Los Angeles officials are already preparing for a second season of Fox’s upcoming Baywatch reboot, even though the network has not yet renewed the show. The series does not premiere until January. But the city is not waiting for the network to make its call.
Speaking to city council members on Wednesday, LA’s chief film liaison Steve Kang said the production team is happy with the city’s support and plans to come back. “I can say with confidence that they are very happy with the concierge service that we were able to provide [on Season 1], and they will be returning to Los Angeles for a second season next year,” Kang told local lawmakers.
Fox and Baywatch producer Fremantle declined to comment on the renewal talk. The show received a $21.1 million (40%) tax credit from the California Film Commission, and the city coordinated across county and regional jurisdictions to allow filming at the historic Venice Lifeguard Operations Station.
Steve Kang’s Promise to the Council
Kang’s comments came during a Wednesday meeting where city officials discussed how to make Los Angeles a friendlier place for film and television production. The conversation centered on the special treatment given to the Baywatch production, which shot at the historic Venice Lifeguard Operations Station.
The show received a $21.1 million (40%) tax credit from the California Film Commission. The city also worked to coordinate between multiple county and regional jurisdictions so the production could use the Venice Beach landmark as its main backdrop.
Councilwoman Traci Park, who represents the 11th district of Los Angeles, asked what the city could learn from the experience. “Now we know Baywatch is going to be back for Season 2…are there some things that we took from that experience, changes that we can make, operational changes that might be helpful?” Park said.
The Concierge Service Behind the Scenes
The so-called “concierge service” is the city’s way of helping productions navigate the complex regulatory process for filming at iconic locations. For Baywatch, that meant cutting through red tape across multiple levels of government.
Lawmakers on Wednesday were specifically discussing the series in reference to the concierge service delivered to the production. The service helps productions navigate the complex regulatory process to film at iconic locations like Venice Beach.
The approach appears to have worked. Kang said the production team was “very happy” with the service, and his confidence about a second season suggests the relationship is strong.
Still, a renewal decision is unlikely to come before the network sees how the first season performs. Fox executives are reportedly feeling optimistic about the series ahead of its premiere at the top of next year, according to sources.
Why Los Angeles Wants Baywatch Back
The city’s eagerness to keep Baywatch in town is not hard to understand. Winning the production in the first place was a point of pride for city leaders, who pushed hard to bring the show to Los Angeles.
The Baywatch reboot is a high-profile project for Fox. A second season would keep the production in the city, where it has already established a working relationship with local officials.
It would also mean continued use of the Venice Lifeguard Operations Station, a historic building that has become a visual centerpiece for the show.
The city’s investment in the production goes beyond the tax credit and the coordination work. The concierge service was designed specifically to help Baywatch navigate the permitting process at a landmark location, and the city has pointed to the show as an example of what it can accomplish.
The New Committee Taking on Filming Rules
Wednesday’s meeting was the first for the newly formed Ad Hoc Committee on Film, Entertainment and Creative Industry. The committee is led by chair Adrin Nazarian, and its goal is to streamline processes, lower fees and attract production back to the local level.
The committee’s focus is on the permitting and regulatory processes that can slow down or discourage productions from choosing Los Angeles. The Baywatch experience is being held up as an example of what the city can do when it coordinates effectively.
Park’s question about operational changes suggests the committee is looking for ways to apply the Baywatch playbook to other productions. The idea is to make the city’s support more systematic rather than relying on case-by-case efforts.
What the Tax Credit Covered
The $21.1 million (40%) tax credit was part of the package that brought Baywatch to Los Angeles. The city’s coordination with county and regional jurisdictions was another key piece.
Filming at the Venice Lifeguard Operations Station required navigating rules and approvals from multiple authorities, and the city worked to smooth that path. That coordination is exactly what the concierge service is meant to provide.
For Baywatch, it meant the production could use a landmark location without getting bogged down in bureaucracy.
The city’s efforts on behalf of the show included several specific measures:
- Coordinating between multiple county and regional jurisdictions
- Providing a dedicated concierge service to navigate the regulatory process
- Facilitating use of the historic Venice Lifeguard Operations Station as a main backdrop
- Working with the California Film Commission on the $21.1 million (40%) tax credit
A Renewal Decision Still to Come
Despite Kang’s confident words, the renewal is not official. Fox has not announced a second season, and the network is expected to wait for ratings data from the first season before making a call.
Kang’s statement is notable because it comes from a city official speaking about the production’s plans. But it is not the same as a network announcement.
The show’s premiere is set for January, and the first season has not aired yet. Fox executives are said to be optimistic, but optimism is not a renewal.
According to sources, Fox executives are feeling optimistic about the series ahead of its premiere at the top of next year. A renewal decision is unlikely to come before the network sees how the first season performs.
What Happens Next
The Ad Hoc Committee will continue its work on making Los Angeles more attractive to productions. The Baywatch experience will likely serve as a template for how the city handles future requests.
For now, the show’s future beyond Season 1 remains officially undecided. The city is planning as if a second season is coming, but the network has the final say.
The premiere at the top of next year will be the first real test. If the show performs well, Kang’s prediction will likely come true.
If it does not, all the planning in the world will not bring it back.
The city has made its position clear. Now it waits on the network and the audience.
Source: deadline.com