Fox just dropped its 2026 Fall lineup, and its newest reboot, Baywatch, is not on the list. Michael Thorn, President of Fox Television Network, explained ahead of the announcement that Baywatch would premiere midseason in early 2027. Thorn did not go into detail about exactly when Fox would launch the newest iteration of the beloved classic, but a midseason premiere would align with major NFL games, potentially attracting more viewers.
Thorn said this about the scheduling choice, "We have a rich history of launching series midseason, we just did it most recently with Best Medicine and Memory of a Killer and Doc before that; it goes all the way back to Empire and the 9-1-1s and The Resident." Empire and 9-1-1 both went on to become long-running shows, with 9-1-1 even outgrowing the media company, being bought by ABC, and now greenlit for a 10th season. Fox seems hopeful that Baywatch will find similar success.
Although according to Thorn, "there's only one Baywatch," Fox is trying to gather a new audience with intriguing casting choices. Other than Stephen Amell and Shay Mitchell, both of whom were on primetime television shows for years, the newest Baywatch also features internet influencers Noah Beck and Livvy Dunne, as well as reality star Brooks Nader. Although the internet personalities currently have few acting credits to their name, Nader has previously defended the casting decision, telling The Daily Mail, "the times are different and everyone is so multi-hyphenate now, and you can be both an actor and an influencer and have influence." Alongside the fresh faces, Erika Eleniak and David Chokachi from the original Baywatch will return as guest stars in their original roles.
If Baywatch feels familiar, and not just because it is a reboot, it might be because in 2024, Fox had another lifeguard drama that lasted only one season, Rescue: HI-Surf. Produced by John Wells, who is currently an executive producer for the hit medical drama The Pitt, there were high expectations for Rescue: HI-Surf. There are even higher expectations for Baywatch, which Fox is well aware of. When asked about the two shows, Thorn explained that "Baywatch is a much soapier, juicier show than HI-Surf, and we hope it resonates as much as the original does, that's our goal."
In addition to Baywatch, two other new Fox shows were included in the announcement. The Interrogator, a scripted drama starring Jenna Elfman and Stephen Fry, and Marriage Mart, hosted by Whitney Cummings, have both been confirmed to air in 2027 as well.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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