Brooks' versatile appeal and acting ability made him an attractive TV-movie property, and he was featured in several in the 90s, including the ABC thriller "Alibi" (1997), the UPN sci-fi actioner "The Darwin Conspiracy" and the CBS tearjerker "Three Secrets" (both 1999). Guest roles on the series "Friends" (NBC, 1997), "Early Edition" (CBS, 1999) and "Hollywood Off-Ramp" (E! Entertainment Television, 2000) kept the actor busy, while a 1999 recurring role on the intriguing drama "The Pretender" marked his return to NBC in a challenging part with the time and freedom for more character development that he was afforded in guest shots.
In 1999, Brooks returned to regular series television with a role on the revamped lifeguard drama "Baywatch Hawaii". As the assured and organized head of the lifesaving team, Brooks' Sean Monroe was groomed to replace the departing Mitch Buchannon (David Hasselhoff) and breathed new life into the faltering show. Brooks brought a believable dramatic edge to the often-mocked series with his earnest portrayal, while his skills and athletic good looks won over audiences.