"Saved by the Bell: The College Years" (1993) TV series 1993-1994

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Miguel Higuera

Writers:

Elaine Aronson (pilot)
Andy Guerdat (writer)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

14 September 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Zack, Screech, and Slater are all college students now. They are struggling to adapt to college life and facing rough times...

Plot Keywords:

College | Sitcom

Awards:

2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Fri. July 17	7:00 AM	TBS	Slater's War	#1.4
Fri. July 17	7:30 AM	TBS	The Homecoming	#1.5

Cast

Mark-Paul Gosselaar	...	Zack Morris (19 episodes, 1993-1994)
Mario López	...	A.C. Slater (19 episodes, 1993-1994)
Dustin Diamond	...	Samuel 'Screech' Powers / ... (19 episodes, 1993-1994)
Anne Tremko	...	Leslie Burke (19 episodes, 1993-1994)
Kiersten Warren	...	Alex Tabor (19 episodes, 1993-1994)
Bob Golic	...	Michael Rogers / ... (19 episodes, 1993-1994)
Tiffani Thiessen	...	Kelly Kapowski (18 episodes, 1993-1994)
Patrick Fabian	...	Professor Jeremiah Lasky / ... (8 episodes, 1993-1994)

Runtime:

30 min (18 episodes + Pilot)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Columbia/Sunset Gower Studios - 1438 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

NBC Productions

Trivia:

Originally, the six main characters on the show were Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), A.C. Slater (Mario López), Screech Powers (Dustin Diamond), Leslie Burke (Anne Tremko), Alex Taber (Kiersten Warren), and Danielle Marks (Essence Atkins). After the pilot, Tiffani Thiessen decided to return to play the role of Kelly Kapowski. Essence Atkins was fired and the plotline said she transferred to an unnamed college.

Quotes:

[Zack and Kelly are getting married]
Dean Susan McMann: [on phone] Hello, Reverend Dunlap. I would like to make a reservation in the school chapel for the Kawposki-Morris Wedding.
[listening]
Dean Susan McMann: Well then, bump the professor's funeral. He'll keep 'till Monday!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Nanny: The Cradle Robbers (#4.2)" (1996)

Should NOT have been cancelled.

I just had to return and say that I liked College Years and I still do, although it is many years cancelled now. I thought about how the NBC executives decided for some unfathomable reason to put it up against Full House on ABC, rather than at 8:30 or another time on Tuesday nights. "Mr. McSuit" at NBC made a real bonehead choice. I thought College Years should have survived in some way because of the cast. Bob Golic as "Mike Rogers" was very cool. "Leslie Burke" was so cool as well, and I can see why they all stayed in the co-ed dorm set up since she had wealthy parents. I never could understand why that babe from the pilot was let go. They screwed it up by bringing Kelly back and not leting go of Kiersten Warren. One thing I find ironic is how Tiffany was not going to be on College Years. When she saw the pilot, that is when she wanted to come back. You could easily argue that Tiffany should have just continued on the College Years without Kiersten Warren on it at all.

One of the best episodes was "What Women Want". The characters like Lasky, Dean McMann, Rogers, Slater, Leslie, Kelly, & Zack were pretty good. Screech should have been more mature in the College Years! Alex aka Kiersten Warren, really sucked on the show and was awful.

I just had too look at where all those actors went after the College Years was prematurely cancelled. Golic could have made it big on the show had it lasted. His character as a ex-football jock was very cool. The episode where he had Marv Albert as himself on the Thanksgiving episode was really fun. That could have been a springboard to bringing on other well known sports people on the show since it was on in primetime. I can't forget how Kelly was blushing and shocked to see Brian Austin Green walk in the cafeteria as himself. It is ironic how Tiffany went out with Brian in real life. She was the one who made it big after College Years. Dianne Tremko didn't do much that I know of. I have been told that the guy who played Professor Lasky hasn't done much besides a few other things and a recent commercial. Everyone knows about Mark Gosselars struggles with Hyperion Bay and his acting drought until he got a role on NYPD Blue. I've been told that he just doesn't look right on that show, although his acting is solid. Mario Lopez has had success after College Years with Pacific Blue and what he does now with Dick Clark on that women's perspective type of TV show. Dustin Diamond was on the New Class, which really lost a lot of viewers and the show was dragged on. That proves to me that College Years should have been on television, rather than the New Class. The actors on College Years were better than the ones on a show like the New Class which lasted as long as it did only because it was on Saturday Mornings and barely surviving off the reputation of the original Saved By The Bell.

NBC could have definitely had another hit show with Saved By The Bell: The College Years. It could have worked, BUT obviously they screwed it up BIG TIME; that's all!!!!!