached him.
She paused and introduced herself, 'Kekoa Tanaka.'
He then caught himself and shook her hand.  She told him that he didn't
want to be late on his first day.

Later out on the beach, Kekoa spots J.D. running toward Jessie.  She
watched as the two kissed.
'Hey!'  Jessie said with her usual huge smile.  'Where've you been?'
'I've been looking for you.'  He said, feeling uneasy.
'Yeah?'  She asked.
'Yeah,' he said weakly.  He just kept staring at Kekoa.
'You all right?' Jessie asked.
'No, never better.'  J.D. assured her.
Jessie noted J.D.'s staring at the Hawaiian Lifeguard and asked who she
was.
'Oh, one of the Hawaiian Lifeguards.'  He said.  "Her name's Kekoa Tanaka.'
But Kekoa just kept staring at J.D.
'She's got an interesting look, huh?  She's pretty.'  Jessie said.
'You think so?'  J.D. asked.
'Don't you?'  She asked.
'Yeah, she's got an interesting look.'  J.D. said, trying to cover up his guilt.
Jessie looked at him and said, 'J.D., it's O.K. to think that other girls are
pretty.  It's when you act like they're not that I get concerned.'
'Jessie,' J.D. said.  'Are we gonna argue about this?  She's a pretty girl.
She's a knock out.  She's Miss all everything, O.K.?'
'O.K.' She said.
'Come on, we'll find a place to relax.'  He said.
As they walked away, Kekoa kept looking over her shoulder at him.

Jason and a muscular Hawaiian Lifeguard exchange glances as he walks
toward Sean.  The Lifeguard asks Sean who he was.  Sean explained that
Roger Lawrence sent him from Galveston.  Roger stated that Jason was
a prodigy.  Sean then told him that he was going to find Mitch.
The Hawaiian Lifeguard walks up to Jason.
'Hey Cuz,' he said.
'The name is Jason.  Not 'Kappa' anything.'  Said Jason in a huff.
'Jason, I'm Kai and Kappa is not an insult.  It means half, a part of.
Almost everyone in Hawaii is Kappa.'  Said Kai.
'That's you.  Me?  I'm me-one thing, one piece, one person.'  Said Jason.
'I didn't mean to hurt your feelings,' Kai said sarcastically.
'You didn't!'  Jason said.
'Say Jason,' Kai said.
'Yeah Kai?'  He said.
'You have been trained in Texas with all of the sharks we have here.'  Kai
said.  'But don’t be afraid.  It's not as bad as you hurt.'
'You trying to get into my head?'  Jason asked.
'I don't know,' Kai said.  'Can I?'
'I don't know, can you?' Jason asked angrily.

Sean asked Mitch how he wanted to handle the meeting.  Who was going to
say what.  But Mitch told Sean that he wanted him to do it all.  Sean reminded
Mitch that it was his show.  He put the money together and set it all up.
Mitch told Sean that he would be around to advise.  He had some
responsibilities in LA.  He was sure that he could handle it.  Sean then told
Mitch that he wouldn't let him down.  Mitch said that he knew that.  It was
why he picked him.

Sean started the meeting.  They all stood single file facing Sean like the
military before a drill Sargent.  Sean introduced himself and then said that
he had ten years in LA County and five years in Hawaii.  They were setting
up a Lifeguard Training Center.  Before Lifeguards are invited, they must
know the waters.  The beaches, the surf, the rips and the conditions.  They
would train…until every member of the team is proficient.  The training
would be difficult and dangerous.  He reminded them that Mitch picked
him to head this team and them to be a part of it.  Mitch picked them, he
didn't.

He went on with his rattling.  That the waters are the most dangerous as they
go over thirty feet.  He talked about how they will feel getting caught in the
Drop Zone.  Lifeguards die there.  It will be an elite team.  But every team
has its 'weak link' and he would find it and send that person home.  He then
challenged them all.  If they were the weak link to do him a favor.  He or she
should leave now.  He looked them all over.
'Training starts tomorrow.'  Sean said, before he left.

Jason caught up with Allie.  He asked her who she thought was the
'weak link.'  She told him that it wasn't her without breaking pace.
She suggested him and Jason protested.
'They'll have to plant my ass before they send me home.'  He called after her.

Sean walked along the shoreline with Mitch.  He asked how he did.  Mitch
approved, telling Sean that he got their attention.  Jessie didn't like what was
going on.  It was like Mitch was setting them all up against each other.
Mitch wouldn't do that!  J.D. told her that Sean was tough, but he was right.
There was a 'weak link.'  Jessie questioned that if it was her, would he stay?
J.D. told her that it wouldn't be her.  She told him that he was just hoping
That it wouldn't be her so that he wouldn't have to make that decision.  And
He could be alone with Kekoa.
'Jessie, I just looked at her that's all.  Just looked at her.'  He told her.
They then assured each other that it wouldn't be them.

Kekoa approached Sean about the testing.  Would he just watch or do it with
the rest of them.  He told her a bit of both.  She questioned if the 'weak link'
would be him, but Sean told her that it was not possible.

The little girl Hina was now out of the hospital and seemed to be healthy.
She had a lei made of feathers for him.  She told Mitch that her Mother made
it for saving them.  Rock explained that feathers were for royalty.  Hina went
on to say that as long as he had the lei, his soul would be in their keeping.
She then reminded Mitch about her birthday party.  Mitch assured her that he
would be there.  Hina then left.  Rock told Mitch that the lei was a great
honor.

Next Review: Mahalo, Hawaii