Samantha Becker 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

The class roster of Saved by the Bell: The New Class' fourth season includes two carryovers from season three, Maria (Samantha Becker) and Ryan (Richard Lee Jackson). Of the missing students, Lindsey has gone off to college, "Tommy D" has moved to Florida, and R.J. has apparently vanished from the face of the earth. Among the newcomers this season are Ryan's new stepbrother, Nicky (Ben Gould), sexy Katie (Lindsay McKeon), and football jock Eric (Anthony Harrell). Of course, Richard Belding (Dennis Haskins) remains the principal of Bayside High School, with former student "Screech" Powers (Dustin Diamond) fulfilling his college requirements as Belding's administrative assistant. As in the previous season, several The New Class episodes have been recycled from storylines previously utilized on the original Saved by the Bell. "Backstage Pass" bears a strong resemblance to the earlier series' "Dancing to the Max"; "Baby Care" is a remake of "The Mamas and the Papas"; and "Fall Formal" has its roots in "The Prom." The season's two-part finale finds the students' favorite hangout, The Max, accidentally burning down, thereby cuing a "clip" show culled from both Saved by the Bell incarnations, with Mario López reprising his role of A.C. Slater from the earlier series. ~ 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

The owner of the Cherry Lanes Bowl-a-Rama, Ziggy (Sharon Gless) has been cranky, mean-spirited and desperately lonely ever since she was "jilted" by her erstwhile boyfriend Darrell (Dennis Arndt) 25 years before. Now Darrell has returned home to celebrate his birthday, and Ziggy is determined to get even with him for breaking her heart. The outcome of the story--overseen by Monica (Roma Downey) and her fellow angels, of course--hinges upon Darrell's determination to bowl a "perfect game"...and Ziggy's determination that he won't. In a parallel development, the future of newlywed couple Renee (Samantha Becker) and Warren (John Huertas) likewise hangs in the balance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide