GMMB 01.01 - Summer Love

2020 Edit: I just started a YouTube channel and this episode has a Deep Dive that you can watch HERE.

When "Saved by the Bell" went into syndication, I'd watch and notice that an old, old episode would show up every now and again. I had no idea who Mikey and Nikki were, or why I had never seen these episodes when I originally watched the flagship series. Thanks to Netflix and IMDB, I now know what's up.

For those who don't know, "Saved by the Bell" began as a series on the Disney Channel as "Good Morning, Miss Bliss." It had more of a focus on the faculty than the students, although Zack did get his time to shine every episode. It lasted one season. Being scrapped, its creator fought for it to be aired on his employer network, NBC. The executives okayed it and the show was retooled as "Saved by the Bell." New students get introduced and the focus shifts from the faculty to the students. Zack, Lisa, and Screech were the only constant students to make the transition.

Here is the opening title sequence for the original Disney Channel show. It is terrible.

As to the episode, I think it very appropriate that Zack gets caught in a lie on his very first episode. Even more-so, it involves a girl. Mark-Paul Gosselaar portrayed the smooth-operator-bit very early on. It's kind of creepy watching him and how good he his.

One thing I loved about this opening episode is Miss Bliss being accused by her friend Tina of having an evil twin, which seems to hearken to her role in "The Parent Trap" when she actually had a twin, of which she played both roles (but neither was evil).

Let's get together...

Feel free to share what stood out to you in the comments below.