Neely Capshaw is a character in Baywatch.
She was the black sheep of the lifeguard team who later became the ex-wife of Mitch Buchannon.
Physical Appearance[]
Neely's appearance through the seasons
Though she was played by three different actresses through out the series, Neely was a beautiful, athletic woman with blonde hair (short in Season 5 and long from Seasons 6-9 and the TV Movie) and blue eyes. She also occasionally wore a gold ankle bracelet.
Just like C.J. Parker, Neely was a real head-turner, which was something she was well aware of and was not shy to use her looks to manipulate people.
Neely was as tall as Stephanie Holden, but she was heavier and had a more 'womanly' figure. Her height was 179 cm (5'10") and her weight varied a lot through the seasons, ranging from 58 to 66 kg (128 to 145 lbs).
Personality[]
Neely is a valuable hardworking lifeguard. However she has a cruel streak behind that gorgeous face of hers. She can sometimes be selfish, manipulative and conniving at times which doesn't make her popular with the other lifeguards.
However, as the series progresses, Neely becomes a warmer and kinder person, earning the respect of her fellow lifeguards, particularly in Mitch's case as they eventually become romantically involved.
Skills and Abilities[]
Neely was a strong and athletic woman with a sharp mind. Unfortunately, her talents were at least initially wasted on jealousy and nasty schemes. Her people skills were outright horrible and she often caused strife, even when not actively trying to do so.
Despite her faults, Neely was an excellent lifeguard; when her mind was on the task her performance was on par with the best of the Baywatch lifeguards including C.J. and Mitch. She was a strong swimmer and runner – fast both on land and in the water. Thanks to her physique she was also able to perform tough and demanding rescues. Just like C.J., her daily training regime included weight training and for cardio, she seemed to prefer running.
In Season 7, to prove she was just as tough as the men, she demanded to be allowed to compete in the men-only Uncle Toby's International Ironman Competition, the toughest lifeguard competition in the world. With only a day's preparation she earned one of the four spots that had been reserved for Team Baywatch, beating all the other Baywatch women and men except for Mitch, Newmie Newman, and Cody Madison. She then competed in Uncle Toby's as the only woman and did remarkably well.
Neely was proficient in all the land and water vehicles the lifeguards used, including the Baywatch trucks, the quad bikes, the Scarab boats, and the jet skis.
Early Life[]
Neely was born in Los Angeles, California to a upper middle class family. She had one sister who suffered from manic depression. She wasn't close with her parents as they were workaholics who had little time or interest in their children.
Her family didn't trust her as she was considered to be deceitful and a spoiled whiner. To appease her parents, Neely got a College education but it didn't improve their relationship. She however managed to win over a rich aunt who provided her everything after college, for a time at least.
Eventually Neely had to get a job and chose to be a lifeguard as she was under the impression that it was easy and fun. She starting working as one at Huntingdon Beach.
During this time, she met and married Peter Andrews but they divorced after a certain period of time due to his demanding job taking him all over the place.
Her sister became a rock musician but after some stressful times, she stopped taking her medication for her condition and had a violent argument with her boyfriend. She rushed into the road where she was tragically run down by a car.
Baywatch[]
Season 5[]
Neely on her first day at Baywatch
Neely was then transferred from her job at Huntington Beach to work at Baywatch. On her first day, C.J. introduced her to Mitch and another lifeguard named Matt Brody. Neely then asked to be assigned with Matt so she would know exactly what to do and not make any errors on her very first day, but in truth she had already become smitten with him.
After Matt explained her duties and responsibilities, Neely attempted to seduce him, but he firmly told her that he loved C.J. and their relationship was very important to him.
Later, when no one was looking, Neely sneaked into her tower and drank some gin, regardless of the dangers it would cause on duty.
Neely, after being tricked by C.J. into confessing
During a rescue, Matt smelled alcohol on Neely's breath and was angry with her for putting herself and the victim in danger. Despite Neely's pleas not to tell Mitch, Matt knew he could not hide this information, so when Mitch confronted her about it, she told a horrific lie of Matt sexually harassing her and threatening to sue the whole team, so Mitch had no choice but to suspend him until further investigations could be made.
