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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 7, 2014 18:58:26 GMT
A Little Better than the Original This spinoff of the 1989 series, "Saved By The Bell" actually was pretty good. It wasn't as cheesy as the original and had much more realistic storylines. Although it only lasted for 1 season, I think it would have lasted much longer if it stuck to it's Saturday Morning-Line Up rather than moving it to Primetime. I also think it was pretty stupid of the producers to have The College Years playing at the same time as The New Class. Leslie was a very strong character in the beginning but became useless towards the end of the season. And Alex was sometimes very funny or very irritating. Dean McMann was hilarious as the "Zack-hating" Dean and Mike was cool. The storyline that was definitely a stand out in the short-lived series was non other than the Zack/Kelly love story. It was nice to see them grow from their naive characters of Bayside to grown-up characters in the College Years. BOTTOM LINE: Really good series that should have lasted way longer than it did.
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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 7, 2014 19:00:22 GMT
good show Saved By the Bell: The College Years was maybe an overall better show than the original Bayside years. The College Years was more realistic to me and was still funny, but still serious though. I was disappointed when it went off that quick, I found the new characters Leslie and Alex decent replacements for Jessie and Lisa. I am sure glad this still comes on in reruns so enjoy these few precious episodes, even though old football hero Bob Golic isn't the best of actors.
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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 7, 2014 19:02:41 GMT
It was decent This conversion from the hit high school series to the college years was a great idea! For one, there aren't very many tv shows exclusively for college dorm room settings. And for two, it also had a more grown up storyline than the high school series. The ppl who went to high school while they were in high school and are now in college with these characters as they are in college are growing up together. It demonstrates how these characters are evolving into educated young adults. Certainly the new theme took a toll on the comedy that the high school series was famous more. The College Years tried to have more adult situations (diverse situations in the after-high-school life college students may find themselves in, like who to date, for example), which are very difficult to make funny.. and are mostly that have those plots are more like dramas and soap operas. The maturing to adulthood theme was a nice (chronological) fit for fans of the show who followed the series.
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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 7, 2014 19:16:13 GMT
Actually better than most say I know that many Saved by the Bell fans were not as excited about The College Years. But you know what? I love Saved by the Bell and I also enjoy the College Years as well. It was a different kind of humor and more grown up for the kids of Bayside High. While there were some crazy questions like how we thought that Zack was supposed to go to Yale and Slater was supposed to go to Iowa, it was still nice seeing the gang back together once again for some more goofy adventures through the new experience of college.
Zack, Slater, and Screech are back and they're grown up and in college! They now share a co-ed dorm with three other girls: Leslie, Alex, and Danielle. Danielle soon "transfers" and Kelly comes back to join the guys and moves into the same dorm. They experience the life of being a freshman and having to be the small fishes in the big pond. We have somewhat of a replacement for Mr. Belding with Mike, the dorm manager. They once again experience different pressures of homework, romance, drugs, and trying to fool the scary Dean McMann.
We had a few interesting stories like the love triangle that happens between Zack, Leslie, and Kelly. The love story of Kelly and Professor Lasky, the sexy bachelor who all the college girls have a crush on. Screech has some sexy ladies after him. Slater isn't on top in wrestling any more and has a new girlfriend, their drama queen dorm mate, Alex. And one of the most wanted things by the fans, Zack and Kelly falling in love and getting married.
While the College Years is once again unrealistic, like how the dorm mates seem to have all the same classes together, which is a lot harder to believe in college. Slater, Zack, Kelly, and Screech sharing the same dorm was very unrealistic. The whole way the situation between Kelly and Professor Lasky was handled. But then again the Saved by the Bell series was never that realistic.
Now in my opinion Saved by the Bell: The College Years was never given a fair chance. I really enjoyed some of the humor in this season, I loved the relationship between Dean McMann and Zack, these two always killed in laughter. I think people are too harsh on this show, it's not Saturday morning any more, kids, it's prime time, get over it. Give this show a fair chance, it's a lot of fun.
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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 7, 2014 19:26:33 GMT
Has good memories College Years is a memorable TV show. The college co-ed dorm setting was well done and gave it a lot of potential. All the characters fit well except for the one that was obviously used to be the female Screech. They needed to have three good looking girls in the dorm instead of just two. Also they were trying to appeal to a much younger audience by creating the childish concepts. This show should have been made for the everyday college student. Creating scenarios that dealt with college issues of studying, partying, learning, etc. would have given it big ratings. NBC could have had one of their best shows with College Years.
The best episodes are the ones with Dean McMahon and the Kelly-Lasky affair. Some of the others that are done are just above average. I like watching all of them for nostalgia and because I just like the potential that it had.
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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 7, 2014 19:30:17 GMT
So much potential, abandoned far too soon... My brother recently purchased the DVD set of SBTBTCY, and I've watched the entire series a couple of times. I've decided this series was given up on by NBC far too early.
I hadn't seen this show for about a decade, and watching it again, even though it's 12 years old now, I've decided it had way too much potential to have been canceled so quickly. I found myself belly-laughing more than once.
