| The 10 Greatest Upsets in SBTB History (#s 6-10) Clark Sheffield |
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Many television shows have been successful enough during their initial run to later return in syndication. Few shows,
however, have created as dedicated a following as Saved By The Bell. Despite its questionable writing, acting, and continuity,
SBTB lasted for 87 episodes before evolving into SBTB: The College Years. It even spawned the spinoff, SBTB: The New Class,
which was even more poorly written and more stiffly acted than the original. And who can forget the TV movie, Wedding in Las
Vegas, where the whole gang gets back together again for Zack and Kelly’s nuptials.
In a run that lasted just over 5 years, viewers were treated to everything from Rod Belding’s flakiness to Johnny Dakota’s
hypocrisy. Friends came and went, storylines started and stopped (sometimes at random and with no explanation), but the
Bayside gang always triumphed in the end. While watching the show the other morning (it airs weekday mornings from 7-9am
on TBS), I was thinking about just how many times The Gang, or one of its individual members, overcame adversity to win in the
end. And so, I have compiled a list of the Top 10 All-Time Upsets in SBTB history. In order to create the list and rank the
events, I took into account the characters involved, the odds against them, the importance of the event, and popularity of the
given episode. In essence, this list is like a SBTB BCS, but without the money and the whining.
This article will feature upsets 6-10, with the Top 5 to be featured in a following article. If you have an opinion on these events,
or would like to bitch about an upset I’ve excluded, feel free to email the site. Or, feel free to shove your opinion up your @ss.
[Season X, Episode X]
however, have created as dedicated a following as Saved By The Bell. Despite its questionable writing, acting, and continuity,
SBTB lasted for 87 episodes before evolving into SBTB: The College Years. It even spawned the spinoff, SBTB: The New Class,
which was even more poorly written and more stiffly acted than the original. And who can forget the TV movie, Wedding in Las
Vegas, where the whole gang gets back together again for Zack and Kelly’s nuptials.
In a run that lasted just over 5 years, viewers were treated to everything from Rod Belding’s flakiness to Johnny Dakota’s
hypocrisy. Friends came and went, storylines started and stopped (sometimes at random and with no explanation), but the
Bayside gang always triumphed in the end. While watching the show the other morning (it airs weekday mornings from 7-9am
on TBS), I was thinking about just how many times The Gang, or one of its individual members, overcame adversity to win in the
end. And so, I have compiled a list of the Top 10 All-Time Upsets in SBTB history. In order to create the list and rank the
events, I took into account the characters involved, the odds against them, the importance of the event, and popularity of the
given episode. In essence, this list is like a SBTB BCS, but without the money and the whining.
This article will feature upsets 6-10, with the Top 5 to be featured in a following article. If you have an opinion on these events,
or would like to bitch about an upset I’ve excluded, feel free to email the site. Or, feel free to shove your opinion up your @ss.
[Season X, Episode X]
(10) KKTY v. Bayside School Board [S2,E3]
The Gang takes over the operations of the school radio station when they catch wind of the impending closure of The Max.
When they find out that the Bayside School Board is to blame for the closure, they throw journalistic responsibility to the
wind, ala Skip Bayless, and go after the School Board with guns blazing. A little help from Dick Belding allows them to
accomplish their mission.
The Gang takes over the operations of the school radio station when they catch wind of the impending closure of The Max.
When they find out that the Bayside School Board is to blame for the closure, they throw journalistic responsibility to the
wind, ala Skip Bayless, and go after the School Board with guns blazing. A little help from Dick Belding allows them to
accomplish their mission.
(9) The Gang v. big oil company [S3,E6]
A huge oil reserve is discovered underneath Bayside and Zack is having “Pipe Dreams” about wealth and power until an oil spill
caused he and his pals to change their tune. Zack helps to put the oil exec in his place by pumping some crude all over the guy’s
suit and bolo tie.