However, she was tricked by C.J. who tapes their conversation, revealing her true nature as evidence. Neely was fired from Baywatch and Matt was reinstated (Wet 'n' Wild).
Season 6[]
Neely returning to Baywatch (Trapped Beneath the Sea, Part I)
At some point Matt left and Neely was reinstated after it was revealed C.J.'s taped conversation was illegal and she issued a lawsuit against them. Most of the other lifeguards were none too pleased to see her back, especially C.J. who told Mitch it was either her or Neely.
She then met new recruit Cody, a keen swimmer who had dreams of going to the Olympics and together they helped in a rescue of several people trapped in a sinking oil rig. She and Cody then pursued a friendship. C.J. meanwhile left for a holiday in Europe and also travelled to France to spend time with Matt (Trapped Beneath the Sea, Parts I and II).
Neely became a receptionist and switchboard operator, but she wasn't happy with the work and complained to Stephanie, stating that it was unfair as she had all the qualifications for serious rescues and didn't feel like one of the lifeguard family, but after the situation with Matt, Stephanie didn't fully trust her.
However when Neely efficiently participated in a fire rescue that had spread pretty far through out Malibu, Stephanie told her that she was indeed one of the team but only time would tell if her responsibilities increased (Hot Stuff).
Neely teaching Cody how to surf (Surf's Up)
Neely began doing more of her beach duties alongside Cody which included picking up a water sample that had come from a sewage drain and was poisoning the beach water.
After he told her that he had never surfed before, she offered to give him lessons and even shared with him her memory of the very first lifeguard she had ever met when she was surfing on the beach as a child. At a charity concert performed by the Beach Boys to raise money to fix the drain, Neely gave a surprised Cody a passionate kiss (Surf's Up).
When Neely witnessed a quarrel between Cody and Caroline's jealous boyfriend Logan Fowler regarding Caroline, she teased her, asking to discuss some boy getting tips over lunch. Caroline berated her for this and said she still hadn't forgotten the situation with Matt Brody and she was last person she wanted to do anything with. Later she overheard Logan refusing to give an important message to Cody regarding some reckless speed boat drivers and confronted him about it (To Everything There Is a Season).
When C.J. returned, Neely didn't waste any time teasing her during a training exercise with some female Junior Lifeguards with Caroline telling her to back off and C.J. wanting to keep as far away from her as possible. Later she joined C.J., Caroline and Stephanie uninvited during a weekend in Catalina training those same Junior Lifeguards to the meaning of teamwork and proved her usefulness in assisting in a rescue when two of them Erica and Taylor got trapped in an underwater cave, which even C.J. was impressed with (Leap of Faith).
Neely on the switchboard (Hit and Run)
Neely by this time had had enough of working the switchboard and thinking this was Stephanie's malicious way of making her quit, she took part in a rescue herself instead of sending the available lifeguards at headquarters. Stephanie berated her for this, but Neely argued that Mitch needed the best to help in this rescue and was taking part whether she liked it or not (Hit and Run).
Matt returned to Baywatch and was forced to work with Neely again, much to his displeasure. During a rescue involving a kidnapping of an executive and his wife, Neely apologized to Matt for getting him in trouble and vowed that she had never drank in her tower again as being a lifeguard was the only thing that made her feel good about herself. Matt still reprimanded her for lying in the first place and that telling the truth would gain Mitch and Stephanie's trust in her.
Afterwards they were captured by the kidnappers and had to work together to stop them. With the help of Mitch and C.J., the kidnappers were caught and they saved the hostages (Home Is Where The Heat Is).
Caroline got involved in an incident where she failed to save all the victims on a blazing speedboat. It left her unhinged and unable to work again. Neely told her that she needed some excitement to forget about it. Soon they were both involved with reckless motorcyclists, clubs and drinking.
Cody berated Neely for this, stating that he knew about her previously drinking on the job and the bogus harassment suit against Matt. Neely told him to stay out of her personal life but Cody retorted that she should stay out of Caroline's. She watched him trying to persuade Caroline to stop all of this, but she refused to listen which resulted in a fight with one of the motorcyclists. Cody sprained his wrist in the process and was now unable to participate in the Olympic trials. Later after rescuing one the motorcyclists, Caroline stopped hanging out with Neely and resumed her work at Baywatch (The Incident).
