80’s reboot

Madelynn Dake

Today, Hollywood is filled with remakes, reboots and spin-offs. One of the latest examples of this is the new “Saved by the Bell” reboot on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock. The original show ran from 1889-1993 and focused on the lives of teens attending Bayside High School through friendships, teachers, breakups and schoolwork. While the show might have been geared towards the 90’s teen at the time, it certainly reached younger audiences after the fact.

“I wasn’t even born yet when the show stopped airing, but I remember watching reruns growing up,” Xavier social studies teacher Gina Kutilek said. “I generally watched it because it was right after “The Price is Right”, which I watched quite often, especially on days that I was sick from school or during the summer.”

“Saved by the Bell” continued to entertain long after it stopped airing new episodes and has now been revamped for a whole new generation. The reboot will still have some of the original characters, along with some new teens. The show is filled with humor for both its young new viewers, as well as plenty of references to the original for long time fans. Despite the original show airing long before her time, Xavier junior Abby Globokar has enjoyed the original show for years and is excited about the possibilities a reboot may bring.

“I am super excited because every summer I re-watch “Saved by the Bell,’” Globokar said. “I like that it’s so light-hearted and fun. I think reboots can be a lot of fun, they give people from different generations a way to connect and share love for characters and stories.” 

Although reboots and remakes have long been accused of being lazy cash grabs by critics, some see it as an opportunity to reach more audiences. Many fans are looking forward to what the reboot could add to the original, showing where original characters are now and how the life of a teen has changed. Season 1 of the new “Saved by the Bell” reboot aired on November 25 and is available to stream on Peacock. “Saved by the Bell” might have made its debut back in the 90’s, but it is still a part of entertainment today.