I really liked this show as a kid. You have to understand the context. Thunder in Paradise was not about the acting. Hulk Hogan can't act very well. He is not terrible, since all wrestlers get experience in acting, but Hulk has never risen above the wrestling-level of acting.
However, this show did combine a number of things that could really appeal to a boy living in the cold North:
1. The paradise. The blue water and palms sent you away from your rainy hometown on a little vacation. It's similar in effect to reading travel magazines or watching travel shows.
2. The boat, Thunder. It is awesome! It looked like a cooler version of the F117 stealth bomber. It had mini-guns and missiles and other spaceship tech. The show used computer generated effects for the boat transformations that even today look kind of OK. This thing was the true star of the show that kept me hooked.
3. The theme song. This has a lot to do with point 1 on this list. The holiday-themed song just helped transfer you to that vacation setting.
Thunder in Paradise was a colorful show. Blue water, green palms, orange explosions, etcetera. It was not about the acting or camera work or plot. The fact that it was silly only underlined the happy attitude it was going for.
If you were an adult when this show started playing, and especially if you were an adult living in a warm country, then I can see how you would not enjoy this show because it is not of the highest quality.