Later a competition from Inside Sports Magazine was announced. They were looking for a lifeguard to pose for their latest swimsuit edition. The chosen lifeguard would be paid $500 a day plus an expense paid trip to the Malaya Real Cabo hotel in Cabo San Lucas, which made Neely's eyes light up. She competed for this with C.J. and Caroline, even flaunting her beauty at the photographer during her interview. Caroline however didn't care if she won or lost, she only wanted Neely to lose. However both C.J. and Caroline caught Chicken Pox and were unable to participate, so Neely got the job, much to her delight. She enjoyed her photoshoot and one of her pictures even appeared on the magazine cover itself, much to C.J. and Caroline's annoyance (Beauty and the Beast).
Season 7[]
Neely's ex-husband Peter arrived in Los Angeles. Neely began falling in love with him again and they spent a romantic evening together. Despite Peter saying that he still loved Neely, she still wasn't willing to keep moving from place to place in regards to his job (Life-Guardian).
When Stephanie tragically died on her honeymoon with her new husband Tom, she joined several other members of the team at her funeral. With tears in her eyes she remembered a few of her quarrels with Stephanie and felt a little ashamed about how she treated her (Chance of a Lifetime).
Season 8[]
During a trip to Aspen to visit Peter, Neely got pregnant and gave birth to a girl named Ashley. However the delivery had been difficult and had made her addicted to pain pills.
Neely hid this from Mitch and the others when she returned and claimed she had suffered a back injury after a skiing accident. However Mitch noticed her sloppiness in a rescue, particularly when she forgot to take her rescue can and later told her that he knew about the pill addiction and she eventually came clean and said Ashley was her and Peter's daughter.
She later introduced her to Mitch who promised to help them out anyway he could (Hi-jacked).
During a cruise through Alaska, Neely decided to visit Peter who was there on business to tell him about Ashley and possibly rekindle their relationship.
Afterwards when Mitch asked her how things went, she told him that Peter was now married and had a son (which was later revealed to be a lie, as Neely had selfishly decided Mitch that would be a much better husband and father instead of Peter and wanted him for herself). Mitch then proposed to her, which she accepted and they got married on the cruise ship (White Thunder at Glacier Bay, Part II).
Season 9[]
The marriage turned out to be illegitimate, so they decided to schedule another day. Neely eventually quit her job as a lifeguard at the Los Angeles Sun and Sand Beach Club as she found the job extremely boring and was reinstated on Baywatch once again. She was enjoying herself until Mitch confronted her about lying to him about telling Peter the truth about Ashley.
Apparently Peter had been in the Himalayas for six months and had never seen Neely since nor was he aware that he was a father. Neely tried to make an excuse saying that her telling him the truth wouldn't have mattered, that she was in love with him and didn't know how he could handle the truth.
A deeply hurt Mitch had finally had enough of her lying, conniving ways and furiously broke off his relationship with her, but Neely continued to work at Baywatch, determined to not have it taken away from her and persuaded Hobie to move in with her (Crash, Part I).
A scheming Neely determined not to lose her job at Baywatch (Wave Rage)
To get back at Mitch, Neely made his life difficult by taunting him and spreading lies about him to the new manager, Alex, even filing a complaint against him. During a rescue when her victim accidentally gave her a bruise on her face, Mitch confronted her in her tower and told her to stop this. Neely screamed at him that he ruined her life and she was doing the same to him. Mitch argued that it was Neely's own fault for her lies and deceit.
She then ran out of the tower accusing Mitch of physical assault to Alex who had just arrived outside the tower. As a result as well as Neely's other charges, poor Mitch was suspended.
Alex later confronted Neely saying that she had given her complaint to the chief and told her she knew her history of her work at Baywatch including the bogus sexual harassment charge against Matt Brody and if she was lying and using this to get back at Mitch, Neely would have her to deal with her.
