Fans of the hit ‘90s comedy Saved By the Bell are rejoicing today after the streaming Peacock platform finally released its first full-length trailer for the show’s highly anticipated reboot, set to drop on November 25th. The two-minute clip is filled with familiar Bayside High faces, with two notable (and curious!) exceptions—Dustin Diamond’s nerdy Samuel “Screech” Powers appears to be MIA as well as Lisa Turtle!
The Original Saved By The Bell Series
The original Saved by the Bell series was an unlikely hit when it first debuted back in 1989. As the only live-action comedy airing alongside a block of Saturday morning cartoons, no one could have anticipated it would eventually become a ‘90s pop culture phenomenon.
The show ran with the original cast until 1992 and spawned two spin-off series—Saved by the Bell: The College Years and Saved by the Bell: The New Class. There were also two TV successful made-for-TV movies: Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style (1992) and Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas (1994).
Rumors of a reboot began to circulate last year and were confirmed by Peacock in September 2019. While production of the show was halted back in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team was eventually able to resume filming and a November 25th premiere date was set.
Getting (Most) Of The Gang Back Together
Most of the original cast members are back for the reboot. Mark-Paul Gosselaar returns as heartthrob Zack Morris, Elizabeth Berkley and Mario Lopez reprise their roles as Jessie Spano and A.C. Slater, and Tiffani Thiessen appears as the gorgeous Kelly Kapowski. The show also features a slew of fresh-faced Bayside students, including Zach’s son (played by Mitchell Hoog).
But diehard Saved by the Bell fans will notice that two major characters from the original show are missing from the reboot trailer. In addition to rich girl Lisa Turtle, who was played by Lark Voorhies, the nerdy-but-lovable Screech is also conspicuously absent. Portrayed by Dustin Diamond, Screech was one of the show’s main comedic foils and a key player in the Bayside ensemble.
So why are these two major characters MIA? Both Voorhies and Diamond have had their ups and downs in the years since Saved by the Bell aired—Diamond landed in jail in 2014 for a violent assault, while Voorhies came under scrutiny in 2015 after making a series of odd TV appearances. Perhaps their behavior is the reason why they were snubbed?
Earlier this year, Diamond told TMZ that a reboot without Screech would be ridiculous and Voorhies admitted to Dr. Phil that she was hurt by the exclusion.
Why do you think Screech and Lisa are persona non grata at Bayside High? Check out the newly launched trailer below and let us know your opinions!