A huge oil reserve is discovered underneath Bayside and Zack is having “Pipe Dreams” about wealth and power until an oil spill
caused he and his pals to change their tune. Zack helps to put the oil exec in his place by pumping some crude all over the guy’s
suit and bolo tie.
(8) SBTB v. Dawson’s Creek in the TBS morning lineup
This one can’t really be too high because it’s not something that actually took place on the
show. Because it was such a swift and brutal ass-whuppin’ though, I’m making an
exception. TBS used to run DC after SBTB on weekday mornings, but then they decided to
replace the latter with the former. The switch must have affected more viewers than just
me, though, as the regular lineup was back after only a couple of days. Shortly thereafter,
DC was pulled from the lineup entirely.
This one can’t really be too high because it’s not something that actually took place on the
show. Because it was such a swift and brutal ass-whuppin’ though, I’m making an
exception. TBS used to run DC after SBTB on weekday mornings, but then they decided to
replace the latter with the former. The switch must have affected more viewers than just
me, though, as the regular lineup was back after only a couple of days. Shortly thereafter,
DC was pulled from the lineup entirely.
(7) Zack v. Craig Strand in the Malibu Sands ATV race [S3,E8]
It’s hard to handicap an ATV race, particularly when you’ve got no clue as to each of the riders’ experience levels. But Zack competing against a college guy
from Boston, who happens to be the boyfriend of Zack’s flame, has got to be right up there with David v. Goliath. And, of course, no team or person from
Boston can be beaten in any sort of competition. Aside from the race, this episode is perhaps best known for the scene in which Craig presents Stacy Carosi
with his fraternity pin, exclaiming: “Now, you’re my girl forever!” while giving a fist pump that would give Jon Papelbon a hard-on.
It’s hard to handicap an ATV race, particularly when you’ve got no clue as to each of the riders’ experience levels. But Zack competing against a college guy
from Boston, who happens to be the boyfriend of Zack’s flame, has got to be right up there with David v. Goliath. And, of course, no team or person from
Boston can be beaten in any sort of competition. Aside from the race, this episode is perhaps best known for the scene in which Craig presents Stacy Carosi
with his fraternity pin, exclaiming: “Now, you’re my girl forever!” while giving a fist pump that would give Jon Papelbon a hard-on.
(6) Bayside v. Valley in the Academic Bowl [S4,E8]
Valley’s got smarts, but Bayside has Screech. At least, until he got sick. Zack created a rift between Bayside teachers and Mr. Belding, only to mend it in time
to step in for Screech in the Academic Bowl. Zack learns the order of the planets (MVEMJSNUP) and sabotages the Valley team (Kareem Abdul Simpson) en
route to a Tiger win.
Valley’s got smarts, but Bayside has Screech. At least, until he got sick. Zack created a rift between Bayside teachers and Mr. Belding, only to mend it in time
to step in for Screech in the Academic Bowl. Zack learns the order of the planets (MVEMJSNUP) and sabotages the Valley team (Kareem Abdul Simpson) en
route to a Tiger win.
Keep your eyes peeled for the next installment, when I reveal my Top 5. I'll also reveal my "near misses" and the Top 10 picks of George Streeter and Steve Whitewater.
Season and episode information, along with some plot information, was gathered using tv.com. TV.com lists the Malibu Sands episodes amongst the regular Season 3
episodes, alternating them in its episode guide. Rather than do a minimal amount of research, I stuck with their listings. If it seems that Dancing At The Max is the
first episode, it is. In fact, that episode was the pilot; the episode featuring the first day of high school didn’t actually air until E15 . For more information on the
seasons and episodes, check out tv.com.
Season and episode information, along with some plot information, was gathered using tv.com. TV.com lists the Malibu Sands episodes amongst the regular Season 3
episodes, alternating them in its episode guide. Rather than do a minimal amount of research, I stuck with their listings. If it seems that Dancing At The Max is the
first episode, it is. In fact, that episode was the pilot; the episode featuring the first day of high school didn’t actually air until E15 . For more information on the
seasons and episodes, check out tv.com.