#22 | Saved by the Bell

‘I really think that’s something we found really funny but the listener is going to be like what the f*ck’

So we’ve finally given into the pleadings of our favourite Tommy Tiernan show MC Fred Cooke and allow him the honour of dueting with our wonderful Emma D in a stunning musical intro as we dissect American TV hits. This week Up To 90, we talk nineties teen-com favourite: ‘Saved by the Bell’.

Originating as Good Morning Miss Bliss, Saved by the Bell explored high-school social dynamics, pivoting around the hotshot protagonist Zack Morris, his buddies and the various women vying for his affections – most notably Kelly and Jessie. Good points of the show: Mario Lopez’s tight black curls. Bad points: the serious episodes where they instead on conveying an important social message like ‘Don’t Do Drugs!’ and ‘Don’t Study Hard! No boy will like you!’

The list of thought-provoking questions are endless: Why could Dustin Diamond aka Screech not let go of the franchise? Did Elizabeth Berkeley ever get over her woeful jacuzzi movie moment? Whose real name was ‘Lark’? Who ended up on Beverly Hills 902010? Why did the College Years fail to capture our imaginations the way its prequel did?

And also, who the hell was Tori?

If you’re Dustin Diamond please get in touch on Twitter and Insta @Upto90Podcast