Reviews

Starting out in the classroom where we see our first episode showing Mikus love for Topanga. Mikus is reading an origami book with a origami flower on Topangas desk. Cory and Shawn make fun of him for being in love. We get a dead Bambi reference along with an armpit fart.

We get into the plot of the story when Eric comes in as a guest speaker to tell the class about going to the High School next year. He mentions parties and cool hang outs. Giving Eric some time in a scene in Cory's social life and not just his home life, opening up the storyline.

Topanga goes to the Matthews house with brownies and we seem to be continuing Topangas oddness with the mention of her sisters name. Shawn tries convincing Cory that Topanga has a crush on him.

Eric goes to take the trash out and Feeny gives him a heartfelt lesson on what he should have been talking about to the 6th grade class. All while Topanga is creeping in the back of the scene for NO REASON. Very weird.

In the cafe we get Cody wearing a Disney Anaheim Ducks jersey in Philadelphia? Not trying to promote at all... this is where they find Topangas notebook and realize she is in love with Eric and not Cory.

Topanga comes over and comes on to Eric on the couch which plays for an iconic moment of him stopping her from kissing him. Telling her she is a great girl but to be strong and he is too old for her.

Eric comes back in to deliver the right speech to the class, and Minkus is fantastic in this scene, right on beat and very good actually funny jokes.

Overall a really great episode, there is only one storyline going on with a heavy Eric centric episode

7.4.

When London's dad lost all his money on land that was suppose to have diamonds but doesn't, London is forced to move out of the hotel. Maddie reluctantly takes London in at her house where she lives across from Fenway Park and lives with her grandparents.

This is the first time we see Maddie's place. London expresses that she never had a normal childhood or sleepovers, but also wakes up scared she dreamed her being poor.

Meanwhile the Zach and Cody storyline is about their mom not being able to tell them apart. This storyline goes really nowhere and is quite terrible.

London gets her money back but still invites Maddie to lunch, the ending is weak. London is a tough character as I find any storyline around her rather tough to enjoy.

A classic opening scene with Barry Bonds reference and comparing the salary to a teacher with Minkus defending the low salary of a teacher. Also Cory predicting Mr. Feeny's actions is a classic sit-com schtick.

There are two storylines in this episode that both point to the same lesson/plot. Eric and his girlfriend which is a light storyline and could have been better laid out. He is newly dating her and she is called a racist name at the mall.

Meanwhile Cory bets Mr. Feeny to take over teaching the class saying that it is an easy job. When he starts out he lets everyone do whatever they want. With his bike on the line he decides to read the book assigned about Ann Frank, along with hearing Eric's girlfriend get called a name. Corry becomes very passionate about prejudice and gives a fantastic speech to the class to pull them in to Anne Frank's story.

Feeny is pleased with Cory and explains that the lesson was learned by him, when he taught the class.

I'm this episode a Cody falls for a girl and tries to get closer to her by entering into the beauty pageant being held at the hotel. Of course Zach later finds out the winner gets $2,000. The struggle between wanting to get new bikes and Cody wanting to throw the competition so his crush can win gets very real. In the end Cody/Zach are revealed at the pageant end to be boy and be disqualified. This is where their mom makes a joke about being thankful they only did it for the money and not actually wanting to cross-dress. Very funny but wouldn't be allowed in 2023.

So far two episodes in and the storylines for only being in s hotel are working! 7.2 / 10.

Screech and Zack find an area of Bayside that used to be used for the school radio back in the 60's. They beg Belding to let them start the radio back up, which he is really reluctant. Meanwhile they find out that The Max is hurting for cash after Max says he lost 10K.

Slater asks to do the sports section and when he does, is terrible and the newspaper revels how bad he is. Zack asks to use the radio to try and save the Max, but after struggling Slater comes in and gives a heartfelt speech to get people to donate and save The Max.

This episode is all over the place. For a kids show I feel like they should have focused on one of the storylines, Slater being bad at radio or trying to save The Max. Then when they finally get to the two storylines merging in Slater's speech to promote donations it is all but 30 seconds, the phones start ringing and that is the end of the episode. The credits were rolling and I was like "What the hell?". It just felt like it ended.

The radio roles by the characters was very enjoyable, I would have loved to see an episode solely devoted to the radio and Slater being bad....but there wasn't. Overall a 6.7.

This might be a first! Zack is actually being nice to someone, now that someone just happens to be Kelley so don't put too much stock into that. So when Kelly's dad losses his job and Kelly has to give back her money for prom, Zack has to think of a sweet plan to include Kelly on a Prom night date.

First off Kelly's dad asking for the money back in a around about way is just mind blowing! Like the 50$ she will spend on prom will fix him losing his job? Just adds to the very unbelievable story plots in saved by the bell.

Overall Zach comes through after hearing this and sets up a picnic outside of prom and we finally get the first kiss between the two.

7.7.

So it's episode 16 and Zack is starting the first day of school and being introduced to AC Slater? What is going on? Well as you might figure this was the original pilot. Why NBC decided to air them out of order is beyond me, even if it wasn't polished, it wasn't a bad beginning.

