Saved by the bell it was a staple of almost every kid growing up in the ’80s and ’90s. It was a show that gave us a glimpse of what high school could be like and kept things light and fun, so it was quite appropriate for us to watch it. But looking back, anyone can see through today’s lens that some jokes and plots simply wouldn’t work in today’s world.
Six years ago, Dashiell Driscoll launched the web series Zack Morris is trashin which he highlighted the problems with the beloved protagonist of Saved by the bell. The actor who played him, Marco-Paolo Gosselaarhe also teamed up with Driscoll to launch the podcast Zack to the future, in which they discussed the show, so it’s a topic we definitely got a taste of. But Gosselaar returned to the topic in a recent interview on Boy meets world podcasts, The pod meets the world with Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong AND Will Friedle.
Gosselaar said:
“In terms of storylines, there were a few. There was one where I was basically whoring Lisa Turtle. I instructed people to kiss her without her consent, it was tough. We had to preface the [podcast] episode saying, “We don’t condone this, we’re just here to discuss it.”
Another episode that annoyed Gosselaar was when his character Zack Morris appeared wearing traditional Native American dress.
“The other one was where Zack Morris claimed to be Native American. Seeing Zack Morris in full headgear… That was something we had to be a little sensitive about, there are things you just wouldn’t film these days.
On his podcast in 2020, Gosselaar acknowledged the problems the episodes have, saying (via Buzzfeed News):
“We won’t say that we don’t see some situations and responses as morally repugnant or dated to certain things. But we’re also here to give you a fun podcast, it’s a celebration of Saved By The Bell.”
Being an experienced actor in the industry, if Gosselaar were faced with a similar storyline now, he said he would “protect” himself and the character he is playing.
“This would be one of those times where I would have a dialogue with a writer, a producer and have a discussion and say, ‘I think we should look at this a little deeper, this will reflect well on me, on the character?, for the future of the show?’”
We can all look back at the movies and shows we grew up with from the ’80s and ’90s and understand that they were different times. Now we know better, so we do better, for the most part.
via: Deadline
by Jessica Fisher
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
