If you were a child of the 80s, chances are you were a massive fan of Saved By the Bell. Indeed, the high-school exploits of the suave, smooth-talking Zach Morris and his besties Screech, A.C. Slater, Kelly Kapowski, Jesse Spano, and Lisa Turtle were must-see TV before NBC even launched the official slogan.
If you haven't heard, Saved By the Bell will get a 10-episode series reboot sometime in 2020. Most of the principal cast members are back, although Mr. Belding (Dennis Haskins) will be replaced by John Michael Higgins as Principal Ronald Toddman. Speaking of the Bayside High faculty, here are the 10 Best Teachers in Saved by the Bell, Ranked!
Rod Belding
Who remembers Mr. Belding's not-so-balding teacher-brother, Rod? He made such a cool impression when stepping in to substitute history class for Mr. Dickerson that Zack sided with him over his well-known school principal.
That is until Rod Belding (Ed Blatchford) tried to ditch the class's water-rafting field trip to be with a hot stewardess named Inga. Rod may seem hip, carefree and come off like one of the students, in the end, he proves to be flaky, selfish, irresponsible. Zack apologizes to Mr. Belding for siding with his younger brother.
Coach Sonski
With excess misogyny and machismo, the wrestling coach and one-time auto shop instructor Coach Sonski (Monty Hoffman) wouldn't fare so well in 2020.
First, he dismisses a female wrestler as a worthy competitor. Later, he confesses to watching Oprah because he is "sensitive to dames." The obese, brash, loud-mouthed Coach uses Slater as his meal ticket to win wrestling titles for Bayside High.
Mrs. Simpson
Who can forget the batty and British Mrs. Simpson (Pamela Kosh), the half-deaf and high-pitched who teaches English class in Saved By the Bell?
Mrs. Simpson appears in several episodes of the show, most notably at the end of the gang's junior year when she declares Zack and Kelly "Bayside's Most Beloved Couple" after they've already broken up. When Mrs. Simpson throws her back out, the dashing substitute Mr. Tony Crane (honorable mention) begins wooing Kelly, Jesse, and Lisa.
Mr. Dickerson
Mr. Dickerson is a teacher no student at Bayside High wants to face. He's stern, crabby, and when it comes to his impossible midterm, one of the most detested!
Played by Raf Mauro, Mr. Dickerson is known for his unkind comportment and the delight with which he revels in giving his students the hardest midterm exam known to man. When Mr. Dickerson has a nervous breakdown during "The Fabulous Belding Boys" episode, he is replaced by the aforesaid Rod Belding.
Dr. Mertz
One of the most positive, zany, and fun-to-be-around teachers in Saved By the Bell is scientist Dr. Mertz (Avery Schreiber), who can't help but foment the natural chemistry between Kelly and...Screech?
Indeed. In the episode Beauty and the Screech, Kelly asks Screech to help her with her science exam. If she fails, she cannot attend the concert she already has tickets for. Yet, Zack becomes so jealous when Kelly starts to fall for Screech while they study together. As if!
Mr. Testaverde
No true Saved by the Bell fan can forget the motor-mouthed Mr. Testaverde (John Moschitta), the mustachioed teacher who moonlights as a plumber in his spare time. No one!
In the episode The Gift, Screech is blessed with the ability to see the future after being struck by lightning. Ever the schemer, Zack tries to use this newfound power to cheat on Mr. Testaverde's impossible history exam. In the end, it's Testaverde's love of plumbing that ends up undoing the scheme and landing Zack and Screech in trouble!
Mr. Dewey
"I'm so mad I can spit nails!" Never has a vivid threat been delivered with such lethargy than in the way Mr. Dewey utters the phrase during one episode. Then again, the guy tried out for American Gladiators, so make of it what you will!
Mr. Dewey (Patrick Thomas O'Brien) is a math teacher and also presides over class detention. His listless and dour demeanor makes him one of the most memorable teachers in the show. Students like his apathetic attitude and feel they can get away with murder in his class. In many ways, Mr. Dewey is more miserable in class than Zack is!
Mr. Tuttle
Who remembers the avuncular choir conductor, Mr. Tuttle (Jack Angeles), who not only feuds with Mr. Belding throughout the series but also gets his students to genuinely take in an interest in his classes? Gotta love this guy!
In addition to the music teacher, Mr. Tuttle also serves as Bayside's driving instructor and education teacher. He's beloved by his students mainly for his fights with Mr. Belding, which derive from the time Mr. Tuttle was named runner-up in the search for the school's new principal.
Mrs. Culpepper
Who can dislike the clumsy Mrs. Culpepper (Maris Clement), the eccentric, poor-sighted art teacher who's always bumping and banging into items in the halls of Bayside? Yeah, nobody!
In a constant state of misunderstanding, Mrs. Culpepper always gets into hot water. One time she utters some nonsense that makes Mr. Belding believe she is in love with him. When he confronts her with his own feeling, she becomes utterly flummoxed, embarrassed, and hits him in the face.
Mrs. Wentworth
The bubbly, vivacious attitude of Mrs. Wentworth (Carol Lawrence) radiates positive vibes, even when she spends an entire episode tricking Zack with subliminal messaging.
As Bayside's Social Studies teacher, she gets Zach interested in his Native American heritage during one ancestral school project. But she really stands out when teaching the class about the subliminal messages in mainstream media, burying a hidden message in a hot new Beau Revere tape. The hidden words spook Zach so bad in the end he has a near heart attack. Still, even Morris would admit Mrs. Wentworth is one of his favs!