As a child and young teenager, my favorite television show besides “Beverly Hills, 90210” was “Saved by the Bell.” Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar – yes, I still remember how to spell his last name) owned my heart. He may have been the very first blonde I lusted after. (Nick Carter, you can thank him). I mean, it was so bad that I got in a fight in middle school because a girl ripped my Big Bopper centerfold poster of Mark-Paul. 

You didn’t mess with my posters. “The College Years” may have been my favorite because that is when Zack/Mark-Paul was the hottest and don’t get me started on the Vegas movie. That’s the dream wedding. 

So why did it take me so long to watch the reboot on Peacock? Maybe it was because I was scared I would hate it and it would ruin the nostalgia and amazingness of the original “Saved by the Bell.” I knew my faves were back on the show, even my beloved Mark-Paul, but I just didn’t watch. 

Until I was sick the other day and decided to watch it. 

It may possibly be the best decision I made this past week besides getting a new record player/CD player/radio and yes, cassette player!

The main character, who is a girl, actually shares my birthday. Finally, someone who shares it besides Bill Cosby. And while Zack’s son’s name twitches me every time it is said outloud, I actually loved it. 

I love the fact that Slater and Jessie work at Bayside. I may not love the fact that Zack Morris is Governor and seems as if it’s basied on Trump’s presidency, I can overlook it. I mean, we just knew that Zack Morris was made for greatness. 

They mix the casts so well together so that’s it’s just not focused on the new casts of students, but also mixing in more of the original stars, especially in this latest season which brought back Lisa Turtle and even a tribute to Dustin Diamond who played Screech (and died earlier this year). 

But do you want to know the best part?

The best part is that we get to hear Zack and Slater say cruse words. I KNOW. I know this seems childish, but it was a Saturday morning teen show back in the early 1990s. There’s no way they could say any four letter word on there, but they do on Peacock and it is AMAZING. It makes Zack seem more real. 

I’ll leave my MPG lusting and fangirling with this scene from Season 2 of “Saved by the Bell” where Zack is teaching U.S. History (I won’t say why he’s teaching it because it’s a spoiler.)