I’m a fan of consistency. I like knowing what to expect when I turn on the television in the morning. Theres no flipping around to find something else. I’m either watching the news, Good Morning America, OR Saved By the Bell. TBS has two full hours of this late 80s/early 90s classic every weekday morning (on Fridays they show the College Years). This show taught me a lot when I was growing up and now brings me a big dose of joy in the early hours of the day. So, today I give you:
My Top 5 Favorite Episodes of Saved By the Bell
1. Season 1, Episode 1: Dancing to the Max. Also known as “the sprain.” In this episode, The Max is holding a dance contest, of course, and everyone enters and is very cut-throat about winning. Kelly and Slater partner up and wear matching red, sequined outfits that dazzle the crowd. Jessie helps Zack learn how to dance and they do a very modest dance in matching preppy yellow sweaters and khaki bottoms. Then the climax of the contest comes when Lisa and Screech win doing the hot new dance “the sprain.” Poor Lisa had a hottie dance partner lined up in the beginning but he dumped her because she kicked her television when she found out that Revlon discontinued her favorite nail polish. Screech shows her some love and they end up winning the contest for being so cool. Good way to start out the show!
2. Season 4, Episode 16: Slater’s Sister. The plot of this episode is pretty simple. Slater’s sister comes to school, Zack wants to date her and Slater doesn’t approve of this. Thus creating tension between the boys. What makes me love this episode so much is Mr. Belding. He attended some “sensitivity classes” and proceeds to share his wisdom with the boys during gym class. Mr. B is wearing a large bearskin rug over his head and starts the “circle” with a loud roar/scream that makes me laugh just thinking about it.
3. Season 2, Episode 9: Jessie’s Song. Between studying for midterms and participating in the new singing group the girls started, Jessie is feeling the pressure. She’s so tired from singing and dancing that she has no time for studying- and she knows that if she lets her grades slip that the only school that will accept her is Surf University. So she starts taking caffeine pills. This show teaches viewers an important lesson that drugs are dangerous (but so is geometry) and they can cause you to have a mental breakdown on national television. I love this episode because it’s so ridiculous and I identify with Jessie the most out of all the characters. We’re both crazy tall, overly ambitious, and will smack you if you say anything anti-feminist.
4. Season 3, Episode 21: No Hope with Dope. Celebrity Johnny Dakota shows up at Bayside to film an anti-drug PSA. The girls are star-struck and the boys are smitten with their new friend, but are highly disappointed to find out that hes a hypocrite. He smokes Dope! Nooo!! It’s true- so the gang kicks Johnny to the curb and film their own cheesetastic PSA: “There’s No Hope with Dope.” It’s Oscar worthy.
5. Season 2, Episode 13: Running Zack. The gang has a school project to research their ancestry. Zack’s grade on this project will determine if he will be allowed to run in the track meet against Valley. For some reason, the producers think that it is believable that this blond hair, blue-eyed kid is part Indian. He goes on to befriend his Indian mentor who tells Zack all about his “heritage.” They get close and then the indian dies making Zack all sad for the race. I love this episode because you get to see the emotional range within Zack and the show steps on some close politically-incorrect boundaries with their fancy headdresses.
Honorable mentions in the favorite SBTB episodes: S2,E9: The one where the gang breaks Screech’s mom’s Elvis statue; S4,E8: Zack is stuck in detention all day while Mr. Belding tries to sculpt his bonsai tree; S2, E1: The Prom- Jessie and Slater get together and Zack surprises Kelly with a private prom after she can’t go; S3,E11: Pipe Dreams- Bayside strikes oil and everyone thinks they’re going to get rich until theres a spill and it hurts all of their animal friends.
Awesome list! My favorite is the episode where the SBTB crew gets locked in the mall after hours with criminals. It reminds me of another cult classic, the 80s movie Career Opportunities.
What a fun read that took me back to the days when my brother and I would make forts in our den and watch this show every Saturday morning.
Amy,
This is an awesome setup! I love your love of SBTB. It brings back good memories, though they were of middle school mostly because we were youngin’s when this show went on air. Speaking of which, did you ever watch the episodes of them in middle school? I think Zack and Screech were the only two characters to go on from there to the hit seasons.
I hope this show gets a posthumous award someday; it was instrumental in teen social skills.
The episodes you are refering to come from a show called “Good Morning, Miss Bliss.”
Amy- I’m loving this blog post!! I was sooo excited to see that you put Jessis, “I’m so scared” episode on there!! I also like the episode where the gang decides to make fake IDs so they can get into the club!! So many great episodes, so little time!!
Amy,
I absolutely love this post and totally agree that SBTB was nearly life-altering for me. I learned so much from these rad ’80s teens. I’m sure I have seen every episode at least 10 times! Some of my favorite moments are the conversations Zach has on his ancient, extra large cell phone. He was/is so cool!
I do not recognize your Seasion 1, Episode 1 as the first episode. Saved by the Bell was not JUST a spin-off of Good Morning, Miss Bliss; nay, it was a continuation!