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Thunder in Paradise

{{Short description|1994 American television series}}

{{for|the video game|Thunder in Paradise (video game)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}}

{{Infobox television

| image =

| caption =

| creator = Michael Berk
Douglas Schwartz
Gregory J. Bonann

| starring = {{Plain list|

}}

| endtheme = {{Plain list|

}}

| composer = John D'Andrea
Cory Lerios

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_seasons = 1

| num_episodes = 22

| executive_producer = {{Plain list|

  • Michael Berk
  • Douglas Schwartz
  • Terry "Hulk" Hogan
  • Gregory J. Bonann

}}

| runtime = 45 minutes

| company = Berk/Schwartz/Bonann Productions
Rysher Entertainment
Trimark Pictures

| network = Syndication

| first_aired = {{start date|1994|3|25}}

| last_aired = {{end date|1994|11|27}}

}}

Thunder in Paradise is an American action-adventure television 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.{{cite news |last=Hinman|first=Catherine |title='Thunder in Paradise' Strikes Out |work=The Orlando Sentinel |date=October 28, 1994 |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1994/10/28/thunder-in-paradise-strikes-out/|access-date=2010-10-17}} 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.{{cite web| url-status = live| archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/K2XJMh5qt7Q| archive-date = 2021-12-05| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2XJMh5qt7Q&t=2367s| title = Hulk Hogan, Sting, Ric Flair, Sherri & Bockwinkel skit comp (04 30 to 07 16 1994 WCW Saturday Night) | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} The series was later rebroadcast on the TNT cable network.

Series concept

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.

Characters

=Main cast=

=Recurring cast=

Episodes

{{Episode table |overall= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |episodes=

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 1

|Title = Thunder in Paradise: Part 1

|DirectedBy = Douglas Schwartz

|WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Douglas Schwartz & Michael Berk|t= Michael Berk}}

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|3|25}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 2

|Title = Thunder in Paradise: Part 2

|DirectedBy = Douglas Schwartz

|WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Douglas Schwartz & Michael Berk|t= Michael Berk}}

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|3|25}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 3

|Title = Tug of War

|DirectedBy = Douglas Schwartz

|WrittenBy = Michael Berk

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|4|1}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 4

|Title = Sea Quentin

|DirectedBy = Gregory J. Bonann

|WrittenBy = John Hill

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|4|8}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 5

|Title = Strange Bru

|DirectedBy = Lyndon Chubbuck

|WrittenBy = David Braff

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|4|15}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 6

|Title = Sealed with a Kismet: Part 1

|DirectedBy = Douglas Schwartz

|WrittenBy = Tom Greene

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|4|22}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 7

|Title = Sealed with a Kismet: Part 2

|DirectedBy = Douglas Schwartz

|WrittenBy = Tom Greene

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|4|29}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 8

|Title = Changing of the Guard

|DirectedBy = Gus Trikonis

|WrittenBy = W.M. Whitehead

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|5|6}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 9

|Title = Gettysburg Change of Address

|DirectedBy = Russ Mayberry

|WrittenBy = Jonathan Thorp

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|5|13}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 10

|Title = Distant Shout of Thunder

|DirectedBy = Lyndon Chubbuck

|WrittenBy = Tom Greene

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|5|20}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 11

|Title = Nature of the Beast

|DirectedBy = Gus Trikonis

|WrittenBy = Tom Greene

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|5|27}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 12

|Title = Identity Crisis

|DirectedBy = Gregory J. Bonann

|WrittenBy = Michael Berk

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|7|8}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 13

|Title = Queen of Hearts

|DirectedBy = Lewis Stout

|WrittenBy = W.M. Whitehead

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|7|15}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 14

|Title = Plunder in Paradise

|DirectedBy = Bernard L. Kowalski

|WrittenBy = Jonathan Thorp

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|7|22}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 15

|Title = Eye for an Eye

|DirectedBy = Gregory J. Bonann

|WrittenBy = Michael Berk

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|8|26}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 16

|Title = Endangered Species

|DirectedBy = Les Sheldon

|WrittenBy = Michael Berk

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|9|9}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 17

