It’s time for all you ‘90s kids to rejoice — “Saved by the Bell” is coming back. A reboot of the hugely popular Saturday morning show will air on NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, Peacock.
Zack Morris has become governor of California and closed several low-income schools, causing an influx of kids to enroll at his alma mater, Bayside. How this updated venture plays out remains to be seen, but there are definitely some things we want addressed.
What happened to Tori?
The original series had some serious continuation issues dating back to its pilot. Nowhere was this more evident than when, one week, Kelly and Jessie were parading through the halls of Bayside and the next they were inexplicably gone, replaced by this tough girl in a leather jacket, who stuck around for 10 episodes and dated Zack before — poof! — she disappeared, with Kelly and Jessie returning, as if nothing happened.
If you were a kid in the ‘90s, you no doubt were perplexed by the complete lack of explanation and were convinced you missed an episode that cleared up everything. The reboot needs to take a cue from “Fuller House,” which masterfully referenced the Olsen twins not returning to that reboot, and give fans a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement to the casting chaos.
Where is Mr. Belding?
It appears as if Lark Voorhies and Dustin Diamond won’t be involved in the new series, but what about Mr. Belding? Dennis Haskins has enjoyed a nice second career in public appearances, capitalizing on the fame he enjoyed playing Bayside’s principal. We need him back. What fan doesn’t long to hear him say, “Hey, hey, hey! What is going on here?”
Will the timeout return?
Zack broke the fourth wall about as often as he came up with a cheesy, get-rich-quick scam. In fact, he oftentimes used the device when he thought of a scheme and talked to the audience by teasing what he had in mind. It’d be a nice touch to bring it back.
Does Zack have the coolest cellphone?
No kid in the early 1990s carried a cellphone, but, then again, Zack was no ordinary kid in the 1990s. In addition to breaking that fourth wall, he also infamously had a brick-sized cellphone.
What kind of cutting-edge technology will he have now? A hologram machine to help him check in on Kelly? The ability to teleport so he can sneak into Valley? Does he test drive a time machine for Apple so he can figure out a way to get away with going out to The Attic for some late night fun?
Will the audience be as loud as we remember?
One of the hallmarks of the original series was the way the studio audience belted out “Ooooohhhh!!!!” in unison when any of the characters did so much as peck each other on the cheek. Any sign of affection from a teenager was cause for glee. It was silly, but also a stark reminder of the innocence of young love that resonated so strongly with teens who watched the comedy. It’s part of the franchise’s enduring charm and would be most welcome.
Is Slater still a macho pig?
In this era of the #MeToo movement, it would feel archaic for Slater to call anyone “Mama” or demand a woman go in the kitchen to cook. Those kinds of jokes that were prevalent on the original show are stale and way past their expiration date.
Will Slater have become sensitive to women’s rights or will he still be a chauvinist with an outdated way of thinking who finds himself butting heads with Jessie? That push and pull offered the conflict a show needs to entertain many years ago, but can it make for compelling television today? Slater’s development, or lack of, stands as perhaps the most interesting part of the new series.
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