The story lines are set with Zack wanting to date Kelly at all costs and now AC wants to get in the way of that. As this is not the first episode I have watched, this would have been a great first episode, but quite a boring 16th episode.

We also getting a mention of the cafeteria, when Jessie says "The Max is a lot better than the cafeteria food". It's funny cause we never will see them in the cafe at all.

Overall a good episode, and one of my favorites even though the storyline isn't anything crazy it is a lot more believable than the subliminal messages or all the automated lockers. Giving this episode a 7.3.

This is such a classic saved by the bell episode it's not even funny. A scheme to made Lisa and Kelly fall for Screech and Zack. With a side of an outrageous plot that in 1990 seems really really tough for a group of high school kids.

First off, why is the school teaching about subliminal messaging in advertising? Just seems like a very detailed subject to learn. I don't know about you but I leave about algebra and WWII.

So then second, we have cassette players and Zack happens to have a machine that can mix audio and record it, along with adjusting volume? Seems a bit much. Then on top of it, the messages makes the girls under a spell for the boys? Wow that is some crazy subliminal messaging!

To put the cherry on top when they quickly figure out what Zack has done they plan to get back at him....which was the teachers idea!? What school is this?! Lol.

This is what makes SBTB great and ridiculous all at the same time. If you have to describe this show to someone show them this episode. It will sum it all up in a short 21 minutes.

The fact that Zack ever had a chance with Kelly is in itself a miracle.

Overall: 7.6 (can't deny the richness in the wild plot)

The gang is in class that pairs them up for marriage. Zach and Kelly, Slater and Jessie, Screech and Lisa. The entire episode is Slater and Zach trying to get with Kelly at all cost. After Screech freaks out Lisa on numerous occasions, they split up and become the kids in this wild classroom experience. Slater is the one behind the scheme this time. He plans to have Screech cause trouble between his "parents", Zach and Kelly that way Slater can be with Kelly. Needless to say this plan never works because like clockwork Screech gives up the plan at the first sight of trouble.

I am not sure what school does this experiment none the less with no one else in the class but them. Also why is The Max holding the final for this experiment. The only thing just seems odd. Also the moment of screech saying he'll send for his ant farm was a classic. And him popping out of the cake was also interesting at the least!! All in all not a great episode or a memorable one at all.

Zach is back gambling. Slater is not liking career week as he has no idea what he wants to do. Zach betting on Slater to win his wrestling match but doesn't take into consideration that Slaters head just isn't in it.

In the first 5 minutes of the episode we have two different references to Wheel of Fortune. Seems a little forced but still kinda cool.

So Slater visits Belding to help him figure out what he should become. I find it odd that Belding is picturing being a basketball player at 50?! Did he not retire like every other NBA player?

On top of Zach Morris's "Time Outs" we are also gifted with another dream sequence. This one by Slater, everyone back at Bayside earning a recognition for their successful careers, of course expect for Slater. He is supporting an absolutely terrible washes up wrestler. And what is up with the 19 inch TV in the future.

Zach tells Slater to join the Cooking Club so that he can hang with all the ladies. His plan being to get Slater to be made fun of and then go back to wrestling to protect his bet. Well just the opposite happens, he is good at it and enjoys it.

But let's talk about the very odd scene of the cooking teacher singing a very obnoxious song as she cooks and then the tap dancing...seriously what is this about??

Slater ends up coming to his senses quickly and wrestling in place of Screech who was going to wrestle in his place. Once again Zach learns absolutely nothing and comes out with a bike.

Overall this episode is pretty terrible 5.7.

This episode is packed with a lot of messages! After Screech's experiment explodes in his face, his much anticipated zit is cleared up by the experiment. I always love the leaps this show takes. A day latter Zach has tubes of this formula ready to sell as zit cream. Like where did he get the packaging so quickly? None the less remaking the formula.

Kelly who is wants desperately to be homecoming queen, has a zit and it's upsetting her. Well Zach has just the solution with his new found zit cream. Teaching kids that zits are sooo embarrassing and you don't want them is Kelly's stance.

Screech's face turns red from the cream, as does everyone else's and Zach worries for Kelly's face. Zach gets the whole school to paint their face maroon, the color of the school for a pep rally.

Kelly gives Zach his first kiss...does this begin their love? I would think it's a start to something. Also the Valley girl accent is highly annoying

Overall: 8.1.

As the first episode of Saved By the Bell (later confirmed was not the pilot). It does not drive much of a plot other than Zach trying to win over Kelly in a dance completion but he is not very good to but it lightly.

I felt they had a few odd scenes in this episode, like the band scene, not sure what the point of that one was. They did seem to capture Jessie Spano's anxiety of being too tall, and taller than all the boys in her class. Not sure if this was the plan, but they put two people who had a fear, Jessie and her height, and Zach and not being able to dance, together in the end to compete at Max's. Surprising that in the end they did not win the competition in fact they came in last! Just very different to the kids type of shows that came out in the late 90's and throughout the 2000's in that regard

Looking back at it over 30 years ago, I did not remember it being as corny as it was. I knew it was made for kids and to compete with cartoons but wow it really nailed that part.