When trailers were first released for the show, many took notice of Zac Efron's transformation: the famously chiseled and clean cut actor appeared bearded and somewhat bigger. Efron drew praise for no longer conforming to Hollywood's ridiculous fitness standards and for being himself, not to mention the attention of fans smitten with his new look. Some have said things along the lines of "Thank you, Zac Efron, for changing your look based on my changing tastes." Some have referred to Efron's look as a "Dad bod," to which others have responded, "If people are saying Zac Efron has a 'dad bod' looking like this... there's no hope for the rest of us." On no longer maintaining his old physique, Efron said, "...I realized when I was done with [Baywatch] I don't ever want to be in that good of shape again."
A food company named Down to Earth Organics filed a lawsuit with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in July, 2022, against Netflix, Darin Olien and Zac Efron. The company, which has no relationship with the television series, alleges its image is damaged by the association viewers might make with its products, given the series spreads misinformation about wellness. The company argues their allegations are supported by the article by the Office for Science and Society, where Jarry characterizes the show as "insidious nonsense". The company chose to act when a second season of the show was announced, stating it wanted to prevent further damage to its brand. As of July 2022, the allegations have not been proven in court.