TV Review: Saved By The Bell Season 2 Saves 2021!
Out November 24, on Peacock, Saved By The Bell is the most PERFECT, HILARIOUS REMAKE OF AN ORIGINAL I HAVE EVER SEEN. I am absolutely floored how FUNNY this show is because I still do not expect it to be as intelligent, laugh out loud, and warm as it is; making it even better, to me, than the original. Part of why I love Season 2, and this remake in general, is that the original has been humorously called out for its vapidness and superficial virtues. It was just a bunch of “good-looking teens” acting like the school prank was the biggest moment of their life. The show was both addictive and oddly tone-deaf, but that was the 80s: a time where one could say greed is good and be praised instead of cancelled. Yet, the 2020s is a different beast, and Saved By The Bell Season 2 approaches the heightened sensitivities of our era with a cutting wit and a scalpel of reflections on whether its our tendency to “over-feel” that makes us oddly numb and as stuck in the past as ever.
SBTB is so outlandish that it oddly delivers some of the most in-depth takes on racism, classism, sexism, and the murky waters that flow between them. As a Latina, I have NEVER seen a show so thoughtfully approach the racism our people endure, especial via our educational system. Even Mario Lopez gets a moment to discuss the strangeness of being “not white/ not black,” but never acknowledged as a full identity because he is Latino. That moment was really important for me, and the phenomenal actress Alycia Pascual-Pena as Aisha Garcia proves why she, along Haskiri Velazquez’s Daisy, are the future of Young Hollywood. There ability to deliver intelligence and vulnerability to a show where a exploding toilet pranks are a thing is why they stand out. Yet, its not only about the daily confrontations you can have for being “different” in terms of diversity, but also feeling different in terms of your existence.
Belmont Kameli’s Jaime has NO idea of his value beyond the football team,Dexter Darden’s Devante is TALENTED and a great human being but what that means to moving him up and through the world is question mark to him. Meanwhile, Daisy and Mac (Mitchell Hoog) are totally crushing but have no idea why “opposites” truly attract, and the queen, Josie Totah’s Lexi tussles between being the most self-absorbed, insanely, but charmingly arrogant person and genuinely thoughtful activist for trans-right; her storyline is a perfect example of the difficulties and even rejection you can receive from your own community for not, necessarily, understanding who you are on your own. In essence, like high school junior year, the Bayside students are trying to figure what it means to be “yourself” when, even before a test, you have to check multiple, societal labels.
SAVED BY THE BELL SEASON 2 perfectly follows the magic and eccentricity of season 1 by understanding you cannot out-crazy crazy. Instead, you go with it, which is why Zack (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) is trying to “teach” kids to be patient and ignore Spirit Week, Kelly (Tiffani Thiessen) might become a doctor, and Jesse (Elizabeth Berkley) simply needs to embrace her love for Slater otherwise no one will be able to properly park again. (You’ll understand if you see the show) Add on as the crazy principle, and Saved By The Bell. The remake, is genius and one of the most unique comedies on a streaming platform. SERIOUSLY!
