SBTB 02.01 - The Prom

It's a video version! It's HERE!

Welcome to a new season! And what do we see first? Kelly's terribly decorated room. This is a huge change of pace, as we normally get a Zack-centric beginning. The episode sets a great tone in focussing more on the group instead of Zack's exploits.

So what are these exploits? Well, the dream sequence is alive and well.

As Geraldo Rivera

Here is Screech acting like Geraldo Rivera. The reason I bring this up is because younger viewers may not realize that Geraldo was not always a lame news reporter (if that is what he still does). Many of us cut our teeth on the Geraldo name via his trashy daytime talk show. That mustache. It haunts me.

Let's move on to something a bit lighter: Guest stars.

John Mansfield

Say hello to Frank Kapowski (played by John Mansfield), a character so pathetic that he can't even keep a job after appearing on screen. Mr. Mansfield was a television mainstay throughout the 90s and only made one jump the big screen in the movie "Space Marines." Oddly enough, he played the role of both Doctor Reston and Doctor Ballard in the same season of "Santa Barbara," playing one, then the other, then back to the other. Good job?

The other notable guest star is Dion Zamora, who plays Alan Fairbanks.

Dion Zamora

You have absolutely seen this guy before in previous episodes and you will likely see him again in future episodes. Sadly, you won't see him in much else outside this fine program. Strike that. Reverse it. He was the bully in "Beethoven's 2nd." Again: Good job?

But, what is this? More guest stars? Why not.

Meet Nardino and Mankuso. Because Smith and Jones weren't believable enough fictional names?

And here is Robert:

He is uncredited. It is most likely because his line about taking marshmallows to the fire in the lab was so bad. Way to be a waste of space, pal.

Then again, he was asked to help fill out the crowd in the movie theater. So he is the exact opposite of a waste of space. Robert is a filler of space. Huh.

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

SBTB 01.16 - Save That Tiger

Want a video version? HERE you go!

Season finale and we had another Rhonda Robistelli sighting. You don't care? You should, because that tomboy now looks like this:

Never underestimate the sporty tomboys. (I say this as if she was really Rhonda as a teenager. Sad.)

Principal Elliot Stingwell is played by Ronnie Schell. This guy has been in a little bit of everywhere. For me, however, his best work is in voice overs. Peruse his work on IMDB and see the voice work he's done. Recess. Rugrats. Scooby Doo. Smurfs. Not bad, man. Not bad.

As to the other prominent guest stars, the Clegg Cousins Dan and Stan are played by C.W. Hemingway and Mark Clayman, respectively. C.W. struck out after only four appearances in Hollywood. It is interesting to note, however, that his gig right before his jock on Saved by the Bell was as a nerd in "Head of the Class." Mark has a much better acting portfolio, in that he returns to Saved by the Bell as Moose, as well as acting in other productions. He later branches out and works on the production crew for "Just Shoot Me."

And, once again: Shut up, Dustin Diamond!

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

SBTB 01.15 - King of the Hill

This blog is now a video. HERE it is!

It should be fairly obvious that this episode is incredibly out of order. This was supposed to be the first episode of "Saved by the Bell" ever. Yet here it lies, fifteen episodes into the first season. We get introduced to A.C. Slater... fifteen episodes in. We meet heartthrob Kelly... fifteen episodes in. We find out Jessie is Zack's best friend... even though fifteen episodes haven't really proven this yet. We also meet Mr. Dewey and Mrs. Simpson... again. But, you know what? Things happen and snafus like this are some of them. To get your mind off this chronal anomaly:

Boom!

In the course of this blog I have discovered that I need a segment devoted to the instances in which I can yell at Dustin Diamond to shut up about his experience on Saved by the Bell. Once again, he has a magical moment with a lady.

So, here it goes: "Hey, Dustin Diamond. Shut up!" That feels good.

Another segment could appropriately be called "Mr. Belding's Very Inappropriate Moments" because it seems he has one every episode. Here, he tells Zack "You haven't seen 'Dirty Dancing' until you've seen [Mrs. Belding and I] underwater." What?

And did you see this guy in the background try to keep a straight face? He fails.

Finally, some people get bent out of shape calling the double-straw in Kelly's Coke a production goof. Sure, Zack walks over with one straw in the cup but then there are conveniently two, allowing him to take a sip from Kelly's cup. I see this as further evidence of Max's stupid magic. He had already performed two or three stupid tricks before handing the cup to Zack. Why not a stupid trick straw that doubles for pretty ladies? It's plausible and perfectly in line with the character. I'll let it pass. Max is stupid.

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

SBTB 01.14 - The Zack Tapes

Wanna hear me do this episode in a COVID voice? Our video version of the blog is HERE.

Yeah, yeah, this is one of those iconic episodes for Zack's use of subliminal messages embedded in a Bo Revere song (which is a fake band whose song is available on the "Saved by the Bell Soundtrack"). Almost everyone knows how the episode goes. For me, though, this outfit is what makes this episode shine:

And I feel cheated with the guest stars in this episode. For starters, Miss Wentworth has already been introduced here. In that episode she is an animal sex education teacher. Here, she teaches about subliminal messages. I'm not sure if she teaches science, English, or a hybrid. Secondly, the nerd with the laugh has already been introduced here. And the laugh is stolen from Crater Face Charlie Coburn from this episode. Lastly, there is a guy named Derrick credited at the end of the episode. I watched high and low throughout the episode and could not discover who this guy is. Then there was this:

Derrick is supposedly played by Nicholas Read, an actor with decent acting credits with a few recurring roles in television shows. Oddly enough, Saved by the Bell is his first television appearance, one in which he makes absolutely no appearance. (My guess is that he is the victim of a deleted scene.) IMDB does list Nicholas as having acted in "Suburban Commando," a fantastically campy Hulk Hogan movie that I definitely saw in the theater.

