Fans of Saved by the Bell will be all in for the 10-episode reboot as it strikes the right balance between comforting and brand new. Mark-Paul Gosselaar is back as Zack Morris, although in a reduced capacity as he's the governor, and his son, Mac (Mitchell Hoog), is now attending Bayside High.
The reboot refers back to the '90s in many scenes and it has the best of both worlds, mixing returning characters with brand new ones. But while some additions are positive and the reboot should be celebrated, there are other ways that the show was better the first time around.
Reboot: It's Self-Aware And Goofy
Zack Morris had many issues and no one really called him out when he was a teen. He would objectify girls, yet Kelly Kapowski (Tiffani Thiessen) still found him to be a legitimate love interest.
This time around, the Saved By The Bell reboot is self-aware, and it's incredible to watch. New girl Daisy (Haskiri Velazquez) calls Mac out on being lazy when he didn't complete a summer A.P. English assignment on Frankenstein. The show also pokes fun at itself, as Zack is a terrible governor who says that he had to balance the budget but had no idea how to do so.
Original: Principal Belding Was Special
Dennis Haskins is missed on the Saved by the Bell reboot, as Principal Richard Belding was really something special.
This is one point for the original show, as the new principal, Mr. Toddman (John Michael Higgins), just isn't the same. He seems much more clueless than Mr. Belding did, and it was always fun watching how Belding dealt with Zack, Bayside's biggest troublemaker.
Reboot: It's More Inclusive And Diverse
With Josie Totah playing Lexi, a trans student, and best friends Aisha (Alycia Pascual-Peña) and Daisy, the reboot is much more inclusive and diverse than the original show. This is one way that the reboot improves on the original as in 2020, a TV show about teenagers should do its part.
Aisha has a compelling storyline at the beginning of the reboot, as she wants to join the football team and A.C. Slater (Mario Lopez) has to deal with his own prejudices and feelings about that. It's an important lesson and makes for a moving episode.
Original: There Was More Romance
From Slater and Jessie's relationship to the love story between Zack and Kelly, the couples on the original Saved by the Bell might not have been perfect, but they felt real and entertaining.
There may be some sparks flying on the reboot but it just doesn't feel the same. It's hard to think that there will be any iconic couples besides the ones who got together on the original show.
Reboot: It's Funny And Not As Corny
Even the trailers for the reboot are hilarious, and it was clear right away that these new episodes would truly be funny.
It's fair to say that the reboot is funnier than the original because it's not as corny. Sure, it has its cheesy moments, but those are done on purpose — and there is so much heart that viewers love it. One of the funniest characters is Jamie Spano (Belmont Cameli), Jessie's son, who is much ditzier than fans would expect since Jessie (Elizabeth Berkley Lauren) is so intelligent. The moms who form a group to help the new students also deserve a shoutout, as they are hilariously clueless.
Original: It Didn't Take Its Jokes Too Far
The Saved by the Bell reboot insulted Selena Gomez by including several jokes referring to her kidney transplant. This definitely wasn't funny and it's also hard to imagine why it was necessary to mention it once, let alone so many times.
The original show might have had some problems but it didn't insult anyone. It was a much more innocent show and that was something that worked in its favor.
Reboot: It's More Sophisticated
The production of the reboot feels more sophisticated than the original. It might just be the fact that the new show was released in 2020, not the late '80s and early '90s, but there are a few reasons why it's so different.
The opening credits have a new vibe, as there's a cool new version of the theme song, and the new characters seem more intelligent than Kelly and the gang were on the old show. Instead of just accepting that certain kids are popular and others aren't, the new characters want to follow their dreams and make an impact.
Original: The Friendships Felt Closer
While the new characters are good friends, the old gang on the original show felt a lot closer to one another.
The characters were a more cohesive group, as Jessie, Kelly, Zack, Slater, Screech (Dustin Diamond) and Lisa Turtle (Lark Voorhies) were always together at school and at the Max. Some of the new characters seem more independent and not as interested in being part of a huge friend group.
Reboot: It Talks About Privilege And Wealth
The original show had some memorable episodes and the first episodes of the reboot have some great ones as well.
The reboot improves on the original by featuring storylines that deal with privilege, class, and wealth. In the first episode, students from Douglas High get moved to Bayside because their school was shut down. Right away, Daisy and Aisha realize that things are totally different and that their new classmates are super-rich. Daisy wants to run for school president and make some changes. This is something that wasn't really touched on before.
Original: The Malibu Sands Beach Club Was A Perfect Location
While there's a lot to adore about the reboot of Saved by the Bell, another great thing about the original was one of its locations.
The gang was always learning lessons and these sometimes took place at the Malibu Sands Beach Club. It was fun to see everyone working for the summer and along with Bayside High and the Max, the club was a perfect setting for high schoolers coming of age.