Everyone says Zack Morris has done heinous crimes. Now that there is a revival coming to Peacock, I decided to go over the old Saved by The Bell episodes (no Good Morning Miss Bliss and no College Years) and review his crimes, misdemeanors, or just plain unfriendliness.
(order according to this link, not by TV airings or Hulu order)
Season 2 (or by Hulu, Season 3)
"Screech's Birthday"
Original Airdate: November 14, 1992
The gang forgets Screech's birthday and try to make it up to him by throwing him a late birthday party in Belding's office.
Actions: The gang forgets Screech's birthday. He gets the first hall monitor in trouble to get Screech the job. Takes over Mr. Belding office.
Assessment: Forgets Screech's Birthday but makes up for it.
Bad Friend Meter: 1/10
"Blind Dates"
Original Airdate: October 13, 1990
Mr. Belding's niece Penny is in town, and he forces Zack to take her out. Zack, however, wants to attend Kelly's party instead, so he makes Screech pretend to be him and take Penny out. Meanwhile, Lisa finds a date for Jessie, but Jessie is too self-conscious about her height to have a good time.
Blackmail: Mr. Belding blackmails Zack
Lies: Has Screech impersonate him to Penny on a date. Also doesn't let Kelly know about the date he was promised to. Slater also lies to Screech to get Zack in trouble.
Bad Friend Meter: 4/10
"The Prom"
Original Airdate: September 8, 1990
When Zack gets to go to Prom with Kelly his dream seems to be fulfilled. However, Kelly finds out that her father has lost his job, causing a financial hardship that makes her unable to make it to the prom; but Zack makes it up to her in the end.
Assessment: Initially hurt by Kelly. Does the right thing at the end and gives Kelly a picnic.
Kelly's family: We meet her dad, she says it is a family of 7 but then in a later episode she says she is one of 7 kids, so wouldn't it be a family of 9 (including parents)?
Bad Friend Meter: 1/10
"From Nurse to Worse"
Original Airdate: December 15, 1990
Zack asks Kelly to go steady with him, but while she is thinking it over, he falls for a new student (Nancy Valen), only to discover that she is actually the new school nurse. Meanwhile, Slater is afraid of getting his flu shot.
Actions: Zack blows off Kelly for the new nurse. Pretty shitty boyfriend to her.
Kelly's Family: We hear one of Kelly's little brothers. That's 2 of 7 siblings.
Bad friend meter: 6/10
"Save the Max"
Original Airdate: September 22, 1990
Zack and Screech discover the room where Bayside High's radio station KKTY was housed. The station had been pulled off the air because of Mr. Belding's antics as DJ during his Bayside student days, but the gang successfully convinces him to put KKTY back on the air. Slater quits when he finds out everyone thinks he is a bad sports announcer but returns just when the gang needs him most.
Blackmail: He blackmails Mr Belding with a newspaper showing him mooning the school board.
Assessment: The group consensus is to let Slater down gently, Zack doesn't really do anything against Slater,
Bad Friend Meter: 1/10
"1-900-Crushed"
Original Airdate: November 17, 1990
Zack's new money-making idea is to give relationship advice to fellow students, with the help of Screech and Lisa. However, the plan fails when Lisa quits and he has to take over. As a result, he gives bad advice to various students, and is forced to deal with the consequences when a case of mixed-up phone calls puts Zack in the middle of Kelly and her sister.
Kelly's Family: We meet one of Kelly's younger sisters. That's 3 of 7 siblings.
Lies: Gives bad advice on a teen hotline, he breaks up Jesse and Slater, he also accidentally dumps Kelly.
Bad Friend Meter: 7/10
Driver's Education"
Original Airdate: September 29, 1990
Fearing that Kelly would rather go steady with Slater if he learned to drive first, Zack plots to make Slater fail his driver's training. This leads to Slater having an accident in the practice car and a locker falling on Kelly. When she realizes who was behind the crash, she makes out her injury to be worse than it really is.
Lies: Has Screech call Mr. Belding like the Driver's Ed Teacher, then doesn't admit to stealing the student car. Kelly and Slater admit in the fault before he does.
Bad Friend Meter: 6/10
"Rent-A-Pop"
Original Airdate: October 20, 1990
In order to raise money for a school ski trip, the gang decides to organize a carnival. Zack has been failing, and Mr. Belding wants to conduct an interview between himself, Zack, and Zack's father. Not wanting Belding to call his father anymore, Zack hires an actor to impersonate his dad, but the plan backfires when the real Mr. Morris and Mr. Belding bump into each other at the carnival.
In order to raise money for a school ski trip, the gang decides to organize a carnival. Zack has been failing, and Mr. Belding wants to conduct an interview between himself, Zack, and Zack's father. Not wanting Belding to call his father anymore, Zack hires an actor to impersonate his dad, but the plan backfires when the real Mr. Morris and Mr. Belding bump into each other at the carnival.
Lies: Lies to Mr. Belding about an actor he hired to be his dad.
Assessment: It's pretty bad to hire an actor to impersonate your father and lie to your father with a fake principal, even if it was possible.
Bad Son Meter: 7/10
"Miss Bayside"
October 27, 1990
Zack and Slater make a bet on who can win the Miss Bayside Beauty Pageant and Zack bets that Screech will win. Jessie protests about the pageant and thinks that a male winner would be fair.
Lies: Zack lies about Screech's chances. Lies to everyone that Slater gave Screech a black eye, it was his robot Kevin.
Assessment: He gives the bet money back to Slater and cares for Screech
Bad Friend Meter: 1/10
"Zack's War"
September 15, 1990
In order to make Zack change his ways, Mr. Belding forces Zack to join the Army Cadet Corps. Zack manages to persuade the others to join him, but he leaves them high and dry when they are not prepared for a competition.