Speaking of campy: Mr. Belding. And how about another round of Mr. Belding being creepy?

"We're still meeting with my favorite California girl: your mommy." Either that is a very poorly delivered "Yo Momma" joke or a very, very strange relationship with Zack's mother. The episode tries to deliver it as a pun based on the conversation. I don't buy it.

Shifting gears, Saved by the Bell has a lot of fun with itself. Take this lightbulb Jessie gets as she realizes Zack's subterfuge:

The only issue here is the very awkward tilt and zoom that occurs after the lightbulb leaves. The director should have made the shot shorter so as to do the tilt and zoom as the lightbulb left. As it is, there is all that dead space that lasts for a second or two longer. It feels weird.

Another fun thing is this [seeming] homage to the Star Warks Gonk droid:

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

SBTB 01.13 - The Election

Hey! A video version can be found HERE!

Last blog's celebration came too soon. That stupid theme song/version was back. This abomination is sung by Michael Damian. It is horrible. I just pulled up his music on Spotify and listened to his most listened-to song, "Rock On - Ver. 09." It is also horrible. Seriously, listen to it all the way through. Then tell me you didn't laugh at the background guy saying "James Dean." Then again, he did get a song on two C-movies: Flicka 2 and Marley and Me: The Puppy Years. He also had a role in the Young and the Restless. That doesn't make me like him any more. But maybe a little less.

Let's move on to a winner.

Nope. Nope. Nope. That is pure, gross Failure. Why is Mr. Belding wearing this? Better question: Why isn't Mr. Belding wearing more of that shirt? I don't know why he is allowed in the student locker room, especially when looking like a gross creep.

The winner I meant was Patrick Thomas O'Brien, the guest star who plays Mr. Dewey.

Now this guy is pure awesome. He captures "9th Grade Algebra Teacher" like no one else - dry as sin and boring as all-get-out. His resume includes plenty of other heavy hitting shows, like Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Caroline in the City, Married with Children, JAG, 7th Heaven, Baywatch, and a host of others. I think the fact that he has appeared in many high profile shows (and some movies) goes to show how well he is regarded for making memorable enough characters.

And speaking of memorable enough characters, any one else get an Annie Hall vibe from Jessie in this episode?

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

SBTB 01.12 - The Mommas and the Pappas

Here's a video version, if you prefer.

Oh, thank goodness! That horrible version of the opening credits theme song lasted only the last episode. We are back to normal.

What isn't normal, however, is Bayside's definition of "alphabetically." The couples are supposedly made up by last name, as Mr. Belding explains to Lisa that her pairing with Screech was all done alphabetically. Well, I guess that Slater and Spano are kind of alphabetical in the sense that their names start with an "S." A true alphabetical pairing, however, would have looked like this:

• Boys
• Zack Morris
• Screech Powers
• A.C. Slater
• Girls
• Kelly Kapowski
• Jessie Spano
• Lisa Turtle

So, the first couple was done by everyone-else-in-the-world's alphabetical standard, but the majority of the couples in the show were done by Bayside-specific alphabetics. By this logic, Lisa's name change to Ziggowitz would avail her nothing.

Now, I realize that some people reading this may be from a younger generation and may not have understood this scene:

This is called "aerobics." It is how women and girls of the eighties and early-nineties worked out. They wore these types of workout clothes and danced along to video tapes done by Kathy Ireland or Richard Simmons. You may think this looks dumb, but it's not far off from what you look like in Yoga.

And, with no guest star to malign, allow me to say again - Shut up, Dustin Diamond! You got lady love, man!

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

SBTB 01.11 - The Friendship Business

Delicious. A video of this blog can be consumed HERE.

What happened to the theme music on this one? I don't know if it is just the Netflix version or if each episode will have this song from here on out (I don't remember this terrible rendition) but it is so bad! I have noticed that some of the video used for each character has changed from time to time in the title sequence, but the song change is unbearable. I hope it doesn't last.

What else may not last: Our guest star's careers.

Mr. Tuttle is played by Jack Angeles.

This role would be his longest stint in Hollywood. It would also be his highest profile stint (unless you count "Mousehunt," in which he played a kennel worker). His star fizzled amazingly fast.

Mr. Angeles is not alone. Edgar Poindexter, the lovable nerd, is played by William Joseph Barker.

The character pops in from time to time in the show and Mr. Barker does an amazing job as a nerd. Sadly, this is really the only thing he would be known for, as his other acting credits go along the lines of Boy in Classroom for an episode of "Family Matters," Student #2 in "Growing Pains," and simply Actor in "California Dreams." Sad.

One of the aspects of this episode that I thought was weird was this locker room scene:

Uh, why is Mr. Belding pumping iron in front of a young student? And why is his shirt so tight around those biceps? It's kind of creepy from just this snapshot. But then you learn that it's actually Zack that is wooing Mr. Belding - with a Buddy Band. It's a funny, albeit odd, youth-and-elders scene.

And speaking of lockers -

how are you supposed to open that corner locker? As you can see by my marking, part of that corner locker is covered. Whomever has that locker is hosed, as they can't freaking open it! I know, I know. Who cares, right? Well, this is exactly why I am doing this blog - to find production curiosities. Case in point:

Incredibly obvious boom mic!

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