‘Saved by the Bell’ Revival Premiere: Every Reference to the Original

November 25, 2020

Saved By The Bell reboot — Trae Patton/Peacock

The original cast is back. Mark-Paul Gosselaar returns as Zack Morris while Tiffani Thiessen reprises her role as Kelly Kapowski. Elizabeth Berkley plays now-guidance counselor Jessie Spano and Mario Lopez‘s A.C. Slater is the gym coach. Lark Voorhies also makes a cameo as Lisa Turtle.

The new cast includes Haskiri Velazquez as smart and determined student Daisy Jimenez; Mitchell Hoog as Zack and Kelly’s son, Mac; Josie Totah as Lexi, a popular transgender student at Bayside; Alycia Pascual-Peña as Aisha Garcia, Daisy’s BFF who plays on the football team; Belmont Cameli as Jessie’s son, Jamie, the football captain; Dexter Darden as Devante Young, a new student who takes over the musical theater program; and John Michael Higgins as Principal Ronald Toddman.

“I think there are little easter eggs that people find,” Hoog, 21, exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of the show’s premiere. “I think the whole old cast really let us kind of have our freedom with finding what the new school is, and kind of letting our imagination run with that.”

The Freaky actor also added that the Pitch alum, 46, gave him one piece of important advice: “He said, ‘Have fun.’ I remember the first day on set with him, he looked at me and was like, ‘Have fun with it.'”

Berkley, 48, also gave advice to Cameli. “It was really fun for me and Elizabeth to talk about what growing up would be like and the family dynamic and all that stuff,” the Husband actor told Us. “And Elizabeth has just been amazing on all accounts. She kind of took me under her wing.”

Scroll through the gallery below for the references made to the original series.

Credit: Trae Patton/Peacock

'Saved by the Bell' Revival Premiere: Every Reference to the Original

Taking a time out! The Saved by the Bell revival dropped on Peacock on Wednesday, November 25, and it was hard not to get nostalgic while watching. The new series follows the mixing of two new groups of students: the high schoolers who are forced to relocate to Bayside High after their low-income school closes under California Governor Zack Morris' orders; and the wealthy, privileged students of Bayside. The original cast is back. Mark-Paul Gosselaar returns as Zack Morris while Tiffani Thiessen reprises her role as Kelly Kapowski. Elizabeth Berkley plays now-guidance counselor Jessie Spano and Mario Lopez's A.C. Slater is the gym coach. Lark Voorhies also makes a cameo as Lisa Turtle. [jwplayer E9kdzQNO] The new cast includes Haskiri Velazquez as smart and determined student Daisy Jimenez; Mitchell Hoog as Zack and Kelly's son, Mac; Josie Totah as Lexi, a popular transgender student at Bayside; Alycia Pascual-Peña as Aisha Garcia, Daisy's BFF who plays on the football team; Belmont Cameli as Jessie's son, Jamie, the football captain; Dexter Darden as Devante Young, a new student who takes over the musical theater program; and John Michael Higgins as Principal Ronald Toddman. “I think there are little easter eggs that people find,” Hoog, 21, exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of the show's premiere. “I think the whole old cast really let us kind of have our freedom with finding what the new school is, and kind of letting our imagination run with that." The Freaky actor also added that the Pitch alum, 46, gave him one piece of important advice: "He said, ‘Have fun.’ I remember the first day on set with him, he looked at me and was like, ‘Have fun with it.'" Berkley, 48, also gave advice to Cameli. "It was really fun for me and Elizabeth to talk about what growing up would be like and the family dynamic and all that stuff," the Husband actor told Us. "And Elizabeth has just been amazing on all accounts. She kind of took me under her wing." Scroll through the gallery below for the references made to the original series. [podcast_block]

Mark-Paul Gosselaar Tiffani Thiessen Saved By The Bell reboot

Credit: Bruce Kirschner/startraksphoto.com

Zack + Kelly Forever

In the beginning of the episode, Zack reveals that he is still married to his "smokin' hot wife Kelly" — and it looks like they share a gorgeous home.

Credit: Peacock

Memories

While talking about his amazing time at Bayside High, Zack looks over to the wall where a framed photo of the group — the original cast of Saved by the Bell, including Screech (Dustin Diamond) — hangs.

Credit: Mediapunch/Shutterstock

Hey Mama

Although Jessie and Slater are not together — she's married now — he still refers to her as "mama" in the premiere after she gives a speech at the PTA meeting. "Nice job up there, mama," he says as she shoots him a dirty look. "Sorry, I know we had the HR meeting about this. Dr. Mama!"

Elizabeth Berkley saved by the bell reboot

Credit: Chris Haston/Peacock

I'm So Excited

When Jessie is introduced at the meeting, the new principal reveals that "she's written over a dozen best-sellers including her parenting how-to I’m So Excited, I’m So Scared … of Becoming a Parent," a nod to the famous story line about Jessie taking too many caffeine pills.

Credit: Peacock

Time Out

It wouldn't be Saved by the Bell without Zack Morris' famous "time out" moments, in which he talks directly to the camera. This time around, it's Daisy who does those.

Haskiri Velazquez as Daisy saved by the bell reboot

Credit: Casey Durkin/Peacock

The Phone

Daisy can't afford a smartphone like the other students at Bayside. Instead, she carries around the old, very large brick-like Zack and the gang used to have.

Credit: Chris Haston/Peacock

Return to the Max

Mac introduces Daisy to The Max, explaining it's "where we like to hang out after school, also before and during," poking fun at how the original show featured the students at the restaurant at all hours. Later when Daisy is upset, Mac asks, "Do you want to go to the Max and have a dance contest about it?"