NBC is in the midst of revivingSaved by the Bellwith a sequel series for the network’s streaming service Peacock, and the show has found its lead in transgender actress Josie Totah. Known for her roles inGlee,Champions, andSpider-Man: Homecoming, Totah will play the role of “Lexi” in the upcoming series revival. The character is described as a “beautiful, sharp-tongued cheerleader and the most popular girl at Bayside High, who is both admired and feared by her fellow students.”
Previously, details about the premise of the updatedSaved by the Bellhave also been revealed. Following the events of the original series,Zack Morrishas since been elected as the Governor of California where he’s faced with citizen backlash for closing too many low-income high schools. Zack responds by sending the displaced students to study at some of the state’s more prestigious high schools, including the setting of the original series - Bayside High.
A small handful of other cast members have also been confirmed for theSaved by the Bell TV reboot. This includes John Michael Higgins (Pitch Perfect) as the new principal of Bayside High. Original series stars Elizabeth Berkley and Mario Lopez have also signed on to reprise their roles as Jessie Spano and A.C. Slater, respectively. Oddly enough, while Zack Morris will be revealed as the new Governor of California in the series, actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar said after news of the revival broke that he didn’t know a thing about it, though he’d be open to returning if he got the call.
Chances are, several other stars from the original show will be appearing, though we shouldn’t count on seeing every classic character return. Dustin Diamond, who we all know as Screech, has had a bit of a strained relationship with the rest of the cast since publishing many outlandish claims about them in his biographical bookBehind the Bell. Diamond has since suggested that a ghost writer is to blame for the book’s controversial content, but perhaps the damage has been done, as the actor has been notably absent in all subsequentSaved by the Bellreunions.
Saved by the Bellis just one of many classic sitcoms from the past to come back with a modern revival. On Netflix,Full Housegot its own sequel series in the form ofFuller House, which would ultimately last for five seasons. Other classic comedy shows from the era likeRoseanne,Mad About You, andWill and Gracehave gotten the chance to reboot themselves as well. With aFrasierreboot also in the works, television is certainly looking a lot like the mid ’90s all over again.
Universal Television is producing theSaved by the Bellreboot for thePeacock streaming app. Tracy Wigfield (Great News) is also attached to write and serve as showrunner for the upcoming series. Additionally, Wigfield will executive produce alongside Berkley, Lopez, Franco Bario (Great News), and original series creator Peter Engel.
NBC’s streaming service, Peacock, will launch in April 2020. There’s no word yet on when exactly the newSaved by the Bellwill be available on the service, though it’s expected to arrive sometime this year. This news was first reported byThe Hollywood Reporter.
