King Of Kid-Coms (Saved by the Bell)

Member Name: Peakly

Product:	Saved by the Bell
Date:	29/06/01 (972 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cool Characters, Energetic Script, Funny & Touching

Disadvantages: New Class Sucked Ass

“When I wake up in the morning, and the alarm gives out a warning, I don’t think I’ll ever make it in time…”



If all the American sit-coms and the British sit-coms had a big, no holds-barred rumble, who do you think would win?

Let’s imagine, blow by blow. ‘Only Fools & Horses’, with its sharp script and well developed story-lines, would likely take out ‘Roseanne’ with little problem. ‘Faulty Towers’ might struggle slightly with ‘Friends’, but in the end slap-stick should prevail over sarcasm. Though ‘Frazier’ would crush ‘Keeping Up Appearances’ like a fly, the British advantage would be re-affirmed as ‘Father Ted’ chews up and spits out ‘Cheers’ with little effort. By the time most sit-coms hit the floor, the British would undoubtedly be heading for victory…

… but wait, what is that I spy? Yonder, beyond the hills? ‘Blackadder’ turns slowly, wiping the blood of a thousand American sit-coms from its mouth, egar, read to right again. But who is the mystery fighter? What is this sit-com, be them brave or stupid, that would happily walk into an arena of enemies alone? A distant ringing echoes around the mountain top, teenagers join hands and dance around the on-coming warrior, and the sweet smell of burning pipes fill the air. ‘Saved By The Bell’ has arrived, and with it, the American battle is won.



“…by the time I grab my books, and I give myself a look, I’m at the corner just in time to see the bus drive by…”



If Dooyoo would let me post individual pictures on each opinion, I would show you this great one of Kelly in a see-through vest. Seriously. If you really want, I’ll mail it to you. No problem. You see, back in the early days, that’s was just one of the many reasons
we all watched Saved By The Bell. Tiffany Amber Tearsion… even today, the name makes me stand up and pretend to have to use the bathroom (and wonder how it is really spelt). I apply to the term ‘angel’, to only the most beautiful women I know – that includes Anna Kournikova, JillMurphy, the girl who used to work in my local video shop and her, Tiffany. I used to drag myself out of bed at a ridiculous 7:30, just to vegetate in front of the television for half an hour while the show was aired. Through aching, tired eyes, I would spend my time either dribbling at Kelly, cursing at Zack, frowning at Slater or laughing quietly at Screech. Superb. I read somewhere that Courtney Love described ‘The Breakfast Club’ as the defining point of an alternative generation… well if I were Kurt Cobains widow and a heroin junkie, I would say that actually – Saved By The Bell is that defining point. Every teenage sit-com from America, from Boy Meets World to Malibu (urgh), none have as yet managed to encapsulate so perfectly the way we all wish high-school and adolescence was really like. Wacky adventures, innocent romance, pathetic teachers, stereo-types living in harmony… Saved By The Bell had it all. The humour was honest, innocent, upfront and fair. The characters, forever loveable and dearly conceived. If you grew up in the UK during the 80’s or 90’s, then developing a resentment of British reservation and tradition was inevitable, and with that came a unexplainable love of America. We can thank Saved By The Bell.



“...if the teacher pops a test, I know I’m in a mess, and my dog ate all my homework last night…”



Ok, basic scenario – Zack Morris, Screech Powers, Slater, Jessie Spanno, Lisa Turtle & Kelly Kapowski are six teenagers, attending the same high-school. Zack likes Kelly, Slater likes Jessie, Screech (bless him, etc) likes Lisa.
Zack’s got a smart-mouth a good looks, Slater’s a jock, Screech is a nerd, Jessie’s brainy, Lisa’s spoilt and Kelly, well, Kelly’s an angel. Together they live out the teenage fantasies of dancing at proms, saying sweet things, annoying their teacher Mr. Building and having happy endings. And just as people ten years from now will have the right to laugh at our baggy pants and hooded sweaters, we all can point at the characters 80’s style clothing and have a hearty giggle.

I guess it would be fair to say that Zack was the ‘lead’ character, or certainly the character around which most of the action takes place. The ‘on-off’ relationship between he and Kelly often dominated the half-hour episode, as the other characters provided balance in the form of something humorous like a bet or a trick to play on someone. Often, the funniest moments were between Screech and Slater. Forming a typical ‘odd-couple’, the macho mentality of Slater and the wimpy intelligence of Screech often clashed, and with hilarious consequences. Who can forget the scene, where the two joined forces to work on a project…. Sitting in the diner with various text-books, Screech read with great concentration, while Slater’s job was the physical act of turning the page every few minutes. Marvellous. And what of the time when Zack, egar to escape his detention and join the others at the beach, tricked Mr. Building into eating a chocolate-covered grasshopper, thus causing him to fall ill and leave him unattended? Countless classic comedy moments, but, of course, it wasn’t all fun and games. Anyone remember when Zack and Kelly had their last dance? Or when they all said good-bye at then end of high-school? Saved By The Bell has something to teach us all, and just as with The Breakfast Club, we can see a tiny bit of over selves in each character.



“…riding low on m
y chair, she won’t know that I’m there, if I can hand in tomorrow, it’ll be alright…”



After the series ended, there were the spin-offs. One good, one crap. The good was called ‘Saved By The Bell: The College Years’, which featured all the best characters from the first series and a refreshing change of scene. The formula was keep more of less the same, so no one minded too much. Anyway, it was special, watching Zack and crew grow up and move on. They should re-united them all now, and have them working in the same office, or in twenty years time in the same old people’s home. I can imagine it now - a 60 year old Zack pretending to wet himself when the home help lady arrives, so that an equally ancient Slater can jog his way out unnoticed. Lisa, now a wrinkly old women, still banging on about MC Hammer and embarrassing the rest of the group. Now that would have been special.

But instead, after the ‘College Years’, the creators of Saved By The Bell made a big mistake. Instead of allowing the show a pain-free, honourable death, they reached out in desperation and came up with ‘The New Class’. All the stars were leaving, going on to different things, and so their solution was to cast new actors to play EXACTLY the same characters. Course the names were different, but everything else was a poor replica of the crew before them. ‘Saved By The Bell: The New Class’ was, quite rightfully, a big fat flop.



“…it’s alright ‘cos I’m saved by the…, it’s all right ‘cos I’m saved by the…, it’s alright ‘cos I’m saved by the bell…”



This minor indiscretion on behalf of the writers and producers can be forgiven though, in sacred light of their first and finest work. Everything, from the cheesy rock ‘n’ roll intro to the corny
‘message’ in the later episodes all help make Saved By The Bell a cult classic. There are million sit-coms, dramas and films that attempt an idealistic portrayal of high-school life, thus engaging the wistful fantasies of our youth – in this, a low-budget, shamelessly repetitive sit-com, we find our champion. Whether you were in love with Kelly, fancied the pants off Slater or just loved Screeches wacky style, it all meant the same thing – you really were saved, by the bell.



“…<solo>…”



Marvellous.

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