This dinosaur of a blog now lives on in video format HERE.
First off, I already unwittingly referenced the title of this episode (HERE, bottom photo). So, I feel like a freaking genius.
Hayley Mills, the "star" of this early version of "Saved by the Bell," was also the star of a Disney movie called "The Parent Trap," in which she played both twins. She sang a song in a duet with herself called "Let's Get Together," a ditty for the mother (played by the lovely Maureen O'Hara) and father (played by Brian Keith). Here is the song, which most likely inspired the name and theme for this episode of "Saved by the Bell":
Flawless.
But then Ms. Mills grew up and committed these heinous crimes in entertainment:
Where is Amesica? And which of its inventions are famous? Because you can't make that "S" into an "R." It says "Amesican." No Sideways R Theory will change my mind. And then, hey Miss Bliss, how do you talk in an old-timey telephone?
Not like that! Hopefully she was just playing up her role as a farmer who didn't know how to use a phone.
On to another lady: I think it high time we look at Joan Ryan, the actress who played Tina Paladrino.
Joan has been all over the entertainment spectrum. A peak at her IMDB profile shows roles in both television and movies. Her latest project involves creating loops for studios to use. (Not sound effects, but human vocals that are recorded at a different time from the filming.) She also has an album out and, according to her website, is quite the accomplished singer. She's spends time onstage in all sorts of musical productions. So I guess she isn't just some goofball teacher but a multi-faceted bottle of awesome sauce. Congratulations on being able to capitalize on a bevy of talents!
On to another lady:
Guest star Devon Odessa plays this very, very, very unfortunate girl:
This girl has been all over the television. I don't recall her, but she was in all 19 episodes of "My So Called Life." She was also kissed by Dustin Diamond. She won a Young Artist Award for her work on "Highway to Heaven" in the category "Best Young Actress Guest Starring in a Drama or Comedy Series." Then again, she was somehow in the Sega CD video game "Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch: Make My Video." So, some ups and downs.
Last lady stuff hails from the previous episode's revelation concerning Mr. Belding's secretary. This episode started like this:
Yes, the hot assistant is still there!
And then, in the same episode:
What? Was the younger gal a temp while the old bag had hip surgery? Is it wise to have subplots with extras? I was hoping the days of marking the secretary were over. Looks like we've got one more thing to keep an eye on.
Feel free to share what stood out to you in the comments below.
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.