|Title = Deadly Lessons: Part 1

|DirectedBy = Douglas Schwartz

|WrittenBy = Deborah Bonann Schwartz

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|9|16}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 18

|Title = Deadly Lessons: Part 2

|DirectedBy = Douglas Schwartz

|WrittenBy = Deborah Bonann Schwartz

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|9|23}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 19

|Title = Blast Off

|DirectedBy = Paul Cajero

|WrittenBy = David Braff

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|11|6}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 20

|Title = Dead Reckoning

|DirectedBy = Tom Greene

|WrittenBy = Tom Greene

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|11|13}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 21

|Title = The M.A.J.O.R. and the Minor: Part 1

|DirectedBy = Gregory J. Bonann

|WrittenBy = Tom Greene

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|11|20}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 22

|Title = The M.A.J.O.R. and the Minor: Part 2

|DirectedBy = Gregory J. Bonann

|WrittenBy = Tom Greene

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1994|11|27}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

}}

Home media

  • The pilot movie was originally released on home video the week of September 27, 1993. It was not broadcast on television until the beginning of Season 1, after which it was split into three episodes ("Thunder in Paradise: Part 1-2," "Eye For An Eye") for reruns and later syndication.
  • The two-part episode "Sealed with a Kismet" was combined and released to home video as the feature Thunder in Paradise II.
  • The two-part episode "Deadly Lessons" was combined and released to home video as the feature Thunder in Paradise 3.
  • The two-part episode "The M.A.J.O.R. and the Minor" was used as the basis for the Thunder in Paradise CD-i interactive game. In addition to the episode itself, additional footage was filmed for use at different stages in the game. This game-exclusive footage was shot at the same time as the episode itself.{{cite magazine|url= https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AGamePro_US_062.pdf&page=163|title=Thunder from TV to CD|magazine=GamePro |issue=62 |date=September 1994|page=161}} Another video game based on Thunder in Paradise, this one from The Software Toolworks, was announced for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System but never released.{{cite magazine |date=October 1994 |title=Thunder in Paradise |url= https://archive.org/stream/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_63#page/n119/ |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |issue=63 |page=116}}

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).

Filming locations

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.{{cite news|last=Tracy|first=Dan |title=Hulkster to Be Huckster for Tourism in Orlando|work=The Orlando Sentinel|date=April 7, 1994|url= https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1994/04/07/hulkster-to-be-huckster-for-tourism-in-orlando/|access-date=2010-10-17}}

Reception

On the release of the DVD collection in 2006, the series was reviewed by David Cornelius of DVD Talk:

{{blockquote|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".{{cite web |date=September 26, 2006 |last=Cornelius |first=David|website=DVD Talk |title=Thunder in Paradise Collection |url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/24018/thunder-in-paradise-collection/|access-date=2020-11-30}} In 2008, Entertainment Weekly ranked it as the "cheesiest" syndicated TV series.{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2008/10/24/cheesy-syndicated-tv-brief-history/|title=Cheesy syndicated TV: A brief history |magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=October 24, 2008|access-date=2020-11-30}}

See also

{{Portal-inline | Television}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{IMDb title|id=0108958 |title=Thunder in Paradise |description=(series)}}
  • {{IMDb title|id=0395284 |title=Thunder in Paradise}}
  • {{IMDb title|id=0354109 |title=Thunder in Paradise II}}
  • {{IMDb title|id=0364064 |title=Thunder in Paradise 3}}
  • {{Rotten Tomatoes |id=m/thunder_in_paradise |title=Thunder in Paradise (series)}}
  • {{Rotten Tomatoes |id=m/thunder_in_paradise_ii_1994 |title=Thunder in Paradise II}}
  • {{Rotten Tomatoes |id=m/thunder_in_paradise_iii |title=Thunder in Paradise III}}
  • {{Rotten Tomatoes |id=m/thunder_in_paradise_3 |title=Thunder in Paradise 3}}

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Category:1994 American television series debuts

Category:1994 American television series endings

Category:American action television series

Category:American English-language television shows

Category:First-run syndicated television programs in the United States

Category:Nautical television series

Category:Television series by CBS Studios

Category:Television series by Lionsgate Television

Category:Television shows filmed in Florida

Category:Television shows set in Florida