NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, Peacock, is producing a sequel to the classic TV series Saved by the Bell, but when is the release date?
Although Peacock itself is slated to launch in April 2020, there’s no indication as to when Saved by the Bell itself will drop. Josie Totah was just cast as the lead within the past week. Thus, it’s unlikely the show is ready to roll until November or December 2020 at the earliest.
Let’s break down what we do know about the next chapter in Saved by the Bell.
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Mixing the old, new and groundbreaking
Original stars Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley return to their respective roles of A.C. Slater and Jessie Spano. But the casting of Totah is very notable in terms of entertainment industry diversity.
Totah came out as transgender in 2018, and is also serving as a producer on the project. She’s only 18, and is one of the biggest young, rising stars after her acclaimed work in the NBC comedy Champions.
Returning to Bayside High will bring about nostalgia for original fans of the show. Here’s a brief synopsis outline:
“The new straight-to-series comedy explores what happens when California Gov. Zack Morris ([Mark] Gosselaar’s role) gets into hot water for closing too many low-income high schools and proposes the affected students be sent to the highest-performing schools in the state — including Bayside High.”
The Hollywood Reporter
This suggests the show will explore themes like class conflict and diversity. The original Saved by the Bell revolved mostly around comedy. However, deeper subjects came up in certain instances for educational purposes.
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Will a new Saved by the Bell spin still be fresh?
The elements are in place on paper to push the IP in exciting, progressive directions. Having said that, there’s already been so much material mined from the ’90s smash hit.
In addition to two spin-off TV series, the initial show led to two feature films. Then, there have been 21 novels, comic books and even a couple New York City-originated musicals.
Saved by the Bell enthusiasts have explored all other mediums to keep the story alive. It’s fitting the new streaming revolution is leading to another incarnation — and there’s reason to believe it can really work.