Determined not to lose her job at Baywatch, Neely slipped some drugs into Alex's coffee and puts the container in her purse to presumably get her fired. The drugs harm Alex and puts her in the hospital. Afterward, Alex confronts Neely again followed by the other lifeguards and tells her she knows that she tried to drug and frame her and has had enough of her lies and nasty behavior. Alex reveals that she had talked things over with the chief including the drug incident and she is now behind her 100%. She then forces Neely to quit Baywatch.
Neely refuses and after insulting Alex, gets a hard punch in the face along with the pill container thrown at her. Afterward, she leaves Baywatch for good (Wave Rage).
Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding[]
Neely returned to Los Angeles after hearing Mitch was engaged, demanding money which was due to her, but Mitch refused. She then travelled with him to Hawaii from an invitation from C.J. who was having a get together at her new restaurant there. She becomes suspicious of Mitch's fiancée Allison Ford who bore a striking resemblance to Stephanie and didn't fully trust her.
Later her suspicion was confirmed when she learns that Allison's real name is Judy Radin, a criminal who worked for Mitch's arch-enemy Mason Sato who had reconstructive surgery performed on her to resemble Stephanie Holden as part of his scheme for revenge. Some of Mitch's fellow friends were held captive in some spots on a island that Sato had chosen as part of his plan. While Mitch and the others saved them all, Neely fought Judy, who was holding her a few others at gunpoint. Mitch then confronted Sato and after a fight underwater, Sato was torn to shreds from the propellers of a motorboat.
Neely finally knocked her out and watched Mitch as he picked Judy up and removed the engagement ring from her finger and thanked Neely for her help. Neely, now holding Judy's gun led her away to be arrested by the authorities.
Later at C.J.'s wedding to one of her waiters Lorenzo, Neely and Mitch reconcile.
Appearances[]
Episodes[]
Baywatch
Season 5
Season 6
- Trapped Beneath The Sea, Part I
- Trapped Beneath The Sea, Part II
- Hot Stuff
- Surf's Up
- To Everything There Is a Season
- Leap of Faith
- Hit and Run
- Home Is Where The Heat Is
- The Incident
- Beauty and the Beast
- Sail Away
- Last Wave
- Go For The Gold
Season 7
- Shark Fever
- Liquid Assets
- Scorcher
- Let the Games Begin
- Search and Rescue
- Heal the Bay
- Chance of a Lifetime
- Talk Show
- Life-Guardian
- Matters of the Heart
- Hot Water
- Golden Girls
Season 8
- Homecoming
- Hi-jacked
- Countdown
- Night of the Dolphin
- Full Throttle
- Diabolique
- Bon Voyage
- White Thunder at Glacier Bay, Part I
- White Thunder at Glacier Bay, Part II
Season 9
Movies[]
Trivia[]
- Neely is the third character to have more than one actor portrayal. The first being Gina Pomeroy, the second Hobie Buchanon. She is also the only character to be portrayed by three different actresses.
- Neely is viewed to be more of an anti-heroine than a villain, because of her mixed personality. In some episodes, she can be antagonistic while in others she shows great selflessness and courage.
- The character also appeared in the 2016 sci-fi comedy disaster film Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens, but this time as a Astro-X rocket scientist and former lifeguard, with Gena reprising the role.
| Baywatch Lifeguards |
|---|
 Mitch Buchannon • Al Gibson • Craig Pomeroy • Jill Riley • Eddie Kramer • Shauni McClain • Newmie Newman • Trevor Cole • John D. Cort • Jim Barnett • Don Thorpe • Ben Edwards • Devon Connor • Harvey Miller • Megan • Brooke • C.J. Parker • Stephanie Holden • Matt Brody • Summer Quinn • Caroline Holden • Kelly • Logan Fowler • Tracy Dodsworth • Katherine Fleming • Andy Jamison • Neely Capshaw • Cody Madison • Jenny • Crush • Sharon • Sandy • Donna Marco • Julie • Jordan Tate • Sam Thomas • Susan • Hobie Buchannon • Manny Gutierrez • Lani McKenzie • April Giminski • Sky Bergman • Kimm • Taylor Walsh • J.D. Darius • Sheryl Whalen • Bridget • Alex Ryker • Tina • Jessie Owens • Emily • Kristi • Leigh Dyer |