Elizabeth Berkley Lauren's Saved by the Bell character is a super important part of the iconic show. Without Jessie Spano's high energy and feminist beliefs (or her infamous caffeine pills storyline), the sitcom would fall flat and the Bayside teens would all seem too ditzy.
Jessie is one of the original characters who is back for the reboot and as an author and Bayside High's guidance counselor, she has a lot of wisdom to share. But while Jessie's personality and decisions are still familiar to fans, she's grown up a lot and there are some new aspects to her personality.
Changed: She's A Mom Now
Of all the Saved by the Bell characters, Jessie seemed most likely to become a parent. She has always had a good head on her shoulders as she's smart, careful, and non-judgemental.
One way that Jessie has changed is by becoming a mom. She loves her son Jamie (Belmont Cameli) and will do anything to make him happy, although she treats him with kid gloves a bit too often. This new role seems to bring her great happiness and she finds it satisfying and wonderful.
The Same: She Still Thinks Of Slater Fondly
There are some problems with Slater (Mario Lopez) and Zack's (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) friendship on the original series, but many fans shipped Jessie and Slater and thought they were sweet together.
Jessie has stayed the same by continuing to think of Slater fondly. While she doesn't seem to be in love with him anymore, they are still close as they both work at the school and offer each other life advice on a regular basis. Watching them together is so moving (and funny, of course).
Changed: She Seems More Confident
High school is a time of insecurity and low self-esteem for many and this is often the subject of at least a few episodes of a teen drama or sitcom. On the original Saved by the Bell, Jessie was upset about being tall, and it was heartbreaking.
On the reboot, Jessie seems much more confident. She's secure in her career and clearly very successful, and while no one is perfect, it doesn't seem like those old insecurities have come back to haunt her.
The Same: She's Still Romantic With Someone Who Isn't Good Enough For Her
Whether or not fans think that Slater and Jessie should have gotten married and started a family together, one thing is clear in the reboot: Jessie doesn't have the best instincts about her romantic life.
No matter how charming Slater is, he wasn't good enough for Jessie in high school as he was too immature and prone to playing pranks and being silly. Jessie is still dating someone who is beneath her, although in this case, she's married to him. Her husband René (Cheyenne Jackson) is a writer, but his career isn't going very well, and he spends more time at retreats and ignoring his wife than actually getting to work. It's not the love story that fans hoped for Jessie.
Changed: She Doesn't Feel Close To Kelly And Zack
Tiffani Thiessen's character Kelly could be ditzy and vapid and she's not much more intelligent in the reboot.
While Jessie used to be best friends with Kelly and Zack, that's not the case in the new episodes. In a few uncomfortable scenes, the old friends try to hang out again, but it's awkward and they're not sure what to say to each other. Jessie confesses later that she doesn't approve of Kelly's business since she calls herself a "doctor" and that she doesn't feel close to her anymore.
The Same: She Still Cares About Equality And Rights
Lessons and life advice were a common theme on the original show. On the Saved by the Bell reboot, Jessie still cares about human rights and equality just as much as she always did.
While serving as the president of her class or just lecturing Slater on his sexist behavior, Jessie was always trying to make Bayside (and the world) a better place. She still does the same and it's clear that she wants the new students from Douglas High to do well and feel comfortable.
Changed: She No Longer Drinks Coffee Or Takes Caffeine Pills
In one episode of the reboot, Jessie declares herself "caffeine-free," which is a hilarious nod to the iconic storyline when she took caffeine pills.
Jessie probably drank coffee back then as well, but now she has totally cut caffeine out of her life. While it might seem silly for someone to treat a cup of Joe as a serious addiction, it's true that Jessie really spiraled out of control and was afraid of how she was feeling.
The Same: She Still Loves To Sing And Dance
In the reboot trailer, fans see the old gang singing together again. Jessie always loved to sing and dance and this is something that she continues to enjoy.
After all, Jessie started taking caffeine pills in the first place because she was balancing her schoolwork and being in a girl group with Lisa Turtle (Lark Voorhies) and Kelly.
Changed: She Tells Little White Lies When She Has To
In the reboot episode "Clubs and Cliques," Jessie has to talk to Jamie about why he wasn't chosen to lead the football team this year. She knows that Aisha (Alycia Pascual-Peña) deserves it more than her son does as he's just not very good at the sport.
Jessie has changed because she tells little white lies when she has to, most notably when talking to her son. While her high school self was honest, real, and blunt, she pretends to Jamie that he's great at football and that nothing is wrong. It seems like as she has gotten older, she has realized that the truth can really hurt someone.
The Same: She Still Loathes It When Slater Calls Her His Famous Nickname
Slater refers to Jessie as "Doctor Mama" these days, and there's a moment in the reboot when he still calls her "Mama."
This was his favorite nickname for her back in the day, and it's definitely sexist, so it's no wonder that Jessie was never thrilled with it. Jessie has stayed the same because she still hates being called this name. In the reboot, he says that after they discussed it, they decided he could go with "Doctor Mama." Jessie responds that's not what they settled on. It's clear that their dynamic is still very similar to what it once was.