Ben Gould Movies

A sequel to the popular NBC weekend seriocomic series Saved by the Bell, Saved by the Bell: The New Class, which first aired September 11, 1993, was set not long after the familiar regulars from the original series had graduated from Bayside High School. During the sequel's first season, only the character of Principal Richard Belding (Dennis Haskins) was carried over from the first Saved by the Bell. The sequel's initial episodes introduced Bayside's incoming sophomore class: Scott Erickson (Robert Sutherland Telfer), Barton "Weasel" Wyzell (Isaac Lidsky), "Tommy D." DeLuca (Jonathan Angel), Megan Jones (Bianca Lawson), Lindsay Warner (Natalia Cigiluti), and Vicki Needleman (Bonnie Russavage). Fans of the earlier series could not help but notice that the new cast bore many of the character traits associated with the Saved by the Bell regulars -- notably Scott, who came off as the new incarnation of the earlier show's inimitable Samuel "Screech" Powers (Dustin Diamond). This may be why Scott was among the characters eliminated during The New Class' second season, when, in a ratings-boosting move, "Screech" returned, this time as a college student working on a trial basis as Mr. Belding's administrative assistant. (Other Saved by the Bell favorites would pop up as guest stars in later New Class episodes.)

Each successive season of Saved By the Bell: The New Class found a handful of new students either joining the existing cast members or replacing departing regulars. Newcomers in season two included Rachel Myers (Sarah Lancaster, who'd played the role on a sporadic basis in the previous season), Brian Keller (Christian Oliver), and Bobby Wilson (Spankee Rogers). Season three brought forth R.J. Collins (Salim Grant), Maria Lopez (Samantha Becker), and Ryan Parker (Richard Lee Jackson). In season four we met Nicky Farina (Ben Gould), Katie Peterson (Lindsey McKeon), and Eric Little (Anthony Harrell). New to the cast in season five was Liz Miller (Ashley Lyn Cafagna). And in season six, Tony Dillon (Tom Wade Huntington) joined the student body. Plot-wise, Saved by the Bell: The New Class followed the formula established by its predecessor: zany comedy set pieces, intramural romances, seemingly insurmountable crises, brushes with such social problems as drunk driving, smoking, drug use, and premarital sex, impromptu musical numbers, and exotic "field trips" to faraway locales. Although only six seasons of The New Class episodes were produced, the series lasted seven first-run years on NBC, its final season split into two 13-episode segments and spread out over a two-year period. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Surprisingly, there hasn't been much of a cast turnover between seasons four and five of Saved by the Bell: The New Class. Of the season four regulars, the only one missing is Sarah Lancaster as Rachel, while the only newcomer is Ashley Lyn Cafagna as Liz Miller. The season begins with the rebuilding of The Max, a favorite hangout of Bayside High School's student body. This year's "field trip" story arc takes the kids to France, recycling -- of all things -- a plotline from I Love Lucy. Otherwise, most of the "remakes" during season four are taken from the original Saved by the Bell: "The Great Stain Robbery" is a new version of the earlier series' "Cream for a Day," for example, while "Love, Bayside Style" is lifted from "Earthquake." The season ends with "Forget and Forgive," a retrospective built around the enduring character of "Screech" Powers (Dustin Diamond) and utilizing excerpts from both Saved by the Bell and The New Class. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Twenty-six episodes of Saved by the Bell: The New Class were produced for the series' sixth season. However, only 13 were telecast, with the remaining 13 withheld from view until the series' seventh and final year on the air. Virtually all of the regulars seen in season five have returned to Bayside High School this term. The only "dropout" is Richard Lee Jackson as Ryan, while the sole newcomer is Tom Wade Huntington as Tony. This last-named character figures into one of the series' traditional "problem" episodes, in which the students try to dissuade Tony from smoking cigarettes. Another example of a "serious" issue amidst all the hilarity is the episode in which student Katie (Lindsey McKeon) must fend off the sexual harassment of her new boss. Inasmuch as season six of The New Class has been literally cut in half, the season ends with the obligatory Christmas episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

American independent filmmaker Paul F. Ryan makes his feature debut with the psychological drama Home Room. The students of Valley High School try to get on with their lives in the aftermath of a traumatic school shooting in which nine students were killed. Even though the perpetrator is dead, the townspeople still want to find some answers. Detective Martin Van Zandt (Victor Garber) decides to interrogate high school student Alicia Browning (Busy Philipps), who was present during the attack. Because of her cynical attitude and dark fashion choices, she is viewed as a possible threat. Principal Robbins (James Pickens Jr.) sentences her to regular hospital visits with the pretty and popular Deanna Cartwright (Erika Christensen), who was seriously injured in the attack. Alicia and Deanna overcome their initial differences and develop a nurturing friendship with psychological help from Dr. Hollander (Holland Taylor). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide