The reboot of Saved by the Bell is Peacock’s most-watched original to date. Premiering on the streaming platform in November, the series begins as California Governor Zack Morris (Mark Paul-Gosselaar) makes the controversial decision to close down a number of low-income schools. After facing backlash for his mandate, Zack proposes relocating the displaced students to the far more affluent Bayside High. Jessie Spano (Elizabeth Berkley Lauren) and A.C. Slater (Mario Lopez), formerly enrolled at Bayside in the original, are now employees at the school and do their best to welcome the new students. But they quickly realize they’re outmatched by rich parents that are nowhere near as welcoming.
The premise allowed for the new actors in the Saved by the Bell universe to shine, including Haskiri Velazquez, Mitchell Hoog, Josie Totah, Alycia Pascual-Peña, and Belmont Cameli. Considering that fans of the reboot are waiting to know if the show has gotten a renewal for another batch of episodes, the news that it’s performed strongly will serve as a positive update.
According to Deadline, the reboot is Peacock’s most-watched viewed original program to date. Although specifics viewership numbers were not revealed, it was noted in a holiday memo to the Peacock staff that three out of every ten new subscribers to the service chose the Saved by the Bell revival as the first thing to watch. This indicates that the series attracted attention to the new streaming platform, which officially launched in July 2020. It also bodes well for the chances of Saved by the Bell season 2 receiving approval.
Although the reboot makes sure to conclude its story in the season 1 finale, the comedy does leave open a few threads to explore in a second installment. Executive producer Tracey Wigfield, along with many of the cast, have expressed their interest in revisiting Bayside High for another round of adventures. Saved by the Bell garnered strong reviews, with critics praising the show’s deft ability to blend humor with weighty subjects such as educational inequality. Even though the Peacock original did find itself in a bit of hot water, as the result of an ill-advised joke about Selena Gomez, the controversy ultimately ended up adding to the awareness of the reboot in the long run.
From that awareness, a general consensus has emerged that the Peacock series is an example of how to properly executive a revival. The comedy incorporated the original cast in generally prominent roles, but largely kept its focus to a new generation of characters. Similarly, the show included plenty of references to its predecessor while steering clear of the overt fan service which would stifle the comedy’s ability to grow. With a slew of other reboots heading to television in the coming years, Saved by the Bell provides a clear example of how to tell a familiar story in a fresh way.
Source: Deadline