The pilot episode is probably the weakest one, but it didn't take long for the show to begin to click, and even though it had a bit of a cartoony feel to it at times, that was pretty par for the course in the early 90s for sitcoms. The middle episodes are by far the best written and produced, I think Zack & Kelly story was supposed to be a cliffhanger moment to start the second season off with, but instead, we got the "Wedding in Las Vegas" movie. At least we got some resolution.
I think NBC either had high expectations for this show or never felt serious about, considering they ran it against Full House, which was either a huge sign on confidence or a death sentence from the onset. Whatever the intention, they gave up on the show WAY too early, as it was actually much better written than Full House, I guess not enough fans followed it from Saturday morning like I did.
So "The College Years" didn't even really tell the story of their entire freshman year, and it's a shame. This show had so much potential that was left untapped, it's sad. I guess I'll just have to make do with the 18 episodes we do have.
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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 7, 2014 19:31:27 GMT
Far superior to the original "Saved By The Bell" was a ridiculously wacky and zany affair, what with its occasional science-fiction oriented episodes (I recall one episode where Screech developed the ability to read minds!) and the acting was atrocious. The sets were horribly plastic and you could tell that you were watching a TV show. It never felt real.
"Saved By The Bell: The College Years" is quite a sophisticated situation comedy that doesn't always follow the same formula, as the original mostly did. Unlike the original, the characters develop throughout the series, and their strengths and weaknesses are drawn out more consistently. Also, the 'girlfriend of the week' plot tool is completely thrown out. Zach is never seen with a girlfriend who has been dumped by the following episode.
My theory for the cancellation of this above-average show is that unlike the kiddy-oriented original, this series was far more sophisticated and probably had a hard time finding its audience, which led to its cancellation.
The result was one final crack: a TV movie. Heinous at best, crap at worst.
Nevertheless, this series is definitely worth watching.
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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 8, 2014 17:36:07 GMT
Saved by the Bell Forever! No show has captured more of its fans hearts than Saved by the Bell. I love Seinfeld, but that show was designed for adults, while Saved by the Bell is unabashedly aimed at its young teen audience. People who grew up when these shows aired certainly know almost every episode and speak glowingly of them. There is little need to parse character development, setting,and/or humor, it's Saved by the Bell. Whether Zack and company are at JFK, Bayside, or CalU, the same cheesy and morally wholesome story lines are woven into every episode. Savor every moment of Saved by the Bell's unapologetically unfunny but extremely entertaining content. No matter what permutation of this show it happens to be, it sure beats the hell out of the current TV lineup.
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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 8, 2014 17:42:56 GMT
A Masterpiece of Modern Storytelling 10/10 One would think that the college years of Zach and the gang from Saved By The Bell would not be interesting, but I DISAGREE! Saved By The Bell : The College Years continued to impress me in it's short run. IT created story lines that rival many modern motion pictures. The sharp dialogue, memorable new characters and the riveting twists. How this show was shut out at the Emmys is beyond me. Every week I'd watch and be impressed. It made me laugh, cry and masturbate. It's interesting to see Screech's zany antics in college where there isn't even a bell! In college you cannot be saved by the bell but rather saved by your new life skills which all the characters acquire. The "Saved By The Bell" in the title is a metaphor for the growth and remembrance of the characters.
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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 8, 2014 18:05:23 GMT
Even Screech grew up... for good. 10/10 Finally a clever show that follows a plot and it's soon canceled. I mean, we have the most popular cast members of the original series in the most difficult student era of their lives: College.
The idea was very interesting but producers didn't feel it had potential. Some jokes were funny and clever and so were the situations that had a feeling of maturity towards our characters.
Also, the new cast members, including teachers were solid additions to the show. Mike Rogers was a fun character and added some spice to the show. The rest of the cast was clichéd but it's okay, I mean, it displays true life in college.
The show had potential believe me, but you can't go against producers. A cult show in the future, that's for sure..
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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 9, 2014 21:55:56 GMT
I LOVE this show! 10/10 I just got the DVDs and although I've only gotten through the first 4 episodes so far, I am finding it so funny and so enjoyable to watch! I was watching it last nite after everyone else had gone to sleep and I had to keep covering my mouth because I was laughing so much, I didn't want to wake anyone up! I think the last time I watched this show, I was 10-11, and I can't believe it's been almost 15 years since this show was on! Reading some people's comments, I think the people who don't like it and criticize it are the ones who have just watched the show now, as an adult, but growing up watching it and watching it now, especially after I've been through college, and can relate to the characters in some ways, it really is a great show and I wish there were more shows on today like it that kids could watch. I'm sure I have a lot more to say, but not exactly sure how to put it into words, but I'll end with how much I love this show and have been enjoying watching it and I'm so glad I have the Wedding In Las Vegas movie that I can watch as soon as I'm done with the series. Shame the show couldn't have lasted longer to see how Zack and Kelly got through college as a young, married couple. Although, I'm sure they made it through just fine!