In order to make Zack change his ways, Mr. Belding forces Zack to join the Army Cadet Corps. Zack manages to persuade the others to join him, but he leaves them high and dry when they are not prepared for a competition.
Authority Defiance: Disrespectful to Mr. Belding
Lies: Convinces other kids to join the Cadet Corps with lies, and he quits. He refers to them as "suckers." He selects the 'best of the best' for blue team and the worse for the red, thinking the best was his.
Bad Leader: He is mean to his red team, mocks them, and was not a good leader.
Bribes: Tries bribing his commanding officer
Assessment: Zack admits he lied to Screech, Screech expresses his disappointment in him, he is a lousy friend here. This encourages Zack to return to the corp.
Bad Friend Meter: 6/10
"Model Students"
November 10, 1990
Zack convinces Belding to fire the nerds who run the school store so that the gang can reopen it as a "cool" store. Unfortunately, no one wants to come in; so as a scheme to attract customers, Zack and Screech secretly take pictures of the girls' swim team to sell in "The Girls of Bayside" calendars. A professional model photographer happens to see the calendar, and invites the girls for a professional photoshoot; but only Kelly is picked for an on-location shoot in Paris, which leaves Zack out in the cold.
Crimes: Has Screech takes unsolicited pictures of the girls and markets the calendar without their permission.
Lies: Lies and manipulates Kelly into staying and feel guilty.
Bad Friend Meter: 8/10
"Running Zack"
November 24, 1990
Zack fails his family heritage presentation. Unless he can make it up, he is off the track team. His teacher Miss Wentworth arranges a tutor for Zack named Chief Henry, who happens to be a Native American. Zack soon learns about his own Native American heritage but does not feel like going to the upcoming track rally when tragedy strikes.
Cultural Misappropriation and Cultural Insensitivity: The whole episode, so much Mark-Paul Gosselear apologized. At least the episode had its right heart as it was rare children's show that actively spoke about slavery. Shows rarely do so now on Disney Channel or Nick.
Assessment: The worse thing he did to his friends was to use Screech as part of his racist class presentation. I give him a 3 as he makes it up with meeting Chief Henry--even though the garb he puts on later looks even more insensitive. I think Mark-Paul liked Chief Henry and the character arc there, which showed he didn't learn everything on "reservation" and in college.
Bad Friend Meter: 3/10
"House Party"
October 6, 1990
When Screech's parents leave him alone in the house while they visit Graceland, the gang accidentally breaks his mother's Elvis statue. In order to afford a replacement, they plan to hold a fund-raising party so they can hurry to get the statue before his mother returns home and finds out what happened.
Lies: Has Screech lie to his mom.
Gambling: Gambles with Violet's Ex.
Actions: Loses Screech's dog to Violet's Ex.
Bad Friend Meter: 7/10
"Jessie's Song"
November 3, 1990
Jessie turns to caffeine pills as a result of the pressure with midterms and her singing group, ignoring Slater's warning that the pills can damage her health. When Zack finds out about her problem, he cancels her performance and rushes to her side.
Lies: Has Screech dress as a female janitor to record the girls singing. (Violation of privacy)
Assessment: Zack is actually a good friend by getting Jesse some help.
Show Lies: This episode is famous for her acting like she is on crack and it is just caffeine pills. Peter Engel claims he wrote it as Metaemphenies but the network had them change it. She didn't go to the hospital but you don't have to for caffeine.
Bad Friend Meter: 3/10
"The Fabulous Belding Boys"
December 9, 1990
The gang finds themselves in trouble when an obnoxious teacher bans them from the class field trip unless they pass a test. On the day of the test, the teacher does not show up, so Mr. Belding's younger brother, Rod, takes over and offers to take the class on a special field trip.
Assessment: No crimes or lies here.
Bad Friend Meter: 0/10
"Glee Club"
December 23, 1990
The gang joins Screech's girlfriend Violet in the glee club in order to go to a competition in Hawaii. It seems that shy Violet is the only one with a voice, aside from Jessie (who caught Lisa's flu and is unable to sing). After Screech makes a fool of himself in front of Violet's parents, they forbid Screech to see her, and she quits the glee club. Scott Wolf (Party of Five) appears, part of the extras.
Lies: Zack records professionals and makes is it as if the Glee Club are actually singing in.
Bad Friend Meter: 2/10
3.17 Breaking Up Is Hard to Undo
December 16, 1990
It is a bad day for couples as Zack and Kelly and Slater and Jessie respectively split up after a series of disagreements. Although neither party will be the first to apologize, they are miserable without each other. After Belding also has a tiff with his wife, the guys are left spending time with him while he is kicked out of his house, making matters worse.
Jealously: He becomes jealous of Kelly seeing her ex-boyfriend and gives her an ultimatum.
Belding's behavior: Spending time in Zack's room with three students with the doors closed. He even lays down on Zack's bed, which is used for the intro. Where are the parents?
Homoerotic: Slater and Zack share an air kiss.
Assessment: Jealously is bad but he makes up for it in the end.
Bad Friend Meter: 6/10
Season Score: 66/100
I thought this one would be worse than the last season but in a lot of cases, he isn't responsible (Screech's Birthday, Save the Max, Miss Bayside, Jessie's Song, and Running Zack). To be fair there are less episodes here (16) than in the first season (20) and 3 of the first season were shown in later seasons. In fact, "Screech's Birthday" was included in the first season DVD. His crimes include violation of privacy, lying, bribing, authority defiance, cultural misappropriation, hiring a fake dad and principal, stealing a student practice car, taking unsolicited pictures, and ruining Kelly's modeling career.