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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 9, 2014 22:01:05 GMT
Good show 10/10 I used to watch this show when I was growing up. When I think about it, I remember it very well. If you ask me, it was a good show. Two things I especially remember very are the opening sequence and theme song. In addition to that, everyone was ideally cast. Also, the writing was very strong. The performances were top-grade, too. I hope some network brings it back so I can see every episode. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say that I'll always remember this show in my memory forever, even though I'm not sure if I've seen every episode. Now, in conclusion, if some network ever brings it back, I hope that you catch it one day before it goes off the air for good.
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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 9, 2014 23:22:07 GMT
Very Surprising at Some Parts... It whips you around a lot, otherwise great. In the end of the series Zack and Kelly get married, which you don't expect to happen that much, but it does, and throws you off track to the whole show. All those times they fought, Zack cheated on her, you'd think she'd remember that... Lisa and Jessie come for the wedding, which is the nicest part. I missed them from JH and high school. An introduction to new characters Leslie and Alex happens, for these two characters are the new college dorm mates to Kelly. They're a nice addition but will NEVER replace Lisa and Jessie, which is what the show must have tried to do. Actually, in the beginning another girl is in Kelly's spot, whom Zack meets first. She's in for the first TCYs episode then is never seen again. In a way she resembles Lisa, and I don't think they even mentioned her name:/ Kelly comes in on the second episode, her appearance was kind of predictable. You knew how upset they were to leave each other for college, so she "had" to come. I'm surprised that Zack didn't end up with Leslie who would have been a pretty good match for him in the end. A.C. Slater comes along to the same college as Zack, along with Screech. A.C. begins dating Alex, while Leslie is left alone in the dark. I don't think Jessie was nice to Slater AT ALL. She always called him a sexist pig, or something else in every HS episode...and Alex is exactly the same way. In one episode she demands Slater to be Peter Pan when she is Tinkerbell and everything goes wrong, and she can't even forgive him for switching costumes when he didn't know she had... it's rude how she treats him all the time, what with her ordering around. A.C. loses his first wrestling match in college so easily he promises to SCREECH to keep THE SECRET-there IS NO SECRET about that! It's gonna get out so don't tell the person who leaked so many lies not to tell anyone! And he's always been the toughie but his reputation is fresh in college, the only people who know about it are Kelly, Zack, and Screech, 3 out of probably 3000 people at the college. If those three were real friends they would not tell anyone anything. Zack's mean pranks, such as when he has to collect some quiz for doing a prank, is just rude(he promises a fake trip to Hawaii for the picked winner). Michael tries his best to set this guy straight, but HELLO. You are dealing with ZACK MORRIS! Plus Michael isn't such a gem either, asking Screech for everything, and complaining about all of his troubles to the college students. At one time Zack tries to have a rave for making up for one of his pranks and paints Michael's dorm BLACK. He takes advantage of everyone and isn't even that handsome. Well, I've said enough, this show can be funny at points but look deep down and see kids just scheming their way out of trouble and taking advantage of everyone and everything to get what they want.
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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 9, 2014 23:59:42 GMT
Pretty good show. Much better than the original 10/10 It's unfortunate that this show never found an audience. It was far and away the best Saved by the Bell incarnation to have existed. Much better than the original and The New Class. Provided, I was a little kid when the original SBTB was on the air. And I watched it. And I still occasionally do when it's on. But that's mostly nostalgia. It was truly a BAD show, and I never would have gotten in to it had it been after my time.
The College Years was a much better show in terms of both writing and acting. There's a lot of reasons for this. The returning actors had four years to grow in to their characters on the original show. So not only had they become better actors, they knew their roles well by this point. This show was meant to appeal to fans of the original, who grew up with the show. So these fans themselves were a little older. The comedy is a bit "older". Not in the sense of more adult or risqué. But that it was meant for mid-late teenagers, as opposed to the early-mid teenagers and younger that they were during the original. I'll delve in to that in the next paragraph.
Another factor was the different writing staff. I'm hard pressed to believe that this show employed the same writers. But even if it had, they definitely changed the writing style. With an older audience and a prime time slot, this show had to vary from the Saturday morning children's show writing style of the original. This show was MUCH funnier than the original. Much more believable, and with much less cringe-worthy moments. You know, those moments when you feel EMBARRASSED for the actors due to their dialog or the plot. It's just that bad, and you know it.
All in all, I thought this was a solid, funny, pretty well done family show. Was it hilarious? Was it one of the best family shows out there? Not really. But I thought it had it's moments. Many more moments than the original, that's for sure. Had it actually stuck around, I think it would have developed in to a much more likable show. I would give it a 7, which is maybe a little too generous. It was definitely better than the other two incarnations. It's just a shame that unlike them, it never found an audience.
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Post by sbtbfanatic on Feb 10, 2014 0:16:47 GMT
Terrible Terrible Terrible, They should have just left the show at graduation. I'm just glad they didn't do a Zack and Kelley's baby special.
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